Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights

Establishing the first state of the art human rights library in Egypt

- a cooperation project between NCHR-N and NCHR-E

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library2

Norwegian Centre for Human RightsPresentation of an Egypt-Norway library cooperation project - 2008

1. Actors and partners2. National Institutions3. Background 4. Application procedure5. Objectives and activities6. Target groups7. Tools of cooperation and reporting procedures8. Status 9. Lessons learned

Agenda

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library3

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights

NCHR from Cairo to Oslo

NCHR Director Mads Andernæs welcomes the NCHR-E Head Librarian Sahar Rabie

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library4

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights1. Actors and partnersNorwegian Centre for Human Rights

(NCHR-N http://www.humanrights.uio.no/)The National Council for Human Rights

(NCHR-E http://www.nchr.org.eg/)

Director of Programs Kristin Høgdahl

Professor Salah Amer

leader of the International Relations Committee

Secretary GeneralMokhles Kotb

(The Ambassador)

Library project leaderSahar Rabie

Head librarian

Associate Professor Nils Butenschøn

extensive experience with the Middle East and Arab countries

Library project leader Kristine Mesgrahl

Senior Librarian

Director Mads Andenæs

Project memberBetty Haugen Head librarian

IT library assistant (to be hired)

Library assistant(to be hired)

Librarian

Marta Herkenhoff

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign affairs

The Egyptian Embassy in Norway

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library5

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights2. National Institutions (NHRI)

NHRI established based onThe UN “Paris Principles”

• Recommends that States establish an independent national institution for human rights, with the primary objective of assisting with consultancy, studies and information related to implementation of the internationally agreed human rights.

• UN Human Rights Commission Resolution 1992/54 and General Assembly Resolution 48/134,1993

• As National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI), the NCHR-N and NCHR-E are part of a regional and international network of national institutions.

• The network is managed by an international coordination committee (International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights – ICC), which works closely with the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.

• In accordance with the Paris Principles and the ICC Sub-Committee Rules of Procedure, the following classifications for accreditation of the NHRI are used by the ICC:

– A: Compliance with the Paris Principles;– A(R): Accreditation with reserve – granted where

insufficient documentation is submitted to confer A status;

– B: Observer Status - Not fully in compliance with the Paris Principles or insufficient information provided to make a determination

– C: Non-compliant with the Paris Principles

• Both our institutions are accredited with an A rating

For more information see: • National Human Rights Institutions Forum: http://www.nhri.net/• OHCHR: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/NHRI/Pages/NHRIMain.aspx• Paris Principles – http://snurl.com/27c33 and http://daccess-ods.un.org/TMP/2446666.html

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library6

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights3. Background

• After several meetings and visits a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the two National institutions was signed in December 2005.

• The objective of the MoU is to facilitate joint projects to enhance respect for human rights in either country.

• Will be renegotiated in 2009

Further cooperation through the participation of both institutions in the Arab-European Human Rights Dialogue conferences

• The Dialogue is an result of an initiative made by the Danish HR institute after the incident of the Mohammad drawings

– First conference arranged in Amman, April 2007. Topic: "Terrorism and Human Rights“

– The second in October 2007 in Copenhagen. Topic: ”Non-discrimination and equal treatment and how to combat discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or gender”.

– The third Conference was held in Rabat, Morocco May 2008. Topic: “HR and Migration in the two regions”

Nils Butenschøn and Mokhles Kotb, Secretary General of NCHR-E.

Text of the MoU at: http://snurl.com/27u5q More on the Dialouge: http://snurl.com/27c4l

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library7

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights4. Application procedure

• Two visits and several meetings between the two institutions held in May 2007

– In Cairo at the NCHR-E– In Oslo at the NCHR-N and at

the MfA

• Goal: a joint application• We sent an application from

the NCHR-N with appendixes from NCHR-E

• Application sent to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MfA) July 2007

– Including two project proposals total of 1,9 mil NOK

• Election observation unit • Support for library set up

• Approved October 2007– Based on NCHR-E’s own

prioritizing the MfA decided to support the library project

– Total budget NOK 1,2 million– “The Ministry’s grants are

lump-sum payments, and the Ministry is not obliged to provide further support for the project.”

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library8

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights5. Objectives and activities

Objectives

• Contribute to the fulfillment of the NCHR-E's goals and functions as an NHRI

• Collect, organize and disseminate human rights information

• Serve as a national gateway to HR information

• Establish good network connections – with other HR libraries in Egypt and

other Arab countries, as well as a few foreign countries such as Norway

Activities

• Setting up the library – Purchase hardware (shelves and

technical equipment)– Convert to the ELIS Egyptian

Librararies Network – OPAC’ http://www.egyptlib.net.eg/site/home.aspx

– Recruit and train staff– Acquire more HR documents

• Organize human rights information physically and virtually

• Arrange courses and workshops

• Participate in conferences and seminars

The overall goal is to establish the first “state of the art” human rights library in Egypt

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library9

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights6. Target groups

1. The general public2. Students3. Researchers (Masters, PhD students….etc),

journalists4. Human rights institutions (both government, NGOs

and CSOs)5. NCHR-E researchers and staff6. Interested parties who wish to be informed about

the human rights situation in Egypt7. Lawyers8. Law drafters (some of whom are represented in the

membership of the Council)

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library10

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights

7. Reporting procedures – tools of cooperation

• We use an exel spreadsheet instead of big project planning tool – (example see next page)

• Report to NCHR-N from Egypt every three months

• Working towards a standardization of formats• NCHR-N final report to MfA max ½ year after

finalization

• Web page with information on the project• E-mail and Facebook(!)

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library11

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights      NCHR-E input                                                      

Main activities

item #

Activity no.

Detailed Activity Month

Jan Feb Mar April May June

Networking (3.a.5

  Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

      Identifying prospected areas of cooperation

                                                 

      2 Approaching donors - no - NCHR-N and council only the council won't contact any other donors and the project will be executed solely by the MFA fund .

                                                     

Setting up the library (3.a.3)

    Acquiring equipment                                                    

    A.3.11

3.f Market assessment for purchasing and manufacturing furniture.

                                                   

      4 Issue a tender                                                      

    A.3

5 Purchase of furniture shelves and chairs

                                                     

      6 Purchase of other equipment -

                                                     

    Staff NCHR-E                                                      

    7.d.1

Recruitment of Staff -                                                      

      8.d.6

Visit other HR libraries in Cairo - bring assistants - part of training

                                                 

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library12

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights8. Status

• Progress and main achievements – “Hardware” shelves

bought– ELIS library system

member

– Booklist core HR literature from Norway

– Networking India (AILL) Ramallah (Libraries and HR)

– Training visit to Norway– Hiring procedure

underway

Scheduled opening ceremony December 2008

NCHR-E the5th and 11th floor

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR-N) - The library13

Norwegian Centre for Human Rights10. Lessons learned - pitfalls and tips

• Success points – Good contact between the involved

parties is the most important factor for success

– Correlation between different documents, actors and stages in the project

• Remember while planning– “Things take time” … on both sides– National holidays, weekends on different

days (Muslim vs. Christian vs. Jewish)– Possible illness and other obligations– Travel

• Pay close attention to and evaluate need for and length of length of visits…

• You might need visas – could be time consuming, expensive and complicated procedures

– Budget• Make room for unforeseen costs, pay

and airfare rise, variable exchange rates etc.

– Use standard contracts if possible

Tips• Use your connections - Dawson deal with UiO also for NCHR-E• Talk to your network• Learn from others experience

More information here: http://www.humanrights.uio.no/bibliotek/NCHR-EandN/index.html