Human Rights Report 2018 - Friedrich Naumann Foundation
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Human Rights Report 2018
Being committed
to freedom means
being committed
to human rights.
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger,
Vice Chairperson of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
and former Federal Minister of Justice.
2–2
The International Human Rights Projects of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom 2017–2018
In her role as Vice Chairperson of the
Foundation for Freedom and former
Federal Minister of Justice, Sabine
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger actively
campaigns for human rights.
Dear reader
As in previous years, the main causes of worldwide human rights
violations during 2017 – 2018 were war, displacement, poverty and corruption.
The armed conflicts in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan remain unresolved and
result in terrible war crimes and human rights abuses almost daily. Globally,
nearly 70 million people are fleeing from conflict or trying to escape the poverty
and hopelessness of their home countries. On their desperate journeys, women
and children are commonly subjected to horrific human rights abuses. Basic
human rights are under severe pressure, not just in the global South, but also
in Europe.
Recent declines in media freedom and freedom of expression are espe-
cially worrying. In North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and China, such freedoms are
non-existent. In Russia and Turkey, journalists are systematically harassed. Since
the attempted coup in Turkey in 2016, more than 100 journalists, some of them
German, have been arrested on grounds of terrorism. Some have been convicted.
Even in the European Union (EU), the safety of journalists is not guar-
anteed, as illustrated by the murders of the journalists Daphne Galizia in Malta
Vorwort
and Jan Kuciak in Slovakia, who were investigating corruption and stories linked
to the leaked Panama Papers, in which prominent politicians and businesspeople
were implicated.
2–3
Globally, authoritarianism and right-wing populism are on the rise,
endangering freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Those who deliber-
ately deploy false facts and lies to fuel the public’s fears, to divide society and
draw political capital from such splits, have no use for a professional and critical
press.
In Germany, journalists attending some right-wing demonstrations and
rallies require police protection because of credible threats of violence. Certain
European states, such as Poland and Hungary, have systematically defamed and
undermined the free press by enforcing public media conformity and purchasing
private media.
Without effective freedom of expression and freedom of the press,
which guarantee our right to information, our democracy is deliberately weakened
and destroyed. The existence of the constitutional state is also threatened
because legislative independence is being systematically eroded, as shown by
the constitutional crises in Poland and Hungary, which have triggered so-called
rule of law procedures by the EU.
These human rights challenges are the reason why the Friedrich
Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) offers civic education in Germany and
abroad. Seventy years after the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, and sixty years after the Foundation’s founding, it promotes human rights
in more than 50 countries. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are
cornerstones of democracy and therefore deserve our particular attention.
In the globalised, digital world of the 21st century, human rights crises
concern us all, no matter where they occur. We feel the effects of such crises,
such as flight, migration or extremism, on our own doorsteps. The initial political
response should not be to pass repressive laws that further limit freedom; rather,
it should be to support and strengthen human rights locally.
Our first human rights report gives an overview of our human rights
projects on several continents. Simultaneously, we wish to stimulate debate on a
coherent human rights policy framework for Europe and the world. The report’s
publication date is 4 November, which marks the signing of the European
Convention on Human Rights in 1950. Up to now, 47 states have pledged to ob-
serve universal human rights. It is a date we should keep in mind not only today,
but one that we should take to heart every day.
Yours sincerely
02 Preface
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
01
06 Freedom of speech and
freedom of the press
09 Raif Badawi Award (2017 & 2018)
10 The Divan series
11 Malaysiakini
02
12 Business & Human Rights
15 Land rights project in India
16 Land rights project in Côte d’Ivoire
Content
4–5
18 International Human Rights
20 Map – 60 years of international human rights projects
03
Africa
23 Côte d’Ivoire – female genital mutilation
24 West Africa – human rights weeks
25 South Africa – working for democracy and human rights
26 Tanzania – protecting the rights of women and children
North Africa and Middle East
28 Jordan – Syrian refugees
29 Morocco – the first human rights clubs in prisons
Central and Eastern Europe
30 Ukraine – “Liberty Camp” at the edge of Crimea
31 Germany and Russia – the Boris Nemtsov Forum
32 East and Southeast Europe – “Promoting Tolerance”
33 Bulgaria – Sofia Pride
Asia
34 Malaysia – female genital mutilation
35 Myanmar – broad-based human rights training
36 Thailand – the “human rights games”
37 India – promoting transgender rights
Latin America
38 Mexico – fight against enforced disappearances
39 Guatemala – “Marcha de Orgullo”, Guatemala Pride
40 Conclusion by Gyde Jensen,
Member of the German Bundestag
44 Imprint
Raif Badawi Award 2018 6–6
01 Freedom of expression &
freedom of the press
Throughout the world, freedom of
expression and freedom of the press
are under pressure. Reports of journa
lists being murdered as in Mexico or
put on trial as in Turkey feature
regularly in the news. Even in the EU,
investigative journalists risk their lives,
as shown by the murders in Malta
and Slovakia in 2017/ 2018, which have
not yet been solved.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Freedom of expression & freedom of the press
for Freedom has been fighting globally
for a free press and greater freedom
of expression for decades, and contin-
ues to do so through its International
Journalists and Media Dialogue
programme.
8–9Raif Badawi Award for
courageous journalists
2017 & 2018
The fate of Saudi blogger and editor Raif Badawi,
who was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment
and 1,000 lashes for “insulting Islam”, has been Can Atalay accepted the 2017 Raif Badawi Award
for courageous journalists on behalf of Ahmet Şık,
an issue close to our hearts for years. Since 2016, who was imprisoned at the time.
the Foundation, together with Badawi’s wife F.l.t.r. Can Atalay, Ensaf Haidar, Gerhart Baum.
