HRHT / Human Rights Center

Non-governmental organization the Human Rights Center (HRC), formerly Human Rights Information and Documentation Center was founded on December 10, 1996 in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The Human Rights Center is dedicated to protection and promotion of human rights, rule of law and peace in Georgia.

Vision

The Human Rights Center believes that everyone is entitled to exercise her/his civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights freely and without any discrimination as guaranteed by national and international law. We consider that protection and promotion of these rights and respect for rule of law are the key preconditions for building sustainable peace and democracy in Georgia.

Overall Objectives

The HRC aims to increase respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and facilitate peacebuilding process in Georgia.  To achieve this goal it is essential to ensure that authorities respect the rule of law and principles of transparency and separation of powers, to eliminate discrimination at all levels, increase awareness and respect for human rights among the people in Georgia.  

 

Human Rights Centers Priority Areas

❖ Strengthening the rule of law by:

  • Supporting harmonization of national legislation with international human rights standards and monitoring their implementation;
  • Raising public awareness about their rights and
    available legal remedies/mechanisms for their realisation;
  • Providing free legal aid to individuals and groups to defend their rights and freedoms at national and regional/international levels;
  • Monitoring, documenting and reporting on human rights violations.

 

❖ Supporting Freedom of Expression and Media by:

  • Supporting development of independent media;
  • Promoting creation of environment conducive of free expression;
  • Capacity building of journalists and media representatives;
  • Promotion and development of new media;

 

❖ Supporting Transitional Justice by:

  • Documenting and reporting human rights violations committed in relation with armed conflicts;
  • Promoting accountability for human rights violations;
  • Advocating restitution and reparation;
  • Confidence building, reconciliation and peace building.

 

❖ Promoting Equality and Social Inclusion by

  • Fighting against discrimination;
  • Protecting the rights of minorities and other vulnerable groups;
  • Promoting gender equality and women empowerment.

 

❖ Reinforcement of Democratic processes by:

  • Strengthening development of civil society organizations through capacity building and networking;
  • Encouraging involvement of social groups in public activities;
  • Promoting free and fair elections, good governance and transparency.

Activities

  • Monitoring and Documenting human rights violations in Georgia;
  • Reporting on human rights situation in Georgia to the EU, Council of Europe, OSCE, UN, ICC and others international bodies on regular basis;
  • Lobbying and Advocacy of legislative and policy reforms before national and international institutions;
  • Litigating cases on human rights violations through Legal Aid Centre free of charge;
  • Public Awareness Raising on human rights situation in Georgia by daily-updatable bi-lingual online magazine www.HumanRights.ge and video-portal www.hridc.tv

Networking among human rights organizations on national and regional level.

New Initiatives

  • South Caucasus Network of Human RightsDefenders( www.caucasusnetwork.org )
  • Human Rights House -Tbilisi (www.humanrightshouse.org/georgia.)
  • Sorry Campaign (apsni.org) – “ Apology Instead ofBullets”
  • Black Sea Region Peace building Platform Initiative(BSPPI);
  • An International Practitioner Network for CasualtyRecorders.

Human Rights Center is member of the following international networks:

 

 

Human Rights Center has been supported by the following organisatons:

The European Commission; The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; The Norwegian Helsinki Committee; National Endowment for Democracy(NED), The USA; Black Sea Trust of the German Marshal Fund of the United States; Cordaid (The Netherlands); Council of Europe; Norwegian Human Rights Fund; Embassy of Canada; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation(SDC); OSCE Mission to Georgia; Europe Partnership Foundation; Open Society Georgia Foundation(OSGF); UNICEF; International Economic Relations and Development Co-operation (YDAS-Hellenic Aid) – General Secretariat of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Greece); Friedrich Ebert Foundation; Open Society Institute (OSI, Budapest); The World Bank; Stichting Vluchteling (The Netherlands); The Swiss Embassy in Georgia; Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Georgia; Embassy of Lithuania; Nordic Council of Ministers/Human Rights House Foundation; CICC; Abilis Foundation; Nonviolent Peaceforce; Penal Reform International; Minority Rights Group International; The Swedish Institute; Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief; Bulgarian Embassy in Georgia; East-West Management Institute/USAID; US Embassy in Georgia; Heinrich Boell Foundation; Estonian Embassy in Georgia; IFES/USAID.

Contact address:

❖ Human Rights Center’s Tbilisi Office (Headquarters)

 

 

Branch Offices:

 

❖ Kakheti regional office

        • Address: 14, Noneshvili Street, III Floor, Gurjaani, Georgia
        • Tel.: 0 (353) 22-50-70

 

❖ Shida Kartli regional office

        • Address: 45, Chavchavadze Street, Gori, Georgia
        • Tel.: 0 (370) 27 07 18

 

❖ Kvemo Kartli regional office:

        • Address: 20, Megobroba Street, Rustavi, Georgia
        • Tel.: 0 (341) 25 00 69