Objectives of the WG on Freedom of Association
 

  • To promote and protect human rights values and international standards related to freedom of association in the Euro-Med region, in particular in the South Mediterranean area.
  • To develop sustained civil society monitoring and expertise on freedom of association conducive to change in legislation and to democratic reform.
  • To draft annual reports on freedom of association in the EuroMed region based on a consensus the of a broad group of civil society representatives reached through a participatory and consultative process and to diffuse this report widely.



Activities



The Network has identified freedom of association as one of its key working areas for the future and decided at its last GA to establish a working group dealing with this specific issue.

During its first meeting, the WG had set up, as a first priority, to implement a project aimed at establishing a regional civil society instrument to monitor freedom of association and, indirectly by extension, progresses or setbacks in terms of democracy. The project will consist of writing annual reports on the situation of freedom of association in legislation and practice.

See minutes from the 1st WG meeting

During the second WG meeting, last December 2007, the EMHRN has published its first Review on freedom of association. The distinctiveness of this report is based on the fact that its redaction is based on a consensus of a broad group of civil society representatives reached through a participatory and consultative process with EMHRN members. The Review includes one chapter for the 11 countries surrounding the Mediterranean, as well as one chapter dealing with the situation within the EU. Finally, it provides several recommendations to the governments from both North and South Mediterranean.

See Minutes from the second WG meeting

 

Third Meeting of the EMHRN Freedom of Association Working Group - Cairo, Egypt, 23-24 May 2008 - Draft Agenda

 





WG Members


Moroccan Association for Human Rights Ali Amar
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Moataz El Fegiery
National Council for Freedom in Tunisia

Omar Mestiri

Danish Institute for Human Rights Lis Dhundale
Espace Associatif Abdeljalil Laroussi
Greek Helsinki Monitor Panayote Dimitras
Aim for  Human Rights Jan De Vries
Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights Boudjema Redouane
Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights Anouar Kousri
Moroccan Organisation for Human Rights Amina Bouayach
World Organisation Against Torture Anne-Laurence Lacroix
Osman Isci




For more info, contact the WG Coordinator, Thibaut Guillet