On 25th January 2018, Human Rights Centre, held a workshop to review the Centre which celebrates its 5th anniversary. Established five years ago, the Board of Directors decided to invite the stakeholders to evaluate the Centre. The Director General of the Ministry of Justice, Jama Ahmed Abdirahman, and the Chairman of the Human Rights, Justice and Constitutional Committee of the House of Representative of the Parliament, MP Saeed Elmi Rooble, opened the workshop.
Government officials representing the ministries of justice, internal affairs, employment and social works, religious affairs, and the judiciary commission, as well as civil society organizations, traditional elders, UNSOM, academics and religious leaders attended the workshop.
The participants examined the vision, mission, and activities of HRC as well as the challenges it faces. They provided recommendations on the issues and priorities HRC has to focus on and the specific activities they would like the Centre to partake. Additionally, the attendants made suggestions on the structure and functionalities of the Centre.
This was the first workshop of its kind the Centre ever has organized. The objectives of the workshop were to:
- Critically examine the activities and methods of work of HRC;
- Provide recommendations on how best HRC can do its work, and remain sustainable;
- Set the agenda and priorities of HRC;
- Increase the accountability of HRC to the people of Somaliland.
“The impressive contributions and ideas shared by participants from different backgrounds will definitely shape Human Rights Centre. Established from the scratch in a small law office, it was hard to imagine five years ago that HRC will be in this position,” says Guleid Ahmed Jama, the chairperson of Human Rights Centre.
“The centre is owned by and is accountable to the people of Somaliland. That is why we presented to them to evaluate us,” he added.
Most of the participants want HRC to do more on the social and economic rights of the poor. Street vendors, internally displaced people, labour rights, police and fair trial issues, and minority people were specifically emphasised.
The workshop also gave recommendations on how HRC can overcome the challenges it is currently facing. These challenges include financial difficulties, government pressure, limited human resources, and misconceptions of human rights.
“On behalf of HRC, I appreciate the invaluable contributions given to us by dedicated and generous people who want sustainable, strong and effective human rights organization,” says Guleid.
The Board of Directors asked the Secretariat to incorporate the suggestions made by the public with the strategic plan of Human Rights Centre.
About Human Rights Centre
The Human Rights Centre (HRC) is a non-profit organization established in January 2013 with the aim of contributing to the protection and promotion of human rights in Somaliland. HRC was founded by lawyers who are inspired by the Bill of Rights in the Somaliland Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is registered with the Somaliland government as a non-profit-making and non-governmental organization. HRC was formed to cover the need for documentation and advocacy on human rights to help maintain the gains made by Somaliland’s nascent democracy. The central policy of Human Rights Centre is creating and fostering a culture of voluntary human rights activism where committed human rights defenders with passion contribute to the protection, promotion, and realization of human rights.
Vision
For Somaliland, place where human rights are protected, promoted, respected and fulfilled.
Mission
Human Rights Centre exists to defend and protect the rights of human beings in Somaliland.