Human Rights NGOs Join Forces

Five organizations working in the field of human rights, Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHV), Human Rights Association (IHD),Solidarity Association for Human Rights and the Oppressed (Mazlum-Der),the Amnesty International (UAO) and the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (hYd)have announced that they have established the Joint Platform for Human Rights (IHOP).

The platform will organize meetings and pursue projects to increase participation in efforts to adopt and improve human rights starting this October. In a statement announcing the establishment of the platform, the organizations underlined the need for establishing relations with a larger portion of the society.

IHOP: Rights advocates should cooperate

IHOP said the following problems should be solved in order for the rights organizations to be able to function more efficiently:

* Problems of organization: Rights organizations should improve their current member structure and continue work through healthier relations.

* International relations:"There is a need to organize the public opinion and reaction in terms of human rights in a universal dimension; to train governments, parliaments and bureaucrats; to cooperate with the above mentioned in improving the national legislation, in accepting international conventions and agreements, and to create public pressure; and to negotiate with state and international institutions when necessary.

* Rights advocates should come together: The human rights activists in our country should urgently come together. They need to set joint goals. They need to cooperate in determining, exhibiting, and reporting on rights struggles and violations, in seeking improvements to current legislation, and in developing projects to create awareness.

IHOP needs staff

IHOP needs a project developer and an assistant. Please click for detailson the vacancies and requirements for the positions (MS Word document,30K). (TK)