About 80 representatives of 17 Belarusian human rights NGOs took part in the Forum. They entrusted the Expert group with the further discussion of the draft Strategy. A discussion on possible improvement of the document lasted for several months. During this debate, valuable comments to the draft Strategy from both the Forum participants and other Belarusian and foreign human rights defenders were received.
But the dramatic events of 19-20 December 2010 changed the situation in Belarus drastically, they became a challenge for the human rights community. Cruel violence against the electoral process participants, the oppression of civil society in the country, violence against the opposition politicians and participants of the peaceful protest, the maximum limitation of the rights and freedoms— all that required from the Belarusian human rights activists to strengthen their activity and to work on a new level.
Under these circumstances, the expert group considered it extremely important to renew a broad discussion regarding a strategy on which the fulfilment of our common mission can be based in the current situation. We are publishing the draft Strategy as a starting point for this discussion.
You can find the draft Strategy of Belarusian Human Rights Movement in the attachment.
We urge the representatives of human rights NGOs, specialists, academics and civil society experts to join the discussion of the Strategy of Belarusian Human Rights Movement and to help with its improvement.
We ask all interested parts before July 1, 2011:
– to send their comments, critical opinions, suggestions to the draft Strategy;
– to declare their interest in participating in the further work of the Working group which will be established to adopt the final version of the Strategy.
Contact address is belforum2010@gmail.com (materials are accepted in Belarusian, Russian and English). Later on, based on the general opinions and comments, the discussion will continue in social networks, on human rights organizations’ websites and through other means of communication.
We are hoping for fruitful cooperation and looking forward to your feedback.
On behalf of the Expert group developing the Strategy of Belarusian Human Rights Movement and on the basis of solutions of 2nd Belarusian human rights forum,
Belarusian Human Rights House
The Executive Bureau of the Assembly of NGOs of Belarus
Documents:
