REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION on the implementation of measures intended to promote observance of human rights and democratic principles (for 1995)
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES it à Brussels, 17. 01. 1997 COM(96) 672 final REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION on the implementation of measures intended to promote observance of human rights and democratic principles (for 1995) TABLE OF CONTENTS page 4 page 5 page 6 FORWARD A. PRIORITY LINES OF ACTION IN THE USE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES Introduction LTliematic approach 1. 1 Support for the democratic transition process, including the holding of free and regular elections page 6 1. 2 Promoting and strengthening the rule of law page 8 1. 2. 1 Support for parliamentary activities page 9 1. 2. 2 Strengthening the legal system and its independence page 9 page 11 1. 2. 3 Legal assistance aimed at protecting civil and political freedoms 1. 2. 4 Support for government bodies for the defence and promotion of human rights page 12 page 12 1. 2. 5 Transparency of public administration page 13 1. 3 The promotion of a pluralist civil society 1. 3. 1 Promoting the independence, pluralism and responsibility of the media, support for the freedom of expression and of the press page 13 (a) Economic and financial support for the media in a survival context page 13 (b) Support for independent sources of information page 14 (c) Development of independent media page 14 (d) Highlighting the role of the media in society page 14 (e) Enhancing professionalism in the media page 15 (f) Legal assistance and media monitoring page 15 (g) Promoting freedom of expression page 16 1. 3. 2 Human rights education and public awareness page 16 page 17 1. 3. 3 Promoting equal opportunities and non-discriminatory practices 1. 3. 4 Strengthening non-governmental organizations, associations and local groups. page 19 pa: e 21 1. 4 Support for confidence-building measures to restore peace page 21 1. 4. 1 Conflict prevention 1. 4. 2 Support for measures to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious violations of humanitarian law and human rights 1. 4. 3 Support for national efforts to encourage subordination of the armed forces to the civil authorities 1. 5 Initiatives for target groups 1. 5. 1 Groups needing specific attention (la) Children (b) National minorities (c) Indigenous peoples (d) Refugees and displaced persons (e) Prisoners (f) Victims of torture 1. 5. 2 Priority groups for protection and awareness-raising schemes (a) Women (b) Journalists and other media professionals (c) Magistrates, lawyers and court and prison staff (d) The army, police and security forces H. Geograpldcal approach 2. 1 Developing countries (except Latin America) page 23 page 24 page 24 page 24 page 26 page 26 page 26 page 27 page 27 page 28 page 28 page 29 page 29 page 30 page 30 page 30 page 23 page 30 page 31 page 31 page 32 page 32 • Africa, Caribbean, Pacific • Maghreb • Middle East • Asia 2. 2 Latin America 2. 3 Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Mongolia 2. 4 Former Yugoslavia (except Slovenia) 2. 5 Turkey B. PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF THE FINANCING OF ACIWITIES TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY 1. Coordination 2. Transparency 3. Effectiveness "Identification of recipients and projects *Monitoring and evaluation of projects *Relations with international and regional organizations CONCLUSIONS page 36 page 36 page 36 page 37 page 37 page 38 page 39 page 40 page 34 page 35 page 35 ANNEX I: ANNEX H: Budget headings and other financial resources fbr financing the promotion of human rights and democracy Standing inter-departmental human rights coordination group page 42 page 53 FOREWORD This report is the third of its kind. 1 It describes the main lines of action followed in the use of resources available in the 1995 financial year under the European initiative for democracy and the protection of human rights (Chapter B7-52 of the Community budget). The purpose of this initiative is to achieve the Treaty objectives of developing and consolidating democracy and the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. 2 Launched in 1994 at Parliament's request, the initiative is designed to ensure consistent and effective action in this area by gathering together all the budget resources explicitly earmarked for the promotion of human rights and democratic principles. Other resources taken from the appropriations for financial and technical assistance and from other cooperation instruments also make a significant contribution to the objective of human rights and democracy. It is not possible to cover all these resources in this report, which will confine itself to some of the most significant examples. This report has been drawn up by the permanent inter-departmental Human Rights Coordination Group and bears the stamp of their work to identify a common approach in terms of guidelines and criteria for examining and selecting projects. 3 This joint effort resulted in a draft communication entitled "The European Union and the external dimension of human rights policy: from Rome to Maastricht and beyond" which was adopted by the Commission on 22 November 1995. This reference document takes a closer look at the instruments and objectives of Community action in that area, taking account of recent developments in international relations, the emergence of new issues and the importance of target groups in the democratic development of societies. The structure of this report has been altered in order to show how funding has been used first from a thematic and then a geographical angle. The information provided here supplements other reports covering the same subject matter, such as the annual reports on the implementation of the resolution on human rights, democracy and development adopted by the Council and the Member States meeting within the Council on 28 November 1991 and the specific reports on each budget heading. 1 Report on the use of financial resources in the promotion and protection of human rights and d e mo c r a ti c Doc. FR/CM/242/242847. GH, PE 207. 805 of 26. 3. 93. Report on the implementation of measures intended to promote observance of human rights and democratic principles for 1994 - COM(95)191 final of 12. 7. 95. 1 9 9 2 - 1 9 9 3) p r i n c i p l es y e a rs ( f or t he Fifth subparagraph of Article J. 1(2) on the common foreign and security policy; Article 130u(2) of the Treaty on European Union on Community development cooperation policy; Articles F(l) and (2) of the Common provisions, Articles 8 and 8e on citizenship of the Union. See Annex 2 for the Group's remit. A. PRIORITY LINES OF ACTION IN THE USE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES Introduction European Union action to defend and promote respect for human rights is taken in accordance with the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights supplemented by the two international pacts on civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights. It is also based on the requirements of the main international and regional instruments for the protection of human rights. The priorities espoused by the international community in the final declaration and the action programme of the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, June 1993) created a framework for action that is one of the European Union's main points of reference. Other world conferences on specific subjects or population groups, of which there has been a considerable increase in recent years, have provided a forum for in-depth analysis and definition of operational objectives. 4 The European Commission thus follows general guidelines which advocate a positive and integrated approach, with the emphasis on the network of interactions linking human rights, democracy and development. This approach' involves both specific budget headings, grouped together for the first time in 1994 at Parliament's instigation in a separate chapter (B7-52), and resources for development cooperation and technical assistance, plus budget headings not included under Chapter B7-52 and covering the defence of human rights. In addition there is the funding for joint actions decided in the framework of the common foreign and security policy (Subsection B8) a large part of which has been allocated to support for democratic transition. Against this backdrop, approaches and priorities for action are determined by the needs and specific characteristics of the countries concerned. The main partners of Community action are the countries themselves, which are directly responsible for building democracy and upholding human rights. It is therefore vital to maintain and step up dialogue with public authorities and national institutions in order to identify common priorities and on this basis draw up practical action programmes. This is equally necessary in the special partnership which the European Community enjoys with the different components of civil society, in particular non governmental organizations, whose contribution to the construction, consolidation and defence of the rule of law is of primary importance. In recent years, this partnership has extended to new fields of action such as defence of the rights of vulnerable groups, the promotion of democratic freedoms and support for democratic processes. The development of international relations, the emergence of new thematic areas and the increasing importance attached to preventive action in defence of human rights and democratic principles has led the European Commission to examine in more detail the instruments and aims of its activities. In 1995 this gave rise to specific initiatives, above all inclusion of human rights clauses in agreements, which was the subject of a Commission communication approved by the Council. This enshrines achievements in In 1995: Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development (March 1995); Beijing IVth World Conference on Women (September 1995). the field and strengthens the legal force of the agreements' provisions on human rights and democratic principles to be inserted in all new draft negotiating directives for agreements with third countries. The adoption in November of the same year of a communication on "The European Union and the external dimension of human rights policy: from Rome to Maastricht and beyond", marked the first of a series of actions launched by the Commission in response to Mr Santer's commitment to make human rights a priority. This was the first comprehensive statement by the Commission on the implications of an issue which the Maastricht Treaty places among the general objectives of the common foreign and security policy and of Community development cooperation policy. On the basis of the acquis, this reference document establishes guidelines for the future and indicates how to reach practical solutions which strengthen the coherence, impact and visibility of Community action and give a distinctive Community identity to the human rights issue. The structure of this report has been altered to reflect better this requirement of overall coherence. It deals first with themes and then with geographical areas in order to demonstrate the common guidelines followed in the use of financial resources in favour of human rights and democratization. With this presentation any obstacles encountered can be described and possible solutions put forward. I. THEMATIC APPROACH The information given below describes the approach followed in the use of the budget headings of Chapter B7-52 and also some significant examples of operations funded from other financial resources which have an impact on the human rights objective. Having said this, it should be stressed that the role of Chapter B7-52 is that of a catalyst, it focuses on support for initiatives of an innovative and incentive nature, the thinking being that if the results are satisfactory, the initiatives could be expanded subsequently using other financial instruments. It is in this light that the information given below should be read. 1. 1 Support for the democratic transition process, including the holding of free and regular elections Support for the democratic transition process is a new theme within the general framework of cooperation action to strengthen the rule of law and democratic freedoms. The development of this type of operation springs from a growing awareness among the international community of the need to intervene at the earliest possible stage with measures to accompany and encourage the whole transition process. A key element of this approach is electoral assistance which helps to boost the electorate's confidence, and has a strong political impact and a higher profile than traditional initiatives. Between 1990 and 1995, the Community/European Union provided some 44 countries with mainly technical assistance through specialized bodies. A whole series of projects for the pre-electoral and post-electoral phases was developed and improved over a few years with the aim of creating a climate favourable to the transition to democracy and its consolidation after elections. Such projects include specific support for the independence of the judiciary, the emergence of a civil society, the participation of women in elections (as candidates and as informed voters), media awareness, civic education and the formation of parliamentary structures. Because of the political dimension to this type of operation, three of the first joint actions decided by the European Union under the new foreign and common security policy concerned electoral assistance: to Russia (December 1993); South Africa (May 1994) and support for the Middle East peace process (April 1994). These operations gave the European Union's electoral assistance its own distinctive identity. In 1995, this type of operation remained one of the key elements of external cooperation policy in favour of human rights and democratic principles. Chapter B7-52 contributed almost ECU 5. 2 million to financing activities connected either with organizing elections as such or instilling the democratic values which are at the root of the electoral process. Financial and technical assistance and cooperation appropriations plus other instruments were also used to finance measures to support the democratic transition process. For example, financial instruments of the Lomé Convention provided considerable amounts of funding for material and technical assistance relating to the preparation and organization of elections. For the 1995 financial year, six countries (Kenya, Benin, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Chad and Haiti) received assistance of this type totalling ECU 4. 34 million under their respective national indicative programmes. This type of support mainly concerns the countries party to the Lomé Convention (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) and the Central and South American countries. The organization of local, parliamentary (June 1995) and presidential elections (December 1995) in Haiti received the largest financial contribution from the Chapter. Some of the projects supported with electoral assistance funds involved financing preliminary measures to meet specific material or technical needs connected with the preparation, organization or supervision of elections. Examples of such measures include the constitution of a central computerized electoral register for the Palestinian Council elections; and in Ghana, the printing of posters and a manual for polling station officials and provision of an electric generator for the headquarters of the electoral commission. Where necessary, for example in Haiti, supplies of basic equipment and electoral material can be sent out with technical assistance personnel who are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of elections or for evaluation missions at an early stage of the electoral process. Thus a team of experts was sent to Zaire to help the national electoral commission begin work and to coordinate initiatives for financing the elections. The importance of the role of the media during the electoral process prompted operations to promote and strengthen the media in 1995. Impending municipal elections in Mozambique led to Community support for a project to reinforce the media at provincial level. As part of an awareness-raising programme on democratic participation in Cape Verde, support was granted for radio broadcasts on the specific subject of democracy. The media also deserve close attention because of their often decisive impact on the outcome of elections. During the Palestinian elections, there was a special project to monitor the media in order to measure their level of independence, the quality of their election coverage and the fairness of access granted to the parties involved. A similar project financed under the Phare democracy programme with an eye to parliamentary and presidential elections in Romania consisted of studies (legal and political analysis of the situation of the media) and monitoring activities (qualitative and quantitative analysis of the media's involvement in the election campaign). The support granted to a specialized institute under the Tacis democracy programme was used to monitor the media in Belarus (parliamentary elections), Armenia (parliamentary elections and referendum on the constitution), Georgia (parliamentary and presidential elections), Azerbaijan (parliamentary elections and referendum on the new constitution) and Russia (parliamentary elections). Many operations in 1995 were designed to prepare the political structures for forthcoming elections. In Panama, aid was given for modernizing the political parties and instilling the values and procedures integral to the democratic process. Support was also given to measures to consolidate successful transition. This was particularly the case in Latin America where there were projects to encourage participation and the exercise of political rights in order to combat a growing lack of interest on the part of young people in the exercise of citizenship constituted by an election. In Chile, support was given to an operation to encourage young people to put their names on the electoral roll. In Russia, efforts to consolidate successful transition were particularly significant. The support provided for observation of the December 1995 parliamentary elections led to the setting- up of a European Union Electoral Unit (UEUE). This is an advisory body primarily responsible for helping the Member States' observers to carry out the tasks assigned to them by providing the necessary expertise and information, training observers and helping to coordinate their deployment. Exercising the right to vote is an endorsement of peace and a contribution to the democratization process. The election of the Palestinian Council was an integral part of the Middle East peace process and it was on this basis that the Council approved a joint operation in April 1994 committing the European Union to a coordinated aid programme for the preparation and monitoring of the Palestinian elections. Community technical assistance from cooperation funding - some ECU 7. 6 million - was used to finance preparations for the elections, such as drafting the electoral law, establishing polling stations at national and local level, setting-up a Press Office, deciding electoral boundaries, organizing a civic education campaign, training electoral agents and supplying electoral supplies (ballot papers etc). In September 1995 the European Union was asked to take part in and coordinate international observation of the Palestinian elections. In close cooperation with the Member States it decided to deploy a team of 300 observers and create a European Electoral Unit to coordinate the international observers. In view of the Community/European Union's growing role in election monitoring activities, two pilot schemes were supported with the aim of studying in greater detail the various aspects of preparing and organizing such operations, in particular the need to standardize procedures for selecting, training and deploying observers. 1. 2 Promoting and strengthening the rule of law Establishing or consolidating the rule of law is a gradual process which requires far-reaching legislative and political reforms to ensure the supremacy of the law, the judiciary's independence, the transparency of decision-making processes and the adoption of a legal order offering adequate legal guarantees for the respect of citizens' rights. Since the beginning of the decade many countries have started this process; several of them are now at a decisive period in their development, which explains why almost 20% of the appropriations committed under the European initiative for the promotion of human rights and democracy in 1995 was allocated to measures to support and encourage the ongoing reform process. 1. 2. 1 - Support for parliamentary activities A key factor in the success of any democratic transition is support for parliamentary institutions and practices and stimulation of legislative capacity. The wide range of parliamentary traditions in the Member States is a considerable asset for the transfer of - experience, know-how and information - one of the essential components of cooperation in this field. The schemes given support vary depending on the level of democratization and, above all, on whether there had previously been a parliamentary tradition. In fledgling democracies, which are still fragile, the focus is on providing members of Parliament and their staff with basic training in the various aspects of the role of the legislature (Mozambique) and on supplying the basic materials and equipment needed to run a parliament (Burkina Faso, Comoros). Other operations are designed to consolidate parliamentary structures by developing, for instance, exchange and cooperation networks. An example of this type of scheme is a training programme for Ukrainian members of parliament which was started up in December 1995 with support from the Tacis democracy programme and which also provides for cooperation links with the parliaments of Germany, France and the United Kingdom and also the European Parliament. Another important aspect involves support for modernization of the system of political parties (Panama, Latin American region) - whilst remaining politically neutral. Other schemes are designed to help develop legislative strategies geared to issues specific to the country or region concerned. Hence support was given to a series of seminars in Eastern Europe dealing with the issues of decentralization and of ethnic diversity and cross-border areas. The need to look to the future of these democracies has resulted in projects targeted at training for the new generations of the political class. For example, a project has been supported training modules on the electoral process, management of political parties and government structures. in 'Romania which offers 1. 2. 2 - Strengthening the legal system and its independence Increasing use is being made of the Community budget to support the reinforcement or rebuilding of legal systems. In crisis situations it is used to meet fundamental needs for justice but also in a long-term perspective to strengthen the judicial authority in its role as the guardian of democratic freedoms. Severe shortcomings of a legal system are signalled by alarming levels of prison overpopulation and inhuman conditions of detention. The gravity of the situation in Rwanda - where the need for justice is an essential part of restoring confidence and consolidating civil peace - led the international comrr nity to set up the International War Crimes Tribunal for Rwanda in October 1994. To supplement technical assistance measures, the European initiative for the promotion of human rights and democracy provided support for efforts to re-establish the Rwandan legal system. A two-pronged programme was set up, one part of which consists of a legal aid fund to pay for a permanent legal team to represent 600 families of victims and survivors, while the other provides a series of training and refresher seminars for lawyers and magistrates. Another project provides basic training for legal personnel (primarily judges and prosecutors) and covers the purchase of administrative equipment for courts of first instance. In addition, support was given to organizing the first training session of the School of international criminal law and human rights in Arusha (Tanzania), which brought together 30 legal experts, lawyers and law students from Europe (10) and Africa (20). The aim was to familiarize them generally with the legal provisions and machinery of human rights protection and specifically with the operation of the International War Crimes Tribunal for Rwanda. Since the situation in Rwandan prisons in itself constitutes a humanitarian crisis, humanitarian assistance funding has also been used for measures to help re-establish the legal system in Rwanda: drawing up committal papers for the inmates of four prisons to stop false arrests/detention; prison visits and basic health care for inmates. Projects have been carried out in other countries with major shortcomings in the judicial and legal sphere. For example, part of a programme of the Guinean Human Rights League concerning improvements in prisons was entirely financed by the Community budget. In Haiti the conclusions of an evaluation mission resulted in a programme to supply amenities and equipment and also a legal aid scheme for prisoners and a technical expertise mission to train legal clerks. In Palestine, support was given to a legal assistance project under which persons held in solitary confinement can be monitored and not only legal but also administrative and social advice provided as the situation develops (finding their whereabouts, reuniting families, questions of residence, entry and exit permits for the Territories, improvement of detention conditions etc). At the same time a scheme was set up to prepare appeals for Palestinians from the Occupied In Brazil, there is a legal aid Territories who were tortured following their arrest. programme for land dispute cases, the source of numerous human rights violations. It also includes a training component for trade unions. Efforts to ensure that the perpetrators of serious humanitarian or human rights violations do not go unpunished is vital to the credibility of legal systems and the restoration of confidence and civil peace. Such a component is often found in projects supported in Latin America and the Caribbean - for example a legal assistance programme in Haiti which gives support to the National Truth and Justice Commission. The political and social violence suffered particularly by children and prisoners has prompted support for projects to strengthen the rights of defence in general (Ecuador) and the rights of minors in particular (Peru), and support for specific measures such as "Human Rights Ombudsmen" (Guatemala, Salvador) or "Justices of the Peace" (Peru). It has also resulted in more discussion and information campaigns on these topics and moves to promote the fundamental principles of criminal justice as part of the reforms under way (Chile, Uruguay). The question of the death penalty - in which the European Parliament is very much involved - gave rise to an initiative backed by the Community to abolish the death penalty in Islamic countries receiving Community aid. Similarly there is a programme of internships whereby students, academics and practitioners can work alongside lawyers in the United States and the Caribbean engaged on criminal cases where the death penalty involves has been passed. Another project, which also concerns the Caribbean, investigation work on the cases of 70 people under sentence of death with a view to lodging appeals at national and international level. Strengthening the machinery of law is a priority in many countries which are 10 modernizing their legal apparatus and system and improving training for their legal and prison staff. Under Chapter B7-52 it is possible to support research and analysis projects designed to encourage the process of adjusting legal structures to comply with the principles of the rule of law. This mainly involves tackling the question of prison overpopulation, the process of adjusting the criminal justice systems (in particular reform of criminal proceedings) and strengthening public defence services. For example, in Ecuador support has been given to the drafting of a technical and legal programme in the criminal sector and to a regional scientific analysis of prison overcrowding for adults and minors. Substantial contributions can be made from the Community budget to initiatives of an institutional nature based on original legal traditions particularly in Latin America. The support provided goes to information, assistance and training infrastructure such as the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office in Guatemala, the "Defensoria del Pueblo" in Colombia, the "Institution del Defensor del Pueblo" in Panama or the "Oficina del Conciliador" in Guatemala. Other operations involve strengthening Ministries either via technical assistance (Honduras) or more specifically via support for training activities (Guatemala). At the same time, emphasis is given to the regional approach which allows for joint exchange and training sessions and the consolidation of national and regional networks and also gives these institutions a higher profile. A large-scale programme adopts the same approach in Central America. It covers complementary areas such as legal aid, human rights education and the dissemination of information about the protection of fundamental rights. The programme also follows cases brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Under a project straddling 11 Central American countries, a series of seminars for judges, prosecutors and lawyers has been organized with the aim not only of encouraging the exchange of information but also reducing the number of training programmes organized at individual country level. This programme has also brought about improvements in the way the law libraries of the different countries are run. In Peru the Community budget provides support for a training programme for 168 justices of the peace. Some projects combine research with training and information campaigns directed either at magistrates, lawyers, justice officials or at the man in the street. Innovatory approaches have been taken in the training field, such as a project carried out by the Izmir Bar in Turkey which combines theoretical teaching with practical experience in poor neighbourhoods of the city. Other projects, which come under the heading of legal cooperation in the strict sense, include study trips in which comparative practical studies can be made, the aim being to heighten awareness of the concept of independence of the legal professions (Russia, Albania). Within the Community itself support has been granted to some novel initiatives, such as a scheme to set up a network of bilingual lawyers who can act as the legal representatives of European Union citizens in a country of the Union other than their own. 1. 2. 3 - Legal assistance aimed at protecting civil and political freedoms The protection of civil and political freedoms calls for specific measures to make the legislative system conform to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. This 11 essentially involves providing the expertise and technical assistance needed to accomplish the reforms essential to democratization. It is still a relatively underdeveloped field of cooperation, although it is a constituent part of many projects. Under the Phare democracy programme, technical assistance is being provided for the revision of the criminal code and criminal procedure in Ukraine. This scheme also includes a training course given by European experts with the aim of training instructors to teach the new codes. In a particularly ambitious project in Eritrea to aid the drafting of a constitution, the approach consisted primarily of stimulating a wide-ranging debate and encouraging experience-sharing in order to reach a national consensus on the content of the constitution. In Malawi, an operation was carried out with the aim of submitting proposals for the revision of all legal provisions which infringe the constitutional guarantees and international conventions subscribed to as regards freedom of expression. 1. 2. 4 - Support for government bodies for the defence and promotion of human rights Within the framework of its international obligations, the state bears the main responsibility for the respect and promotion of human rights. This role is not confined to the drafting of legislation and application of the rule of law, it also includes more involves specific measures regarding prevention, promotion and education. This supporting institutional assistance for the exercise of the rights of defence or backing efforts to spread understanding of and promote human rights. In this context, substantial support was given to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the sole judicial body with regional jurisdiction in this field, to enable it to develop a system to publish its case law, increase its data base and improve the quality of its equipment. The Community also gave funding for the first intercontinental conference bringing together all the institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights of three continents (Africa, America and Europe). 1. 2. 5 - Transparency of public administration Transparency and responsibility are cornerstones of democratic life. They call for both transparent public management and administration and participation by the ordinary citizen in the decision-making process at local level. systems by means of locally autonomous democratic Many projects - particularly under the Phare and Tacis democracy programmes - help training, to promote experience-sharing, setting-up of databases and information networks as well as detailed analysis of the practices of local democracy. Priority is given to operations which combine measures to enhance the synergy between civil society and the public sector on common objectives. One of the projects supported is based on a cross-border partnership between Poland and Ukraine. It incorporates activities aimed at the strengthening of the local authorities on both sides in the framework of cooperation between two countries benefiting from European Union assistance. Based on experiences in Germany and Portugal, another scheme aims to familiarize the local political leaders who took office following the first free local elections in Bulgaria and Slovakia with the various aspects of democratic practice. On similar lines, Community support was given to a training programme for local councillors throughout Tanzania. 12 The Community budget has contributed to initiatives centred on the reform of the state and its administration. Under the Tacis democracy programme, a joint programme with the Council of Europe is designed to improve the operation of key sectors of the public administration in Ukraine. The programme covers areas such as the reform of the the improvement of the system for applying laws, the training of local legal system, officials and direct assistance to the Ministry of Justice. A regional Seminar in South Africa on the topic of corruption, democracy and human rights in southern Africa stands out among the awareness-raising campaigns supported. Its prime purpose was to increase the awareness of political leaders and civil society of the importance of the fight against corruption. 1. 3 The promotion of a pluralist civil society The democratization process depends on the development of a democratic culture based on pluralism, tolerance and citizen participation. Chapter B7-52 gives ample scope to projects aimed at diversifying and consolidating the "social fabric" typical of democracy by encouraging the exercise of democratic "freedoms, the participation of the people and the constitution of dynamic forms of solidarity. 1. 3. 1 - Promoting the independence, pluralism and responsibility of the media, support for the freedom of expression and of the press Freedom of expression is as much the right to express an individual opinion as it is to receive information and ideas and have the freedom to communicate them. The increasing role of the media in shaping public opinion and promoting democratic values makes the media a prime target of oppressive regimes. As a result journalists are threatened and harassed and legal, economic or commercial obstacles hamper both media independence and the freedom to disseminate information. As part of the European initiative for the promotion of human rights, approximately ECU 7 million has been allocated to 85 projects devoted to the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and in particular the right to free and independent information. (a) economic and financial support for the media in a survival context The aid provided, in the Republics of former Yugoslavia, which involved financial and economic support as well as logistical and technical back-up, went a long way to meeting the media's urgent needs. The stakes were high as it was a matter of preserving the only real remaining area of freedom in the region. The extremely difficult situation facing the media was largely the result of the authorities putting all sorts of obstacles in the way of media distribution and broadcasting so that in many cases it came down to a question of survival. In point of fact, a major part of Community aid was used to provide the basic equipment needed to continue activities as well as the vital funds to maintain the financial equilibrium of the press and the independent electronic media. Thus the independent daily "Nasa Borba", a figurehead of the freedom of the press in Belgrade, set up at the beginning of the year by journalists who had resigned from the "Borba" when it was n taken over by the authorities again, initially received financial support which was used for supplies of 300 tonnes of paper to produce a daily edition of the newspaper. On similar lines, the Commission contributed to the setting-up of a special fund to cover urgent and specific needs facing the media in the region. (b) support for independent sources of information The independence of the media is based on the free flow of information and free access to sources of information. Again in former Yugoslavia, projects have provided support for press agencies such as BETA, the most important independent press agency in Serbia, the new agency Montena Fax in Montenegro and the small but very effective agency, Stina, which provides information to the independent media in Croatia. Substantial support was also granted to the regional offices in former Yugoslavia of an international agency which transmits information electronically from a central computer in Paris. Another Community-funded project concerns the creation of an electronic newspaper connected to the Internet which aims to distribute news gathered from independent sources. This makes it possible to circumvent the obstacles put by the authorities in the way of the press and audiovisual media. (c) Development of independent media Community aid also seeks to help the media develop by enabling them to acquire the technical means and the personnel capable of increasing their readership or their audience (printing paper, printing equipment, computer equipment, graphic composition equipment, satellite communication equipment, rental of telephone lines, more powerful transmitters, press or distribution vehicles, distribution expenses, journalists' wages, etc). Under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes, attention focused more specifically on the technical and legal adjustments required for the media to work in a market economy. Accordingly, training activities have included comparative analysis of legislation, know-how transfer and an introduction to modern communication techniques. An original project undertaken in Russia and intended for media professionals combines a period of technical training with experience-sharing in trade-union negotiating procedures for the entertainment industry. Projects directly promoting pluralism also received priority; this refers in particular to projects in former Yugoslavia aimed at recruiting a cross-community readership or audience, for example through broadcasts or print runs in several languages (translations, subtitling, opening of new channels broadcasting in the languages of the other communities, etc), wider broadcasting or distribution range or by taking differences into account in the scheduling of programmes. (d) Highlighting the role of the media in society For similar reasons projects highlighting the role of the media in society, and in particular their specific responsibility in the development of democracy, received considerable support. Preference was given to publications which contributed to raising public awareness of democratic values while denouncing their violations, even when these can be partly blamed on the media. In this respect, the importance of projects to curb the development of hate-fuelling media which, under the cover of freedom of expression, propagate ethnic or religious hatred and extremist tendencies of all sorts, must be stressed. 14 In Burundi a project receiving Community support provided, among other things, emergency aid for independent media seeking to neutralize the impact of media intent on spreading extremist messages and slogans. In Belgrade the Media Centre attracted aid for carrying out a project on the responsibility of the media in fomenting hate. The Commission also helped fund independent journalists - expelled from the state-controlled media - to produce a televised documentary on the role of official propaganda before and during the war. (e) Enhancing professionalism in the media The independence, pluralism and credibility of the media in the eyes of the public largely rest on the professionalism of those who bear responsibility for them. Technical training and professional ethics have been the subject of specific initiatives, viz: a training programme for journalists and engineers working for the independent television network Studio B of Belgrade carried out through UNESCO; a project for a seminar in Senegal to study the conditions for reviving journalistic training in Africa; a 2-year training programme for journalists in Ghana; a human-rights training and awareness-raising programme for media students and professionals in various Latin American regions. Numerous training programmes were also carried out under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes (specifically in Albania, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russia and Mongolia). The professional organizations of journalists make an essential contribution to the improvement of the category's social status and cohesiveness, and to the defence of its interests. In southern Africa a major programme - "Media for democracy" - launched initiatives aimed at establishing or strengthening national and regional associations of journalists which contribute to the general drive to improve professionalism in the media. In view of the specific role of the media in the electoral process, some training modules specifically focused on elections. Thus, an unusual training initiative involved 15 Portuguese-speaking African journalists "shadowing" Portuguese colleagues covering the elections in Portugal. Another initiative provided training in electoral matters for journalists from Mongolia in preparation for the 1996 presidential elections. (f) Legal assistance and media monitoring It is essential that freedom of expression be guaranteed not only in the Constitution but. also in all the legislative and regulatory texts in accordance with the relevant international instruments. A number of projects to study and draft legislation concerning the freedom of the press received support from the Community budget (in Burundi, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Albania and Mongolia). This in practice means support for the drafting of press codes, codes of conduct and instruments to regulate broadcasting. In addition, media monitoring activities carried out by warning networks or initiatives to provide specific assistance (in Burundi and former Yugoslavia in particular) make it possible to provide direct aid to the media and to national, regional and international organizations which champion freedom of expression. Thus, support was granted to the European fund for freedom of expression which, thanks to this contribution, in 1995 published a second report on the progress made on the road to democracy in 14 Central and Eastern European countries. 15 (g) Promoting freedom of expression Freedom of expression concerns each citizen: it does not begin and end with independent media. Thus, projects receiving Community funding have ranged from comparative analysis of legislation concerning freedom of expression to original initiatives aimed at ensuring the protection of persecuted writers through the establishment of an international network of asylum towns. 1. 3. 2 - Human rights education and public awareness Education and public awareness make it possible not only to pass on information and knowledge but also to stimulate in each of us the ability to create, act and participate. The multiplier effect which is inherent in education and training makes them particularly effective means in promoting human rights. Accordingly, many projects funded from the Community budget have an educational component. Education is also regarded as a means of improving the social status of the most vulnerable sectors of population, as well as being an effective instrument against racism and xenophobia. In the first year of the UN-sponsored decade of human rights education, under Budget Chapter B7-52 nearly ECU 10 million went to initiatives intended to promote democracy in civil society through education and training. Firstly, Community aid contributes to the development of teaching, research and education in the field of human rights, in particular by supporting the development of appropriate teaching aids and the establishment of information networks on human rights. Thus, for instance, a centre in Moscow which makes publications on human rights available with a view to disseminating information among NGOs and giving them practical help, has obtained Community support. To enable the notion of human rights to gain the widest possible recognition, support was granted to an original Hong Kong- based initiative for the development of a multimedia computer programme which includes adatabase describing the international instruments for the protection of human rights as well as training modules and educational games on human rights. Also in Hong Kong another project is contributing to the production of teaching material on human rights in Chinese. In Central America support was provided for the development of training methods and programmes for human rights teachers working for human rights organizations. In Guatemala two training and public-awareness programmes, one aimed at training local civic committees on various issues and the other for the general public, received Community support. In Africa too the Community funded major information and public-awareness campaigns and teacher training seminars (in Burundi, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti and Central African Republic) held locally or in Europe. In the interest of visibility, projects combining human rights themes and the widest possible dissemination of information on the European Union, its activities and undertakings have received Community funding. A project launched in Central and Eastern Europe aims to use the debate on Europe, currently pursued by members of parliament, academics, NGO's senior personnel and representatives of Community institutions, as a catalyst in the development of democratic traditions in the region. 16 Projects with an educational component, notably in Africa and Central America, have highlighted the interdependence between the concepts of peace, human rights observance and democratic principles. in Somalia and El Salvador, the production and distribution of video cassettes fostering peace and reconciliation in Rwanda and Burundi and an original initiative in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to promote peaceful coexistence through training activities are all examples of such projects. Again on the topic of peace, the Commission lent its support to the organization of training courses for teachers, instructors and NGO personnel. Two public-awareness programmes Community funds go to measures intended to promote a more democratic society at local level and develop forms of local democracy. Under the Phare-democracy programme, these themes are included in wider-ranging programmes in the form of modules devoted in particular to the links between local democracy and business - both management and labour - (Czech Republic) and bringing together local leaders and senior personnel from local NGOs or associations (Poland) in discussion or training workshops. In Bosnia-Herzegovina a project highlights the overlap between local democracy issues and the existence of a multicultural society: it provides training and information activities to promote the development of democratic practices at municipal level (Tuzla). A different approach underpins a project carried out in El Salvador, the objective of which is to improve the effectiveness of the representatives of sectors of the population traditionally far removed from the decision-making centres. This means contributing to the creation of a nucleus capable of taking the initiative within the local community and influencing political and social developments. Education is a prime means of protecting and promoting the social status of certain sectors of society. This involves essentially fighting the prejudices which fuel discriminations, violence and intolerance right at the outset and may take the form of civics education initiatives and the teaching of democratic principles, such as respect for others, participation and pluralism, to young people. Support was also given to projects intended specifically for prisoners and refugees by means of educational initiatives focusing on their ultimate rehabilitation. These initiatives are addressed, inter alia, to police personnel who are exposed to situations where effective safeguard of human rights involves the observance of a given code of conduct. With regard to measures to help women, their strategy is to combat the discrimination of which women are victims and promote their status in society. Training and education are also paramount in promoting the rights of indigenous people and protecting the victims of extreme forms of violence. 1. 3. 3 - Promoting equal opportunities and non-discriminatory practices Equal rights and equal dignity are one of the pillars of any system intended to safeguard fundamental human rights. This approach was gradually supplemented by greater attention being paid not only to particularly vul irable groups in society, but also to the various ways of ensuring personal fulfilment anc the observance of such rights as a fundamental principle of democracy. Prevention and long-term measures are essential, but assistance to the victims also enjoys priority among the initiatives receiving support. Equal opportunities issues have given rise to a broad range of activities involving both third countries and Member States. Education and public awareness are the key to improving the lot of the most vulnerable groups in society and combat intolerance in its various forms. Legal assistance is another priority, as illustrated by a project involving 17 a seminar to provide Hong Kong lawyers and senior personnel from NGOs and government departments with the expertise, essentially of a legal nature, required to translate equal opportunity principles into law. Chapter B7-52 enabled substantial contributions to be made to a number of initiatives to protect women and promote their status in society and in political circles. Such projects tackle the causes of discrimination and of the various forms of violence against women through training activities and public-awareness campaigns, measures to reinforce NGOs and women's associations and to protect women who are victims of violence. The Community budget also helped promote equal opportunities between women and men in the Member States of the European Union. Ensuring equal opportunities is particularly important for the younger generations and numerous initiatives set out to tackle the problem, in particular through the organization of educational activities. The goals set span all the various stages and aspects in the fulfilment of a person's potential, from encouraging participation in social, economic and political life to protection and rehabilitation following episodes of violence. Awareness of the intolerance and the various forms of discrimination exercised against certain social groups have prompted activities which adopt a similar approach, distinguishing between human rights defence and protection for the individual on the one hand and, on the other hand, improvement of those groups' social status. Projects on refugees, displaced persons or national minorities, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, have taken both aspects into account. They make it possible both to combat discrimination in the legislative field in the countries concerned and to organize information and public-awareness campaigns which aim to eradicate the prejudices against those social groups. Inside the Community the fight against racism and xenophobia has become a priority in response to the spread of racist and xenophobic tendencies throughout Europe in the last few years. Measures adopted at European level must dovetail with national initiatives this field. This calls for the development of a joint action on the part of the relevant international and regional organizations and has led to both Community institutions and Member States taking action. The overall strategy adopted at the Vienna Summit of the Council of Europe provided a framework for action which resulted in more specific discussions on the means to be deployed. An advisory committee made up of eminent persons was instructed by the Corfu European Council (June 1994) to formulate recommendations for cooperation between the governments and the various components of society; in June 1995 the committee was invited to study, in close cooperation with the Council of Europe, the feasibility of establishing a European Observatory for racism and xenophobia. Simultaneously, Community measures completing those implemented by the Member States were implemented, notably in education, training and media briefing. Pilot schemes carried out by NGOs and associations of immigrants were given priority. An original initiative was launched - the "cities against racism" project - intended to support a small number of local activities aimed to encourage local partnerships built around three priority areas: the prevention of racist violence and juvenile delinquency; the development of methods to monitor racist incidents by several agencies, and the promotion of responsible citizenship and local democracy in multicultural societies. Community action programmes, particularly in the field of education and youth 18 (Leonardo, Socrates, Youth for Europe III), information and culture (Media II) also In December 1995 the contribute to the fight against intolerance in all its forms. Commission adopted a communication on racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism, accompanied by a proposal to the Council that 1997 be declared "European Year against racism". The text is intended to coordinate the Commission's activities in this field and to describe the work that lies ahead. 1. 3. 4 - Strengthening non governmental organizations, associations and local groups Partnership with the various organizations of civil society, and in particular NGOs, associations and local groups upholding human rights, is a key element in ensuring the success of operations supported by the European Community in this field. The NGO's role in implementing initiatives to promote civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights has increased gradually and has extended to new fields of action such as the defence of the rights of vulnerable groups, advocacy of democratic freedoms and support for the electoral process. Substantial support is also given for the creation and consolidation of NGOs as essential components of a pluralist and democratic civil society. A large proportion of all operations funded from the Community budget in the field of human rights and democratization involve non-governmental organizations through direct support or via the financing of projects, the implementation of which is entrusted to them and which are in line with their priorities and with those of the European Union. In view of the NGOs' decisive role in the democratization of society and in the process of social and economic development, a substantial share of available resources is devoted to the reinforcement and consolidation of NGOs and other components of civil society. This consists primarily in developing the their structures, organization and operational capacity through direct support or by means of training activities adapted to their needs and priorities. Original formulas have been developed, as in the case of a project to responsible for establish a "Centre for Non-Governmental Development" in Croatia, enhancing NGOs' know-how through the provision of training, information and support for their work. Thus, the non-governmental sector is able to found its legitimacy within society on the quality of its action and become self-reliant having acquired its own training, communication and fund-raising structures. towards Substantial support was therefore granted In granting its support to NGOs and to civil society at large, the Community seeks the to achieve continuity. establishment of a network of Chilean organizations which had already received Community grants in the past. The project was specifically intended to enhance the expertise of those in charge of the network in the practice of democracy. A major programme to provide support for the development of civil society carried out in the Arab world and aimed at improving the NGOs' capacity for action, in particular through training activities, is the second stage of an initiative geared to the long term. The NGOs specific characteristics which cannot be used to full advantage where only one method of operation is used, have led to the development of formulae which allow for significant flexibility in the way NGO needs are met. Thus Community support has enabled a special fund to be set up to assist in the implementation of micro-projects intended to promote the observance of human rights. 19 Support for the democratization of civil society also applies to socio-economic structures, the role of which is paramount in promoting the democratic development of the countries concerned. Under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes, the Slovenian and Russian Chambers of Commerce benefitted from a reorganization programme which included technical assistance, training courses and the development of their activities, in particular through seminars on democracy and the market economy. A number of projects, in particular in the Baltic States, Slovenia, Romania, Russia, Mongolia and former Yugoslavia, focus on trade unions, primarily with the aim of strengthening their structures and raising awareness of their responsibilities in a society where democracy and market economy prevail. Funds were allocated to the reinforcement of institutional agencies at local and national level which are committed to the promotion and observance of human rights and democratic principles or hold a specific responsibility in this field This was the case specifically in Latin America, where numerous projects aim to provide support for local institutions with specific responsibilities in the administration of justice. The desire to bring the action as close to the citizens, their concerns and aspirations as possible inspired a project undertaken in Costa Rica combining public-awareness and information campaigns on human rights with the consolidation of networks set up to defend the citizens and enable their participation in the various aspects of local life. The same approach is at the basis of a programme for Central America which, inter alia, strives to tap NGOs' experience in organizing the work of the new civil service departments. Support for non-governmental organizations spans a number of different sectors. It is extended to organizations looking after specific social groups as well as to associations and groups focusing on specific topics. In the run up to the World Women's Conference, substantial support* was granted for the preparation and participation of NGOs and women's associations in that event, to the success of which their contribution was essential. Both European organizations and those based in Latin America and in Lomé IV countries received financial support and benefited from initiatives intended for the most part to encourage the setting up of women's networks, associations and organizations, such as the creation of a network of women with local responsibilities in Chile or the development of the activities of a network of Russian and Czech women's organizations. Youth organizations also attracted Community support under programmes centred on civic education and public awareness of topics related to democratic involved participation organizations to help the disabled (Slovakia). Under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes, a substantial contribution was granted to environmental NGOs. (Central and Eastern Europe, Georgia). Other projects The strengthening of the capabilities of NGOs and other groupings of civil society calls primarily for projects designed to develop their activities. This means initiatives capable of fostering the NGOs' educational role (in Estonia and Latvia) by enhancing their staffs qualifications and expertise on topics related to the democratic process and by encouraging the sharing of experience and contacts across national borders. Activities organized under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes have included exchanges and visits to EU Member States. One such project aimed at strengthening local structures in Poland through study visits to similar organizations in Spain, while 20 another focused on the development of non-governmental educational structures in Estonia and Latvia through a wide range of activities which included study visits to various Member States of the Union. It is equally essential that NGOs and other groupings of civil society develop positive relations with national and local authorities. The emphasis is on fostering cooperation between the political representatives and such groupings. The projects receiving support achieved synergies in the pursuit of common objectives. This was the case for initiatives carried out in Latin America and dealing with justice, the fight against impunity and the civil service at large. It was also one of the guiding principles of the initiatives supported under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes: training courses on topics of common interest linking social reform and democratic process and bringing together representatives of the public sector and senior personnel from NGOs and associations; training and popularization courses covering relations between NGOs and the public sector in a democratic context. This kind of initiative goes hand in hand with projects which contribute to the NGOs' involvement in the legislative process, either in relation to their fields of activity or to the legislative aspects pertaining to their status and the conditions of their existence (Estonia and Mongolia in particular). Other measures, as in the case of a pilot scheme carried out in Russia, aim at strengthening the NGOs' capacity to develop partnerships with the local authorities, particularly where there is no tradition of local government. Recognition of how important the NGO's contribution is in promoting human rights and democratic principles has resulted in substantial support being granted to NGOs working in the various international fora. This was the case in particular for all the initiatives taken to help NGOs and women's associations prepare for the Beijing Conference, but also for specific projects to coordinate and assist NGOs' representatives called to bear witness before UN bodies. A similar project sought to develop training, monitoring and awareness-raising activities so as to boost the involvement of the non-governmental sector institutions of the OSCE in the work of the various (Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe). 