Ensaf Haidar, has therefore awarded the annual
Raif Badawi Award for courageous journalists at the
Frankfurter Buchmesse.
In 2017 the focus was on Turkey, where freedom
of expression and freedom of the press have been
weakened dramatically since the failed coup in
the summer of 2016. The panel of independent In 2018, the award was given to “Arab Reporters
judges selected the Turkish investigative journal- for Investigative Journalism” (ARIJ), a Jordan-
ist Ahmet Şık on the grounds of his exceptional based independent network of journalists, and
importance to the freedom of the Turkish press received by the network’s founder and director,
and as a representative of all journalists impris- Rana Sabbagh. ARIJ was the first regional media
oned in Turkey. Ahmet Şık was himself imprisoned organisation committed to promoting investiga-
at the time the award was bestowed. tive journalism in Arabic newsrooms.
Raif Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar presented Can The network supports journalists and their
Atalay, human rights activist and Şık’s lawyer, research into sensitive subjects in Bahrain, Egypt,
with the award in the latter’s stead. “Ahmet Şık’s Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia
bravery makes me very proud. He shares Raif’s and Yemen. A commitment to universal human
fate. Both are in jail because they say what they rights is a matter of common values “for which
think,” said Haidar. we should find the courage to stand up – as
Raif Badawi, his sister Samar Badawi and ARIJ
show us daily,” emphasised Sabine Leutheusser-
Schnarrenberger, former Federal Minister of
Justice and Vice Chairperson of the Friedrich
Naumann Foundation, at the award ceremony at
the Frankfurter Buchmesse.
Rana Sabbagh, founder and director of the
Jordan-based organisation ARIJ, accepted
the 2018 Raif Badawi Award for courageous
journalists.
F.l.t.r. Rana Sabbagh, Ensaf Haidar.While everybody is talking about refugees,
we talk to them: the Divan series with
Berlin’s “Tagesspiegel” daily newspaper
Defending freedom of the press and freedom of The aim of the initiative, launched with the sup-
expression means lending a voice to those who port of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, was
are usually just the subject of others’ conversa- to encourage understanding and integration by
tions. We wanted to talk to “the refugees” that allowing participants to speak up and be heard.
the media has been reporting on constantly over The project won the European Newspaper Award
the past few years. What are their thoughts on in the “special edition” category and became the
flight and migration? How do they feel about their starting point for the Divan series in 2017 / 2018.
current situation in Germany? #jetztschreibenwir The Divan regularly draws foreign and exiled
(#ourturntowrite) was therefore the Tagesspiegel journalists into conversation with the German
headline on 15 October 2016. The issue was writ- public and thereby counteracts social division
ten and designed by journalists from Syria, Iran, and polarisation on topics such as displacement
Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries who and migration.
have had to flee their countries of origin.
Freedom of expression & freedom of the press
Panel discussion of
the 2018 Tagesspiegel
supplement by exiled
journalists.
Firas Alshater is an
independent Syrian
journalist, author and
YouTuber.
10 – 11Working for freedom of the press.
Steven Gan, one of Malaysiakini’s
founders.
Malaysiakini – Going
online for freedom of
the press and freedom
of information
In Malaysia, the Foundation works with
Malaysiakini, an online platform founded by
Premesh Chadran and Steven Gan in 1999.
Prem and Steven dreamed of freedom of the
press in their country, where television, radio
and printed media were strictly controlled by the
government for decades. This prompted the two Prem and
to go online: with news, streaming TV and apps
like “Undi Power”. Steven dreamed
This FNF-supported app was nominated for the of freedom
“News Data App of the Year Award” by the Global
Editors’ Network. Undi Power shows voters how of the press.
much weight their votes carry in parliamentary
elections. This matters because constituencies
are gerrymandered: candidates in the rural areas,
which have traditionally been loyal to the govern-
ment, need far fewer votes for a seat in parlia-
ment t han those in cities where the opposition
is popular. That trick stopped working on 9 May
2018, when the opposition won for the first time
since Malaysia’s independence. Now Prem and
Steven will remind the government of an important
campaign promise: freedom of the press.Rede 12 – 12
02 Business &
Human RightsIn our increasingly globalised world,
where production networks and supply
chains cover virtually every part of the
planet, multinational corporations are
having a growing impact on human
rights. This poses the question: how
can we benefit from a growing global
economy while still protecting human
rights? The Foundation for Freedom
is pushing for the implementation of
the UN Guiding Principles on Business
and Human Rights in Germany and
abroad. In addition, in countries where
the Foundation has a footprint, it cam-
paigns against business-related human
rights abuses. A fundamental part of this
Business & Human Rights
is ensuring that workers in the agricul
tural sector of the global South have
land rights.
14 – 15Empowering women in India –
land rights for marginalised female farmers
Building a liberal and just economy depends on Health and Development, as well as the FNF, we
secure property and land rights. To this end the measured our land with GPS data and satellite im-
Foundation, in conjunction with the NGO Action ages to define and substantiate our claims. ARCH
Research in Community Health and Development then initiated a class action lawsuit for us. The
(ARCH), is supporting a GPS-based solution to court finally ruled in our favour in 2013, allowing
help secure land rights for marginalised farmers us to register our title deeds.” What has changed
in India. for her? “I am proud and happy that I finally have
a title deed in my name,” says Somiben.
