Request for assistance to new HR information centre

Reply-To: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 17:04:56 +0300 (EET DST)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: Request for assistance to new HR information centre

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Miroslav Mitrofanov <[email protected]>

Request for assistance to new HR information centre


Dear Sirs/Medames,
 
New non-government organizaton 'Human Rights Information Center'
(HRIC) is begining activities in Latvia. The particular feature of
this HR Center is its location not in the capital of the country, but
in Daugavpils - the second largest town of Latvia. The town is
situated in the southeastern corner of Latvia. The majority of its
population are representatives of ethnic minorities. The social
development of Daugavpils region tradionaly differs from that one of
Riga and Western Latvia, so the HR information/defence work demands
different approaches there in terms of choosing tools, arguments,
operation language and audience.
 
Main goal of the new organization is to promote awareness about modern
human rights instruments, their implementation in the legislation of
the Republic of Latvia, and available/practically applicable
mechanisms of protecting human rights, thus facilitating development
of  modern civil society in the region.
 
Basic activities of the Human Rights Information Center in Daugavpils
will include:
 
- creating a library of the human rights agreements, conventions and
other documents, as well as relevant books, journals, training
materials, CDs, Internet sources etc. so as to provide free access to
this information for all interested persons;
 
- providing free access to pertinent legislation of the Republic of
Latvia;
 
- dissemination of knowledge and skills in the field of human rights;
 
- collecting data and true information about the human rights
situation in particular fields in Daugavpils (children�s rights,
women�s rights, activities of the law enforcement institutions, prison
conditions, rights of non-citizens, rights of ehtnic minorities etc.).
 
In 6 months after the beginning of the project free consultations on
issues pertinent to the human rights will be offered to the residents
of Daugavpils and nearby district.
 
The first grant was just allocated by the Soros Foundation Latvia for
this new NGO.

Now the project is at the stage of collecting the HR documents for the
database ("the public library"). In this connection we would like to
ask you to help the new organization with the the texts of HR
documents, books and other relevant materials on HR theory and
practice in Russian, Latvian or English languages. Since the Center
will make special emphasis on work in schools, the samples of popular,
youth-oriented booklets about personal rights and legal self-defence
are especially needed.
 
Our address:
 
HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMATION CENTER IN DAUGAVPILS
Kraslavas, 58. Daugavpils, LV-5403, Latvian Republic
Tel. 371 5420003
e-mail: [email protected]
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Miroslav Mitrofanov
HRIC Daugavpils office manager
--------------------

Moderator adds: Presentation of the new NGO to public will take place
tomorrow in Daugavpils. I join to Miroslav's appeal, in particular,
because the MINELRES project is closely involved in the Center's
activities - we are in charge for providing required international
instruments and other documents via Internet. This is why the
moderator will take part in the event and will stay in Daugavpils till
August 23. You will receive next MINELRES postings after Sunday. BTW,
it seems it is time to gradually increase traffic, for summer
vacations seem to be over for most subscribers (unfortunately :-). So,
your submissions are welcome!

Boris

-- 
==============================================================
MINELRES - a forum for discussion on minorities in Central&Eastern
Europe

Submissions: [email protected]  
Subscription/inquiries: [email protected] 
List archive: http://www.riga.lv/minelres/archive.htm
==============================================================