1. 4 Support for confidence-building measures to restore peace The international community is increasingly aware of the impact of human rights on peace and on international and regional security as well as on the overall situation of a country, on its political stability and on its social and economic development. This awareness is accompanied by growing interest for the prevention aspect of initiatives to promote observance of human rights and democratic principles. At the same time, the desire to take action as early as possible to achieve long-term results has led to initiatives which combine specific support for the peace process with measures to promote values such as tolerance, conciliation and mutual respect likely to bring about a climate conducive to peace. 1. 4. 1 - Conflict prevention Prevention is not a new idea and any policy to promote human rights must of this aspect. However, extensive discussions have led to the necessity development of a comprehensive and multidimensional approach (human rights, include 21 development, environment) and to fresh strategies being identified. The original initiatives described below are a few examples. Numerous projects receiving Community support include aspects relating to the acquisition of conciliation and conflict resolution techniques. They are also characterized by the importance they attach to the links between the promotion of human rights, community education and the fostering of peace-related issues. A project undertaken in Hungary which comprises a wide range of training activities on topics concerning local government, lays particular emphasis on the pursuit of consensus, collective bargaining practices and the management of social conflicts. In the same spirit, an initiative receiving support in Nicaragua seeks to promote consensus at national level and various forms of solidarity at community level, in particular by encouraging experience sharing in economic, social and political life. As part of a programme to harness civil society's resources to the consolidation of democracy in Peru, three aspects have been given priority: administration of justice and democracy; civil defence in a democracy and citizens' participation in public life. The educational component was predominant in a project covering several cities of Kazakhstan and comprising training and information activities in the field of conflict resolution and crisis management. The initiative, which provides for the opening of a "Centre on Peace-building and Conflict resolution" in Almaty, also includes training periods, seminars and round tables which aim to stimulate the non-governmental sector. On-going debate on the preventive dimension of initiatives to promote peace and human rights has resulted in Community support being granted to projects proposing innovative action packages. Thus the development of capacities in conflict-resolution, early warning and preventive diplomacy is the core of a multiregional project aimed at regional agencies and organizations to enable them to settle conflicts before they degenerate into violence. Since in a crisis or after the alarm has been raised, immediate reaction is fundamental, an original project proposes a number of measures (such as evaluation missions and special envoys), enabling action to be taken before the conflicts escalate. Specific initiatives to support the peace process also received Community funding. They tend to be characterized by a strong educational component: programmes covering peace, reconciliation and democracy education in Nicaragua and El Salvador, national workshops providing civic education and popularizing the Lusaka peace protocol in Angola; training periods in community and social work in relation to human rights for Palestinians of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank ("peace trainees"); training for NGOs and institutions involved in the peace process in Guatemala. New methods have been developed applicable in situations of serious and persistent violations of human rights. Thus, the European Community lent its support to a mission of human rights observers sent to Rwanda to follow up the fact-finding mission of March 1995 and extended until 15 January 1996. The initiative sought to introduce an element of impartiality in a situation of serious and persistent violations of basic human rights, and aimed to ease tensions and to encourage, wherever possible, the return of refugees. It was carried out under the aegis of the UN High Commissioner for human rights within the framework of the UN mission, in conjunction with the UN Centre for Human Rights in Geneva. Chapter B7-52 also helped fund five observers sent to Burundi 22 with the task of contributing to the restoration of a climate of confidence and safety among the population by assisting the UN rapporteur on human rights and designing and carrying out human rights education programmes. Similarly, by way of contribution to the implementation of the Council's common position adopted in October 1995, an action plan implemented in Angola includes a human rights observer mission within the framework of the UN verification mission (UNAVEM III). 1. 4. 2 - Support for measures to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious violations of humanitarian law and human rights Prevention may take on a repressive flavour, especially in situations where the impunity of the perpetrators of serious violations perpetuates a climate of insecurity which is conducive to renewed violence. The dire consequences of such a state of affairs have led in particular to the setting up of special Tribunals for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, called upon to try the perpetrators of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law. This represents a most significant innovation in international law and has enjoyed active support from the European Union and from the Commission's specific initiatives intended to assist the Tribunals in starting up their work. The Community contribution to the work of the two special Tribunals has made it possible to entrust specific supporting activities, viz: protection and support for the victims who come to testify; provision of 15 legal counsels; public awareness of the Court's role; collection of new evidence; opening of documentation centres and establishment of a database, technical monitoring of the Tribunal activities, provision of video-conferencing facility, etc. to specialist NGOs. To finance the various activities funds totalling ECU 3. 1 million have been committed. At the instigation of the European Parliament, a new budget heading endowed with ECU 300 000 was introduced in 1995 to provide specific backing to non-governmental organizations working towards the establishment of a permanent international criminal court. The activities receiving support are contributing to the development of a European position on the issue. This has resulted in information and public awareness campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting coordination and cooperation among NGOs, governments, the special Tribunals and the relevant UN agencies in the start-up phase. 1. 4. 3 - Support for national efforts to encourage subordination of the armed forces to the civil authorities Under Chapter B7-52 the efforts of Latin-American countries to bring security and armed forces under the effective control of the civil authorities and encourage the separation of their roles in a democratic state. Since this objective is best attained through training, Community support went to a number of training activities for the armed forces in Central America, the Andean region, Paraguay and Peru focusing on human rights and the rule of law. Financial and technical assistance was also provided for similar activities for the benefit of the national police force in El Salvador. Special attention has been given to training initiatives for demobilized military, such as the project launched in Nicaragua to promote reconciliation and social reintegration of demobilized soldiers through training activities focusing on peace and conflict resolution. Initiatives supported under the Phare-democracy programme have led to information 23 and awareness-raising activities aimed at encouraging discussion on international security-related issues and on relations between armed forces and civil authorities. One such initiative was launched in Bulgaria and was targeted at various agents in civil society with a view to familiarizing them with international security concepts. Another project in Estonia is aimed at strengthening the national organizations concerned with This project comprises relations between armed forces and civil authorities. awareness-raising, information, a relevant survey of public opinion and a comparative study of relations between the military and the civil authorities in Latvia and Lithuania. 1. 5 - Initiatives for target groups 1. 5. 1- Groups needing specific protection Children (a) Children rights are an integral part of human rights. Since children require specific protection, the international body of law for the protection of human rights was supplemented with a specific instrument protecting the rights of the child and his well-being. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which entered into force on 2 September 1990 and has already been ratified by a large number of countries, covers the civil rights and individual freedoms of children, their economic, social and cultural rights as well as their right to specific protection against all forms of violence. Education is the focal point of initiatives to help children and a large proportion of projects having attracted Community support gives priority to educational and training activities. Fighting at the earliest possible stage the prejudices which perpetuate discriminations, violence and intolerance is a long-term task, but it is the only way of producing durable and far-reaching results throughout society. This is why Chapter B7-52 gives priority to projects to teach civic education and democratic values, such as respect for others, participation and pluralism, to voung people. With the aim of developing a culture where peace and tolerance have pride of place in Peru, priority is given to human rights education and the practice of democracy in schools. An original initiative, supported under the Tacis-democracy programme, focuses in particular on the teaching of history in Russia, contributing to the recent debate on the need to modernize history teaching methods. A pilot scheme in Lithuania follows a similar approach: by producing educational material and providing specific training for secondary school teachers, it seeks to encourage the pupils' active participation in the life of the city. Similarly, the main objective of a civic education programme being run in 250 primary and secondary schools in Poland is to raise the children's awareness of democracy and its fundamental principles. In Turkey a training programme is addressed to some 1200 teachers covering 12 provinces. The importance attached to education is also reflected in projects aimed at introducing the teaching of human rights and democracy in school curricula (Panama, Honduras, Peru) or at providing the ministries concerned with the necessary technical assistance for drawing up the syllabuses (Tunisia). Some projects stress the significance of values such as participation and solidarity, and in particular the importance of voluntary work in the social field. Awareness of the fact that children are subjected to violence in all its forms has prompted numerous initiatives throughout the world. In India a programme to raise public awareness of child labour, whose long-term objective is to eliminate the problem, 24 received Community support. A second phase of the programme will propose alternatives to those who employ children. In order to remedy a situation where illiteracy and lack of legal protection prevail, field work in Haiti is developing a range of activities aimed at the social reintegration of street children (promoting literacy, putting the children back in school, raising awareness in the families, etc). Other initiatives in Peru cater for all the needs - legal, psycho-social and medical - of minors charged with criminal offences or victims of torture or other abuse. This work is supplemented by public-awareness and information campaigns. In Argentina Community support was granted to a specific initiative intended to provide backing for legal actions and inquiries to obtain subsidies for the families of children "disappeared" for political reasons. An additional measure, also in Argentina, provides assistance with medical, legal, psychological, educational and social problems to 140 adolescents from families which have been the victims of repression under the military dictatorship. A similar approach is behind a project in Slovenia which is aimed at the children of Bosnia. Another project launched in Croatia is trying group therapy on two groups of 6-12 year olds; should this prove successful, the method could be applied more widely. Specific projects for children refugees in camps in former Yugoslavia aimed at giving publicity to the evidence brought by children also enjoyed Community support. Community funds contributed to the organization of a conference bringing together organizations which are very active in providing assistance for children victims of violence. The conference led to a number of recommendations to being made with a view to developing know-how in this field, coordinating the activities of the relevant bodies and establishing operational procedures to ensure rapid response in case of danger. Recognition of the importance of forging links between governments and NGOs with regard to the protection of children caught in armed conflicts in Africa resulted in an initiative comprising a series of regional meetings as well as evaluation missions leading to the organization of a world conference. More specifically, a contribution was made to the organization of an international conference for magistrates held in Northern Ireland and aimed at providing them with a better understanding of the problems encountered by young people faced with situations of extreme violence. Community financing also allowed the participation of representatives from Asian, Latin American and African NGOs in the first international conference on the sexual and commercial exploitation of children held in Sweden in August 1996. Since the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the reference for all the projects qualifying for Community support, it is fitting to mention an original project which, from specific cases, aims to establish indicators to measure the extent to which the Convention has been honoured. (b) National minorities The issue of minorities is now one of the international community's foremost concerns. In 1994 the Union responded to an issue that had been acquiring increasing urgency since the start of the decade by launching a particularly ambitious diplomatic initiative, which culminated in March 1995 with the signing of a Stability Pact to be implemented by the OSCE. A political declaration with a list of about a hundred bilateral agreements, the Pact's preventive measures are designed to strengthen Europe's stability by promoting neighbourly relations on such issues as borders and minorities. Two 25 regional round tables, one for the Baltic and the other for the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, have produced agreements vital to ensuring legal situation between governments on the subject of minorities is clear. The flanking measures called for by this initiative have received considerable financing backing under the Phare and Phare-Democracy programmes. One of the main shortcomings identified when looking at the issue of minorities in Central and Eastern Europe is a lack of dialogue between government structures and the representatives of minorities and between the relevant government agencies in different countries of the region. With that in mind, backing is being provided under the Phare- Democracy programme for a joint scheme with the Council of Europe aimed at establishing institutional ties between the authorities responsible for minorities in the different countries of the region. The core activity is to build up structured working relationships between the different government agencies involved through training, study visits and technical assistance. Other projects in the field of legal assistance are helping harmonize laws on religion in Bulgaria, Romania and Albania in order to bring them into line with the European Convention on Human Rights. A scheme under way in former Yugoslavia is offering direct legal aid to victims of ethnic discrimination, helping promote their rights and getting the different communities to talk to each other. Protecting minorities also involves schemes aimed at familiarizing the groups concerned with their rights and various aspects of their situation. Such schemes tie in with specific activities aimed at fostering links between existing networks in the interests of the more effective protection and promotion of minority rights. (c) Indigenous peoples In line with the demands of the European Parliament and the conclusions of the 1992 World Conference in Rio, special attention is being paid to the lot of indigenous peoples, notably as part of an approach combining their rights with concern for the environment. Funding has been provided for innovative practical projects to help them organize, channel their demands and enhance the international impact of those demands, especially in the United Nations. Human rights workshops, seminars and programmes have also been set up for them. (d) Refugees and displaced persons According to recent estimates, there are in the world today about 20 million refugees and 24 million people uprooted in their own countries. The European Union is a substantial contributor to the work of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in particular through ECHO, the humanitarian aid office set up by the European Community in 1992. The partnership formed between the UNHCR and the Community in December 1993 has increased overall effectiveness in such areas as prevention, emergency aid, protection, assistance and the promotion of lasting solutions. A total of ECU 345 million in Community budget resources has been allocated for schemes to help the world's refugees and displaced persons. Within the Union funding has been focused on training programmes. One example 26 is a contribution towards the funding of training for Greek judges, police officers and civil servants involved in handling and processing asylum seekers. Another project seeks to foster Europe-wide coordination of activities to help young refugees fleeing warzones to escape forced conscription into their country's army. Assistance for refugees is also at the heart of a project covering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, which is geared to supporting and coordinating the activities of NGOs working with refugees in the region. A similar project is aimed at providing 600 Spanish and Latin American organizations working in the refugee field with access to documentation on different aspects relating, to the predicament and protection of refugees. The Community is also backing a scheme in Germany to survey and report on prison conditions, with a particular emphasis on the plight of asylum seekers awaiting deportation. Under the fourth Lomé Convention, seven countries (Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda) have received a total of ECU 13 580 000 for measures to help refugees, returnees and displaced persons. The Community budget also allows funding to be provided for the creation and operation of specialized centres in Member States to provide medical, welfare and psychological assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, most of them from developing countries, who have suffered torture or other forms of abuse. (e) Prisoners Funding is provided for special projects to help prisoners, a topic close to the heart of Parliament. Education schemes for prisoners pursue practical objectives relating to their reintegration into society. In Russia, education and training are central to a particularly ambitious project, the components of which include education and information services for prisoners, training for prison staff and the formation of a network of lawyers to represent prisoners and push for reforms etc. With a view to raising public awareness, another project seeks to publish as widely as possible first-hand reports on prison conditions. Chapter B7-52 also helps fund a range of activities aimed at promoting prisoners' rights in Africa. The key vectors for this are education and raising public awareness, of which schemes to help NGOs operating in crises and campaigns to get the competent African authorities to ratify international conventions on human rights are a natural extension. Other projects, e. g. a project in Palestine, involve legal assistance to prisoners regarding both their defence and the conditions in which they are held. (f) Victims of torture The final document of the World Conference on Human Rights, which took place in Vienna in June 1993, describes torture as the worst violation of human dignity. Parliament endorsed this view by creating a special budget heading for the mental, physical and social rehabilitation of victims of torture. In 1995 ECU 5. 5 million was earmarked for this purpose, enabling specialist organizations to assist local organizations with training and start-up help for activities including training, legal advice, investigation and welfare assistance. Other schemes involve education, research and documentation. Support also goes to war victims, as in former Yugoslavia, where activities have been stepped up this year. 27 1. 5. 2 - Priority groups for protection and aw areness-raising schem es (a) Women Women are at once both a vulnerable group and a group with a key role in society. Their fundamental rights are reaffirmed in the Vienna document as being an integral, inalienable and inseparable part of universal human rights, and their role is recognized and set out in the declaration and the platform for action adopted at the World Conference held in Peking in September 1995. The international community has reiterated the need for women to participate fully and equally in civil, political, economic, social and cultural life, and to become more involved in decision-making in all these areas. The Community budget contributed almost ECU 2 million to help women's organizations and NGOs from the developing countries and central and eastern Europe prepare and take part in all stages of the Peking conference and the NGO forum that took place on its fringes. Fifty representatives of Latin American and Caribbean women's organizations were thereby given the chance to take part in the conference and the NGO forum. This support was accompanied by training activities for representatives of NGOs and the organization of preparatory conferences and seminars, the conclusions of which provided material for the conference. The first schemes directly concerning the implementation of the conference's results have also been launched, e. g. a training programme to make organizations defending women's rights in Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania aware of the operational priorities arising from the Peking Conference. From the standpoint of prevention and protection, education plays a crucial part in action on behalf of women. Schemes have been targeted on groups of disadvantaged women, such as one to train displaced or marginalized women in Colombia and make them aware of their rights. Defending women's rights is also the crux of an scheme targeting women detained in Mexican rehabilitation centres. A project carried out as part of the Phare-democracy programme offers women in Poland and Albania training courses and seminars on specific topics, including family planning, the media, democratic practice and women's rights). Violence against women lies at the centre of a project in Turkey, which involves disseminating information on the different forms such violence can take and on the means of defence available. An original project under way in El Salvador employs a different approach: there members of the police and armed forces are trained to counter and deal with violence against