While visiting the village of Sankli in Gujarat,
we managed to gain insight into how women in Acquiring title deeds gives the women more con-
particular have benefited from the recognition of fidence and a greater feeling of self-worth. “Now
their land and forest rights. Somiben Gambhirb- I can ask for credit and other finance at the bank,
hai Vasava (38) has three children and is a widow. because I have land in my name that I can use as
She recently received a title deed for a 0.49 hec- collateral. I have improved the land. Together with
tare plot of land. Somiben describes the challeng- my neighbours, I dug a well to ensure a reliable
es she faced during registration: “I requested my supply of water. I am now treated with more
land rights for the first time in 2009, but they were respect when I attend meetings with government
refused, like most requests from my village. With officials. Sometimes they even offer me water or
the help of the NGO, Action Research in Community something else to drink,” Somiben reports proudly.
Securing land rights ensures
that women in rural India have
a livelihood. Centre: Somiben
Gambhirbhai Vasava in Gujarat,
September 2017.Empowerment in Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa belt –
land rights for Ivorian farmers
The Foundation also promotes secure property Inge Herbert, the Foundation’s project manager
and land rights for the rural population of Côte for West Africa, says that “The project works
d’Ivoire. Throughout the world, the agricultural closely with local authorities as well as tradition-
sector, which produces a large part of the world’s al leaders and kings, using computers and GPS
economic output, is rife with human rights technology. Over the past two years, we have
abuses, such as exploitation and child labour. created multi-layered maps of the project villages
The most common reasons for such abuses are that reflect possession and ownership. We keep
unsettled property and land rights. these maps both in physical and digital form.
They serve as a legal basis in a country that does
Since 2016, we have been working with the liberal not yet have a nationwide land registry.”
think tank Audace Institut Afrique as part of the
special initiative “A World without Hunger”, set up “The villagers are now able to measure land and
by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation train neighbouring villages to do the same, thanks
and Development. In this context, we are develop- to ‘Train the Trainer’ elements in the project
ing and implementing a new system to recognise framework,” Inge Herbert adds. She emphasises
land rights. The system is based on a multicul- that contract templates are being developed for
tural and interdisciplinary study spanning two the villagers. These put formerly verbal contracts,
years and relies on traditional village committees such as sales, leases or mortgages, in writing.
which we help to set up and expand. The purpose
of the committees is to create local recognition New financing models are also on offer. They
for land rights and to act as “registry authorities”. allow occupants of land to raise money for invest-
We started with village committees in five pilot ments, even if they only use the land, rather than
villages in two communities (Guiglo and Sinfra) owning it.
in the so-called “cocoa belt” of Côte d’Ivoire. Our
partners are currently testing the model in other
regions, including the community of Man.
Business & Human Rights
We support the
legalisation process.
16 – 17FNF helping to secure property and land rights for Côte d’Ivoire’s rural population.
18 – 18
03 International
Human Rights60 years of international
human rights projects
LATIN AMERICA NORTH AFRICA
AND MIDDLE EAST
International Human Rights
Guatemala
Support for “Marcha de Morocco
Orgullo” (Guatemala Pride Human rights workshops
Parade) for around 6,000 employ-
ees of the penitentiary
Mexico system and 10,000
Four publications on inmates in collaboration
“Enforced Disappearances” with the Centre des Droits
since 2015 des Gens since 2000
Argentina Tunisia
Four to five human rights Support for the establish-
workshops per year for ment of the Centre Africain
ministry officials de Perfectionnement et de
Communicateurs (CAPJC)
journalism school –
working for press freedom
since 1964
20 – 21EUROPE EAST & SOUTHEAST
EUROPE
Germany
Raif Badawi Award for Bulgaria
courageous journalists, Support for the “Sofia
since 2015 Pride Parade”
Central and Eastern
Europe
“Promoting Tolerance”
programme in collabo-
ration with the American
Jewish Committee, 320
participants from 25 cen-
tral and eastern European
countries in 25 years
SOUTHEAST & EAST
ASIA
Thailand
2,225 pupils have played
the FNF human rights
games
Myanmar
Over 27,000 citizens
educated about their
human rights between
2012 and 2017
ASEAN region
Support of the “Working
Group for an ASEAN
human rights mechanism”
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA since 1995 (outcomes:
founding of the ASEAN
Intergovernmental Com-
Senegal, Mali, mission on the Promotion
Côte d’Ivoire and Protection of the
1,500 female and male Rights of Women and
lawyers, judges, human Children (ACWC) in 2009
rights campaigners and SOUTH ASIA
and ASEAN Human Rights
citizens from 20 different Declaration (AHRD) in
countries participated in India 2012)
the “FNF Human Rights Over 80,000 land deeds
Weeks”, hosted in collabo- successfully registered
ration with the René Cassin on behalf of farmers from
Foundation, the OHCHR over 200 villages in the
and MINUSMA West Indian region of
Gujarat
Côte d’Ivoire
Developed a computer and Sri Lanka
GPS-based pilot model for Supported efforts to get
securing property and land the Right to Information
rights through local village Act of 2016 passed
committees in the so-
called “cocoa belt” of Côte
d’Ivoire, in collaboration
with the liberal think tank
Audace Institut AfriqueHuman rights challenges differ from
country to country, and there is no one-
size-fits-all approach. The Foundation
for Freedom therefore tailors its human
rights activities to local requirements,
focusing on the most pressing issues
in each region. The main thread running
through our work is to educate people
about their human rights. Doing so helps
prevent human rights abuses in the long
term and lays the foundation for a fair
and tolerant society. As such, the Founda-
tion also interprets its core mission – to
promote civic education and democracy –
as including human rights education.
International Human Rights
22 – 23AFRICA
Côte d’Ivoire –
stop genital mutilation!
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), often The Friedrich Naumann Foundation is vehement-
referred to by the euphemism “female circumci- ly opposed to these human rights abuses. In
sion”, haunts many of those affected for the rest Côte d’Ivoire, for example, it supports the Djigui
of their lives. The procedure is often carried out Foundation, which fights FGM/C through coun-
for traditional or religious reasons and causes trywide awareness campaigns. The country has
physical pain as well as psychological scarring. made significant progress in the past few years.
FGM/C denotes all non-medical practices that However, Sibiri Coulibaly, chairman of the Djigui
include the total or partial removal of or injury Foundation, points out that “36.7% of women and
to the outer female genitalia. This is a severe girls living in Côte d’Ivoire are living with FGM/C.
abuse of the human right to physical and mental But there are regions where the percentage is still
integrity. as high as 73 – 79%. This is especially the case in
the north and north-east of the country.”
FGM/C is often performed in early childhood and
is thus also an abuse of the Convention on the As to why it is so difficult to eradicate FGM/C
Rights of the Child. It is estimated that worldwide, practices despite public and legal condemnation,
200m women and girls are affected by FGM/C. Coulibaly says, “Stigmatisation is a big problem.
Although its prevalence and acceptance have If somebody refuses FGM/C, they lose their social
declined in many affected countries in the past status. Both the mother and her daughter are
30 years, there are still numerous reasons, many ostracised by the community.”
of them socio-cultural, why FGM/C is a persistent
and complex human rights problem, especially on
the African continent.Khadidia Sangaré (right), Mali’s Minister
for Human Rights, presents a 2018
participant of the annual human rights
course with a certificate at the
Constitutional Court in Bamako.
West Africa –
Human Rights Weeks
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
also focuses intensively on human rights edu-
cation in West Africa. This extends far beyond
the usual staples such as seminars or lectures.
Since 2011, in cooperation with the René Cassin
Foundation in Strasbourg, the Foundation has
been hosting annual “Human Rights Weeks”.
The event’s great success has prompted a large Local and
number of local and international partners, such
as the UN Mission MINUSMA in Mali, the regional international
offices of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human
Rights, and the region’s National Human Rights partners join
Commission, to join the initiative.
hands.
International Human Rights
In addition to education and seminars, the
Human Rights Weeks now also include film
screenings, conferences and networking events
which provide both male and female constitu-
tional judges and lawyers with the opportunity
to exchange experiences. About 1,500 male and
female lawyers, judges, human rights activists
and interested citizens from the francophone
countries took part in the Human Rights Weeks’
19 events (nine in Senegal, five in Mali and five in
Côte d’Ivoire). This creates a unique opportunity
to exchange knowledge and experiences in the
fight for and promotion of human rights on the
African continent.
24 – 25AFRICA
South Africa – working for
democracy and human rights
Corruption is not only a significant barrier to All these cases have one thing in common: they
Africa’s political, economic and social develop- drag on for many years and demand patience, copi-
ment; it is also a common cause of human rights ous resources and a thick skin from both the HSF
abuses. For this reason, the Friedrich Naumann and the FNF. However, considering the landmark
Foundation for Freedom is supporting numerous achievements, these cases are a worthwhile invest-
projects aimed at promoting good governance ment: for instance, in the Hawks case, the minister
and rooting out corruption in South Africa. responsible was instructed by the court to dismiss
the entity’s compromised and corrupt head with
The projects in cooperation with our long-time immediate effect. In addition, the HSF also works
partner organisation, the Helen Suzman Foundation to protect freedom of speech. With support from
(HSF), are particularly noteworthy. Through its the FNF, the HSF won its case against censorship
work, the HSF focuses on preserving the rule of efforts on the part of the public broadcaster, which
law and protecting the Constitution. were intended to favour the governing party, the
ANC, in the run-up to elections.
Just like other areas of organised crime, corrup-
tion is especially successful when it systemat-
ically and strategically subverts or eliminates
law enforcement agencies. The effects of this
strategy are particularly visible in South Africa.
The HSF therefore takes a strategic approach:
it uses selected test cases to counteract the
white-anting of constitutional institutions, the
undermining of the rule of law, and the separation
of powers. It not only takes precedence-setting
cases to court, but also ensures that the relevant
law enforcement agencies can investigate the
matters independently. The cases surrounding
the constitutional independence of the Hawks (an
anti-corruption unit), of the Independent Police
Investigative Directorate (the body overseeing
and controlling the police service) and the Public
Prosecutor are good examples.
The Helen Suzman Foundation at
the Constitutional Court, the highest
court of South Africa.Rede
Tanzania – protecting the rights
of women and children
In Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region, many human The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
rights abuses affecting women and children give has supported the Kilimanjaro Women Information
rise to concern. Customary law, which is still Exchange and Community Organization (KWIECO)
applied by traditional chiefs, exacerbates the since the end of 2017. KWIECO has been working
situation as it neither protects nor strengthens for human rights, especially those of women and
the rights of these groups in need of protection. children, in the north of Tanzania for more than
30 years. FNF and KWIECO cooperate with the
Most human rights abuses are related to restric- aim of promoting and expanding human rights
tions on freedom of choice, domestic abuse, work in Tanzania, especially in the Kilimanjaro
sexual abuse, rape, forced marriage, female region. Although various guidelines, laws and
genital mutilation, forced labour, denial of matri- legal mechanisms exist to promote and protect
monial inheritance, and the unequal division of human rights in Tanzania, they are often inef-
property between men and women. fective. In addition, issues of equality are often
ignored because patriarchal socialisation legiti
mises discrimination towards women and the
abuse o
f basic human rights.
