Human Rights House concept welcomed in Kabul

The Human Rights House concept was welcomed by Afghan human rights defenders when The Human Rights House Foundation visited Kabul last month together with the Norwegian PEN. Najia Haneefi (right ) was one of many women working for women’s rights who said she feels isolated and stigmatized and needs a stronger regional and international network.(16-APR-07)

Photo and text by HRHF/ Nina Luhr

The Human Rights House Foundation engagement in the country draws upon the local contacts and knowledge that the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee, Afghan and Norwegian PEN have shared. The delegation had several meetings with officials, international representatives and most importantly with Afghan human rights organisations, media institutions and individuals in order to get and update on the current political and social situation.

The mission of the Executive Director and the Project Manager from the Human Rights House Foundation was to introduce the concept of a human rights house to the local human rights community in order to analyse to what extent this can support their work for human rights.

One of the key challenges addressed in all these meetings was whether being co-located in the same building would lower the risk that human rights defenders run daily. Sima Samar (left), Head of the Independent Human Rights Commission, welcomed the concept. -Five years have past since I last bought my own chewing gum in the street, Samar said illustrating the insecurity faced by human rights defenders.

The concept was also introduced to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during a meeting with the Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta (below) and several of his advisors among them the Head of the Department for Human Rights. The minister expressed great interest in initiatives to strengthen the Afghan civil society and its capacity to work jointly in the promotion of human rights.

Several of the human rights organisations working for women’s rights explained they feel isolated and stigmatized. Some of their activities are therefore run clandestine. They expressed a strong need for regional and international networks.
– The international network of human rights houses may offer moral and political support for these vulnerable and strong women, Nina Luhr said after having met several of the most exposed women’s rights defenders in Kabul. 

This moral and political support was expressed in the delegations meetings with the Norwegian and the Danish Embassy as they both showed great interest in the concept and how it may strengthen local human rights organisations and networks.