International Human Rights
26 – 27AFRICA
Children protest to draw attention
to their rights.
The traditional chiefs’
customary law aggravates
the situation.
National Girls Day 2018.NORTH AFRICA &
MIDDLE EAST
Jordan – previously unknown freedoms
as a driving force for the future: Syrian
refugees as a burden and opportunity
The United Nations has registered about 650,000
Syrian refugees in Jordan, while the government
counts 1.3m Syrians who have fled from the
neighbouring country into the little Hashemite
kingdom since the outbreak of civil war in 2011.
Only a fraction of the refugees lives in refugee
camps. Ninety percent have settled in cities and
towns, where they have to survive with hardly
any help. Despite international assistance, the That they may
education system, health services, labour market,
housing market and the state administration help create a
are overloaded. Tensions between refugees and
specifically Jordan’s poorer social classes can be more peaceful
felt, especially in the north, where Syrian refugees
have doubled the population of some towns. future.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
is working with a small group of Syrian refugees
from all over the country. Through the years, the
Syrians have, with growing confidence, recog-
nised the Foundation as a platform for open
exchange – a safe space of a type unknown
at home. They actively discuss human rights,
the rule of law, democratic participation and
tolerance, as well as the causes of extremism.
Making music, drawing and other art forms help
the participants process past experiences and to
develop an image of a freer and more open-mind-
ed society than that which they have experi-
enced until now. As intermediaries between
International Human Rights
cultures, they can carry these liberal values into
their communities and oppose domestic violence Human rights workshop for Syrian
and child marriages with arguments, through refugees in Amman, September 2018.
persuasion and in the knowledge that they can
help create a more peaceful future, one full of
new opportunities.
28 – 29The Centre des Droits des Gens (CDG)
team leaving the Arjaate 1 prison with
the chief warden after establishing
the world’s first human rights club in
a prison.
Morocco – the first human rights clubs
in prisons
During Morocco’s “leaden years” under the rule will result in less violence between guards and
of King Hassan II, human rights abuses were es- prisoners, between prisoners themselves and
pecially common in the penal system. Abuse and between prisoners and their families. The main
torture were rife. Although many human rights problems with prisoners in recent years have
challenges remain, especially regarding freedom been extremism and radicalisation.
of the press, freedom of speech and freedom
of assembly, Muhammad VI, successor to the The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
throne since 1999, has set the country on a new supports the CDG’s efforts to develop so-called
course. In 2004, he set up the Arab world’s first “human rights clubs” for Moroccan prison inmates.
Equity and Reconciliation Commission, which “This club is a great idea,” says Adnane, 38. He has
investigated his father’s human rights abuses already done two years of his six-year sentence.
and began a process of reconciliation. “It will help us to better understand our rights
and those of others – not only here, but later too,
Against this background, the FNF partner Centre outside.” This unique concept in the Arab world
des Droits des Gens (CDG) has helped improve not only promotes human rights, but also coun-
human rights in the country’s prisons from ters radicalisation and extremism.
2000 onwards. After educating all wardens and
most guards in basic human rights, the CDG
and the Foundation had built up enough trust to
gain access to all prisons in the country and to
work directly with the prisoners. This resulted
in the first human rights clubs in the world run
by prisoners. Wardens hope that this educationUkraine – “Liberty Camp”
at the edge of Crimea
A hot summer wind whips up the dust of the But this situation is embedded in the broader
unpaved roads, and grapes and pears hang heavily context of the battle for universal human rights.
from the branches. One would think that nowhere The young activists learn about basic human
on earth could be more peaceful than here, the rights and study resistance and liberation move-
Arabat Spit, in August. But Russian warships cross ments of the last century: the American civil
the Sea of Azov, and the checkpoint to Russian- rights movement, the Estonian independence
occupied Crimea is only a few minutes away by movement and the anti-apartheid movement in
car. In a simple motel, caringly run by a Crimean South Africa, for example. They discuss the ap-
Tatar family, young people from various parts of plicability of various methods of civil resistance
Ukraine and the rest of the world sit together and and activism. They analyse what the Crimean
discuss matters. This is the third “Liberty Camp” occupation is based on and where public actions
International Human Rights
organised by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and campaigns can be successful. They develop
together with the Foundation for Freedom and the creative and artistic ideas for the international
Estonian Institute for Human Rights. solidarity campaign #LiberateCrimea in practical
workshops.
Many participants are personally affected by the
occupation, having had to leave behind Crimea, The participants use their free time on the 27th
their relatives detained in Russian prisons. Others anniversary of Ukraine’s independence to do
are members of the Turkish Crimean Tatar ethnic something special: they march to the border of
group; still others are Ukrainian or international the Russian-occupied area, wave Ukrainian and
human rights activists. They discuss the situation Crimean Tatar flags, wish Ukraine a happy birth-
of occupied Crimea: the military build-up on the day and demand the peninsula’s liberation. They
peninsula, the growing Russian population and all know that the real work will start when the
large-scale housing projects; Crimean Tatars be- “Liberty Camp” ends.
ing subjected to continuous subpoenas and raids,
fear, the ever-growing list of political prisoners.
30 – 31CENTRAL &
EASTERN EUROPE
Germany and Russia –
the Boris Nemtsov Forum
Boris Nemtsov, a politician who opposed Vladimir Under the banner “Politics without Vision?
Putin’s rule and who fought for a free Russia, was Future Lab on Russia and the EU”, civil society
shot dead on 27 February 2015 in the centre of representatives from the arts, culture, science
Moscow, in view of the Kremlin. The case raises and business met to discuss their visions for a
questions to this day. His birthday (9 October) is post-Putin Russia. In his opening address, former
no longer a reason to celebrate. It has, however, Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhart Baum
become a fixed date for the Russian opposition: pleaded for a relationship to Russia defined by
since 2016, male and female activists, human “dialogue and openness”. However, in her speech,
rights campaigners and politicians from Russia the author Alisa Ganieva highlighted how difficult
and the EU have come together from 9–10 Octo- it would be to communicate these visions in Rus-
ber every year for the Boris Nemtsov Forum. sia, saying that Russian civilisation had become
deaf and dumb. Large parts of the population
The Forum is organised by the Friedrich were trying to justify injustice, thereby feeding
Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the Boris the doubters who were already under the sway of
Nemtsov Foundation, with the support of the the Kremlin’s disinformation and propaganda.
European Endowment for Democracy. It serves a s
a platform for discussion and innovation focusing In 2018, the Forum was hosted for the first time
on Russia’s present and future. in the Czech capital of Prague, under the banner
“Russia: Strategies for Society”. Guy Verhofstadt,
In addition, the FNF supports the annual Boris chairman of the ALDE group in the European
Nemtsov Prize, an individual award bestowed in parliament, took on the difficult task of analysing
recognition of outstanding engagement in the the EU’s political stance towards Russia. In doing
fight for freedom of expression and a free and so, he spoke for a tougher approach towards the
open Russia. Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, Kremlin. However, he emphasised that “the Rus-
the Vice Chairperson of the Foundation for sian populace must know that this strategy is not
Freedom, is also a member of the Boris Nemtsov aimed at the country, but only at the Russian gov-
Foundation’s council and thus forms an important ernment”. After the speech, the participants used
link to Russian liberals. Verhofstadt’s ideas as a starting point to discuss
civil, economic and political developments, both
“My father was associated with the future. That is foreign and domestic, in small working groups.
why the forum deals with the future,” said Zhanna
Nemtsova, Nemtsov’s daughter, as part of her
opening remarks at the Boris Nemtsov Forum in
Berlin in October 2017. Although it was important
to discuss Putin and his politics, she added, this
didn’t help move Russia forward.
Boris Nemtsov Forum 2018
in Prague. F.l.t.r.: Greg Yudin,
Julius von Freytag-Loringhoven,
Flavia Kleiner and Sergey
Aleksashenko.In June 2017, participants and alumni of
the “Promoting Tolerance” programme
met in the company of invited guests
under the banner “Confronting Bigotry
and Intolerance in the Face of Rising
Populism” to share their observations
on the occasion of the programme’s
25th anniversary.
East and Southeast Europe – “Promoting
Tolerance” – against hatred and antisemitism,
for tolerance and human rights
After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Friedrich Rabbi Andrew Baker of the American Jewish Com-
Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the mittee, one of the programme’s founding fathers,
International Human Rights
American Jewish Committee jointly formed the praised the successful partnership with the Frie-
“Promoting Tolerance” programme. After the drich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. “We have
decades-long separation of East and West, it was achieved a lot since the programme’s inception 25
clear that p
eople needed to be given opportunities years ago, as shown by the prominent positions
to interact and exchange views and experiences. many alumni hold in society. As thought leaders,
they play an important role in their respective
Since 1992, young political leaders from east countries.”
and southeast Europe, as well as from the former
Soviet states, have been meeting every year to Although the beginnings of the programme filled
network, exchange information and learn about many participants with hope, recent democratic
ways to fight for tolerance and against racism and and legal crises in Poland and Hungary, as well as
xenophobia. Over the past 25 years, the annual growing polarisation in many established Europe-
workshops and study trips in Europe and the an and American democracies, have given cause
USA have brought together 320 participants from for concern and mean that the programme is now
25 countries. Many of them have become notable more important than ever.
politicians and thought leaders in their countries.
32 – 33CENTRAL &
EASTERN EUROPE
Bulgaria – Sofia Pride
Bulgaria has been a member of the EU since 2007, us. In this, our fifth year, we have managed to
but still faces considerable challenges in areas create a discussion platform that enables the
including equal rights and discrimination. LGBTI open exchange of views from diverse representa-
rights and acceptance continue to be some of the tives from Bulgaria and Europe.” She adds,
biggest problems. According to a 2015 poll, 51% of “I appreciate FNF’s support very much, especially
Bulgarians agreed that homosexuals should enjoy for bringing international guests to Sofia Pride for
the same rights as heterosexuals, but only 27% the past five years. This gives us the opportunity
said that there was nothing wrong with a homo- to exchange best practices and experiences, and
sexual relationship. And at 17%, Bulgaria has the gain long-term allies.”
EU’s lowest acceptance rate for gay marriage.
For Pride 2018 (motto: “Different people, same
We have been supporting LGBTI rights in Bulgaria rights”) we produced a study that reviewed the
for several years and are especially supportive legal basis for discrimination against same-sex
of the Sofia Pride Parade. Our annual discussion couples in collaboration with activist and lawyer
event has become a fixture of Pride Week. “We Denitsa Lyubenova from the NGO Deystvie. The
believe in the power of dialogue and in developing study was presented during Pride Week and
spaces for engagement,” says Liliya Dragoeva, showed that many basic rights are still reserved
member of the Sofia Pride organising committee for “traditional” marriages. These include the
and chairperson of the Deystvie LGBTI Youth Or- purchase of property, receiving social services,
ganisation. “This is why our partnership with the access to personal information, and having a say
Friedrich Naumann Foundation is so valuable to in the partner’s medical care.
We believe
in the power
of dialogue.Malaysia – stop female genital mutilation!
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), often The Friedrich Naumann Foundation has supported
referred to by the euphemism “female circumci- the Malaysian women’s rights organisation Sisters
sion”, haunts many of those affected for the rest in Islam (SIS) for many years. This organisation
of their lives. FGM/C denotes all non-medical combats FGM/C not only in Malaysia, but also be-
practices that include the total or partial removal yond the country’s borders. SIS is made up mainly
of or injury to the outer female genitalia. of women who are experts in Islamic law and who
both counter the religious justifications for FGM/C
International Human Rights
In Côte d’Ivoire and elsewhere, the Friedrich and educate others on this topic. “There is no offi-
Naumann Foundation is actively engaged in cial discourse on FGM/C in Malaysia because there
countering this abuse, often severe, of the human is no public data available on its negative conse-
right to physical integrity. FGM/C is practised in quences,” says SIS member Syarifatul Adibah. “85%
several southeast Asian countries for religious of Muslim girls are circumcised in private hospitals
reasons, including Malaysia and Indonesia. In and complications are rare.” However, women and
2009, M alaysia’s highest Islamic “Fatwa Council” girls who have undergone FGM/C suffer the nega-
declared FGM/C to be a religious obligation. tive consequences for the rest of their lives.
34 – 35ASIA Myanmar – broad-based human rights training Myanmar is facing enormous challenges in the The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom area of civic education, especially when it comes has been involved in making Myanmar more open to human rights. For decades, the country’s and democratic since 1989. It has supported local military junta forbade any public discussion organisations since 2010 and has helped them of human rights. Since the 2010 elections, the to implement their civic education projects. In country has been cautiously opening up to the the meantime, educational measures which form outside world. Brave young organisations have part of several large-scale EU projects have taken begun to promote a debate on democracy and place in all regions and federal states of Myanmar. human rights. They organise seminars that Even some of the most remote areas in the states further basic human and civil rights and shape of Kachin and Chin were covered. These areas ex- public awareness of these rights. At first, such perienced this kind of public education for the first seminars could only take place in urban centres time. “This project’s massive geographical reach such as Yangon or Mandalay. However, since and the large number of people reached are both the special elections in 2012 that brought Aung remarkable,” said Katrin Bannach, FNF project San Suu Kyi into the political reform process, manager in Myanmar. “So far, we have educated the seminars have been allowed in many parts more than 27,594 people from extremely diverse of the country. personal and professional backgrounds.” Workshops all over Myanmar have been used to teach basic knowledge of human and civil rights.
ASIA
The “Human Rights Card
Game” being played at
the Satit Pattana School
in Bangkok.
Thailand – learning through play –
the “Human Rights Games”
Civic education is most effective when it is school pupils, but can be played with university
learned through play (“gamification”). The students and at events too. The game consists of
International Human Rights
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom “scenarios for human rights abuses” that require
proved this in Thailand with a game called “Sim solution cards. The team that solves the most
Democracy”, a board game for democracy. In light scenarios is the winner. The games confront the
of the game’s success, our offices worked with players with various critical scenarios from daily
the Thai Ministry of Justice to create two more life and Thai society. In playing these games,
human rights games: “Rights Cards” and “Rights young people especially are motivated to discuss
Bingo”. These games are designed for children human rights issues more openly, to scrutinise
and aim to teach human rights in a way that is them and to play a more active role in supporting
tangible and which embeds them in the context them. Since the end of 2015, we have shared the
of the players’ daily life and surroundings. games with our partners all over Thailand. We
have taken them to schools, universities and civil
“Rights Bingo” is aimed at primary school chil- rights organisations to use at summer camps and
dren. It is a combination of a puzzle, Memory other, similar events. In 2018, a total of approxi-
and Bingo. “Rights Cards” is aimed at secondary mately 3,000 students played the games.
36 – 37Transgender people in India have
a long way to go to be recognised
socially and politically.
India – promoting transgender rights
Transgender people in India are known as Hijras, for the course was designed by the Friedrich
Trtiyaparkriti, Napumsaka, Aravanis, Jogtas or Naumann Foundation for Freedom in collabora-
Kothis, among other terms. The Indian public tion with the Centre for Law and Policy Research
treats them in a variety of ways, ranging from (CLPR). In addition, a law clinic was set up that
great reverence to strict exclusion. Transgender informs transgender people of their rights. “I have
people used to be revered as good luck charms always been interested in minority rights,” says
and fertility symbols, but today they are mostly Tarini Maheshwari, a student at the National Law
forced to exist on the fringes of Indian society. School of India in Bangalore. “This course gave
The recent legal recognition of the “third sex” has me the opportunity to investigate the problems of
not led to any significant changes. the transgender community, which is particularly
marginalised in India. These legal questions fall
Discrimination and prejudice against trans outside of the compulsory curriculum for law
people can be countered through information students in any other part of the world.”
and education. This is what the “Transgender
Rights” course at the acclaimed law faculty of
Bangalore University aims to do. The curriculumLATIN
AMERICA
Mexico City remembering
the missing students of
Ayotzinapa: “They took them
from us alive, we want them
back alive!”
Mexico – public education and the fight
against enforced disappearances
“Enforced disappearances” are a form of human of t housands of people took to the streets and
rights abuse that is particularly prevalent in Mexico City was in a state of emergency for days.
Latin America. According to Article Two of the In the state of Guerrero, several government
UN’s International Convention for the Protection buildings were set alight.
of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance,
enforced disappearance is considered to be the The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by is working actively to help improve the situation in
persons acting with the authorization, support or the country. It supports the efforts of the local NGO
acquiescence of the State, “followed by a refusal Observatorio Nacional Ciudadano to bring facts to
to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by the debate, focusing especially on the transparen-
International Human Rights
concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the cy of government processes. In collaboration with
disappeared person, which place such a person the partner organisation, we set up a “Statistical
outside the protection of the law.” Register of Enforced Disappearances” that pro-
vides information on violent kidnappings in Mexico.
Among other such incidents in recent years, the Together with the Observatorio, we released a new
disappearance of 43 Mexican students from analysis in March 2018 entitled “Enforced disap-
Ayotzinapa stands out. It was met with horror pearances – legal framework, policy approaches
and anguish, triggering mass protests and and courses of action”, which addresses how the
demonstrations across the country. Hundreds Mexican government is handling these issues.
38 – 39Guatemala – “Marcha
de Orgullo”, Guatemala
Pride – FNF was there!
Supporting the Pride Movement, also known as indigenous majority of the population, and the
Christopher Street Day, forms an integral part of growth of evangelical groups.
our commitment to LGBTI rights in many coun-
tries, including Guatemala. Compared to other However, there have been positive develop-
Latin American countries, the LGBTI situation ments, at least in the capital: the community is
here does not seem particularly critical. However, becoming more visible and more people par-
marriage equality, modern adoption rights and ticipate in the “Marcha de Orgullo” (Guatemala
anti-discrimination laws are still a long way off. Pride) every year. We support these develop-
ments through political human rights education.
Homosexuality has been legal in Guatemala since With the help of the local organisation Guate
1871 and transsexuals are not discriminated Activa, we organised a forum in Guatemala City
against by any specific sections of penal law. for the 2018 “Marcha de Orgullo”. The event high-
However, as is often the case, the legal situation lighted challenges, but also provided reasons
does not entirely reflect reality: Guatemala is very to hope for positive change. Despite formidable
dangerous for non-heterosexuals, and the state opposition in conservative Guatemala, the com-
cannot protect its gay citizens. Discrimination ing years can bring progress. Openly lesbian MP
and violence are the order of the day. Activists Sandra Morán has submitted a draft of an anti-
report more than 20 targeted murders per year, discrimination law in parliament. There is also
but the number of unreported cases is far higher. progress on the regional front: at the beginning
The causes are complex, as always. They have of the year, the Inter-American Court of Human
to do with ultra-conservative social views, the Rights ruled that same-sex marriage must be
educational influence of the Catholic Church, recognised – a binding ruling for every one of its
patriarchal structures which persist among the 20 member states.
Participants at the
Parade for Sexual
Diversity and
Gender Identity in
Guatemala City.Human rights express an attitude towards life BY GYDE JENSEN
Feeling free is something specific to each individual, but freedom is
also a regulating principle that transcends borders. The same applies to human
rights: although they are universal principles of order, they also reflect an individ-
ual wish to work towards a world that grows more connected on the basis of
shared fundamental values.
The philosopher Isaiah Berlin illustrated this challenge by describing
human rights as inalienable, global goods which lie in the interest of every human
by virtue of being human, and not by virtue of belonging to such and such a reli-
gion or nation or having such and such a job or character. In Berlin’s conception,
doing the right thing means satisfying these demands and protecting people
from those who would abuse or deny them.
Human rights therefore have to be every government’s guiding princi-
ple. When we talk about countries, we are not talking about artificial constructs,
but the actual living conditions of people. Acting in accordance with the universal
applicability of human rights means having a real interest in improving concrete
living conditions.
As we celebrate 70 years of human rights this year, we do so knowing
that together, we have achieved much. 1966 saw history being made with the rec-
ognition of two covenants – the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (“civil rights and liberties”) and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (“social rights”). Seeing human rights as the basis of
our political, cultural and social existence, rather than just rights of defence, was
considered revolutionary then.
Let us also think back to 2002, when the International Criminal Court
(ICC) was finally established in The Hague. The ICC has not yet lived up to its full
potential, but it still represents a major milestone on the path to making human
rights enforceable and to protecting people against crimes against humanity. The
Conclusion
greatest achievement in the 70 years of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights is that, to this day, it has provided people all over the world with orientation
in their fight for freedom and dignity.
40 – 41Gyde Jensen, MP
Chairperson of the Human Rights
and Humanitarian Affairs Committee
of the German Bundestag.
Something I appreciate more with every day that I work for human
rights in the Bundestag is engaging with people who fight for their causes with
true passion. As members of parliament, one of our many important tasks is to
make the individual fates of human rights activists known and enrich the abstract
concept of human rights with specific stories and faces.
We must not abandon these people, who do not seek the limelight, but
instead make the fight for human rights their personal quest. Freedom depends
on our support for them. This is especially important now, when many actors on
the national and international stage act without principles, appearing unaware of
the consequences of their actions or choosing to ignore them. Strengthening and
protecting human rights demands knowledge of all 30 articles of the Declaration
of Human Rights, but it also requires understanding that human rights express a
basic attitude towards life and impose a responsibility on each one of us.Further information is available on our webpage: www.freiheit.org/humanrights 42 – 43
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UNICEF Ethiopia
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Date
November 2018
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