women. Chapter B7-52 also provides support for special medical, psychological and welfare schemes to help women victims of sexual violence, particularly in former Yugoslavia. A project in Turkey combines therapy with legal assistance and public information activities. Some schemes are aimed at making civil society and human rights organizations more aware of violence against women. With prevention in mind, a programme in Poland and the Czech Republic bolsters the efforts of local NGOs through the organization of press campaigns and publicity on trafficking in women and information and assistance for potential victims. A scheme in the Caribbean primarily involves training human rights organizations to take account of women's equality in the broader context of protecting fundamental rights. Many projects exist to counter discrimination against women and promote their 28 involvement participation in political, social and economic life. In Morocco there is a project to provide basic education as part of efforts to tackle the illiteracy that affects almost 80% of Moroccans. A project in India provides a special training programme to strengthen women's in political decision-making both as voters and elected representatives. In Chile a project has brought together 1600 women holding local political office for a discussion on the discrimination they experience as political representatives. Under the Phare- and Tacis-democracy programmes young women are receiving education and special training to stimulate women's participation in the democratization process. Another project in Poland is designed to develop women's ability to take part in economic life and strengthen forms of solidarity via the creation of women's networks and the activities of women's movements and associations. In Slovenia there is a training programme for a group of women wishing to represent women's interests in the workplace and in trade unions, who will in their turn visit firms to educate other women in these issues. The Tuzla women's association has received Community funding for its efforts to promote the social, economic, political and cultural rights of women in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Women are often among the first victims of armed conflict: keeping or restoring peace is a precondition for their civil, political and social emancipation. Their contribution to peace is no less vital: the twin objectives of peace and women's emancipation are served by a training and awareness programme for Israeli and Palestinian women. The Community budget also provides for funding of equal opportunities activities in Member States. The execution of the third equal opportunities programme (1991-95) covers not only the application and development of legislation but the integration of women in the workplace and the improvement of their social status. Considerable backing is also given to the European Women's Lobby, the Union's largest body coordinating the activities of national and European women's NGOs, which has become a crucial partner in Community activities in this field. ECU 200 000 was granted to European NGOs proposing a clear programme of activities for the NGO forum on the fringes of the Peking Conference, which also received Community funding for the publication of its daily newspaper. (b) Journalists and other media professionals Journalists and other media professionals have a special role in the democratization process. Many projects have been carried out to develop their professional skills, instil professional ethics, organize the profession, improve their social status etc. At the same time there have been specific activities concerning their role in the electoral process and their part in the promotion of tolerance, peace and reconciliation (see 1. 3. 1). (c) Magistrates, lawyers and court and prison staff Schemes targeted at magistrates, lawyers and other court staff account for a major part of the support given to the strengthening or restructuring of judicial systems. These schemes are geared to the specific needs and legal traditions of the countries concerned. The rebuilding of the judicial apparatus calls for measures to provide basic training to meet the most pressing needs. The Community's support also covers original measures 29 aimed at underpinning or stimulating the modernization of judiciaries. Educating magistrates and lawyers in specific areas (juvenile delinquency, violation of laws governing the press etc. ) is also vital (see 1. 2. 2). (d) The armv. police and security forces The army, police and security forces play a vital role in society, particularly where the freedom of the individual is concerned. This is why there is a need to increase their awareness of fundamental rights through special schemes that take account of the nature of their work. The Community has been funding an innovative scheme since 1992; the scheme in question is a multiannual human rights programme in Central America, which gives priority to projects aimed at educating and increasing the awareness of members of the police, armed forces, judiciary and prison services. What is innovative about the scheme is that it cements a close partnership in the assessment of the human rights situation and special projects concerning legal aid and support for the judiciary. In 1995 a total of ECU 1 559 000 was granted for nine projects under Chapter B7-52. Such activities have been extended to the countries of South America. II. GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACH The geographical breakdown of human rights activities is mainly, though not exclusively,5 based on the structure of Chapter B7-52. The data below refers back to the more detailed descriptions given in the thematic section. 2. 1 Developing countries (except Latin America) a) ACP Countries The largest group of operations relating to the exercise of government concern electoral assistance and strengthening the rule of law. Almost 22% of the resources available under heading B7-522 have been spent on electoral assistance, which included operations in Haiti, Ghana and Zaire. Contributions have taken the form of technical assistance, training for deputies and the funding of equipment along with direct participation in the electoral processes. Strengthening the rule of law accounted for about a third of the grants made in 1995: schemes financed included the reconstruction and consolidation of the judicial systems in Burkina Faso, Rwanda and Haiti, missions by human rights observers to Rwanda, Burundi and Angola and backing for institutional reforms and operations aimed at making the prison system more humane. Rwanda received special attention: technical assistance for the reconstruction of the judicial system, support for the special tribunal and funding for a human rights observer mission. In the case of operations aimed at strengthening civil society, priority was given to 5 Given that the Chapter's two thematic guidelines impose no geographical limits on the measures funded. 30 increasing awareness of education in human rights. The situation of women and the education of children were the subject of many schemes. Among the support provided for the most vulnerable groups, special attention was given to street children in Haiti. Some 125 NGOs received Community funding to help them prepare and take part in the different stages of the Peking Conference and the NGO forum, and in the first world conference on the sexual exploitation of children, which was held in Stockholm. Support for an independent, pluralist and responsible press accounted for 16% of financial commitments under heading B7-522. An operation to set up a warning network for dealing with violations of the freedom of the press warrants a special mention because of its innovative and experimental nature. Almost 3% of the resources available were spent on innovative schemes in the area of conflict prevention and settlement, including the setting-up of a special rapid-response fund for use in emergencies and a series of training programmes on methods for settling conflicts. Projects to help victims of torture have also received Community funding. The bulk of the resources went to specialized centres in the Union providing medical, psychological and welfare services to refugees or asylum seekers who have suffered torture or other forms of abuse in their country of origin. Other projects aimed at helping set up and fund the operation of such centres in the countries concerned, notably by means of special training sessions (e. g. in Kenya and Haiti). b) The policy of promoting human rights in the Maghreb under Chapter B7-52 is still at a very early stage. A large-scale programme covering the entire region and beyond is aimed at strengthening civil society by means of training and information activities targeted on developing the know-how and skills of NGOs in the Arab world. This programme constitutes the second stage of a scheme launched last year. Strengthening civil society also lies at the root of a scheme to make education authorities aware of the need to incorporate human rights issues into primary and secondary school textbooks. This was accompanied by a conference on the subject of teaching human rights, technical assistance for the revision,of textbooks and a special training programme for teachers. Also in the field of education, a programme in Morocco combines measures to combat female illiteracy with components designed to make them aware of their rights and training. In Algeria Community funding has also helped produce and distribute a weekly magazine focusing on the fundamental issues confronting the country's society and political system. Note also the support provided for an innovative scheme in Tunisia, which brings together experts from the region and elsewhere to debate the issue of the death penalty in Islamic countries. c) The Community also backed projects in the Middle East It helped fund accompanying measures and preparations for the electoral process. This included the setting-up of a computerized electoral register and the presence of media monitors to gauge the degree of independence of the media in the run up to and during the elections. The sensitive issue of prison conditions was the subject of a scheme to provide legal assistance on various issues relating to the basic rights of Palestinian prisoners. Other schemes are specifically aimed at developing a climate of peace and reconciliation in the 31 two communities, involving innovative measures to stimulate dialogue and mutual understanding (e. g. the peace trainees programme, in which Palestinian and Israeli women were trained together). d) Most of the projects funded in Asia concern women and children. In India training and assistance activities were financed to increase the involvement of women in the democratic decision-making process - both as electors and as elected representatives. Support was also provided for a public education campaign on child labour in India. The next stage of this scheme, the ultimate aim of which is the abolition of child labour, is - for reasons of realism - aimed at offering those employing children alternative solutions. In accordance with Parliament's wish to promote human rights in countries about to undergo a change of sovereignty,6 funding was granted for the implementation in Hong Kong of projects involving human rights education and information. These innovative measures consist primarily of the development of a human rights database and interactive educational software on the issue. Another project consists of reinforcing and popularizing human rights through the publication and distribution of documentation in Chinese and the constitution of suitable teaching materials. Mention must also be made of the support given to the preparation of the fourth World Conference on Women, which took place in Peking in September 1995, support which took the form of back-up to help NGOs and women's associations from all over the world contribute and take an active part in the conference and the accompanying NGO forum. 2. 2 Latin America Support for democratization and human rights in Latin America is aimed at assisting the Latin American countries' efforts to introduce and consolidate the rule of law and promote human rights. The general objectives of Community aid are as follows: * * to foster peace in countries where there is still conflict; to bring about a fundamental change to make civil society more structured, better informed, more responsible, more aware of its rights and responsibilities, more vigilant and more demanding; * * to encourage complementarity between government and civil society in a climate of dialogue and negotiation, the aim being to overcome the antagonisms that have dominated the past decades; to bring about a shift away from a culture of violence and towards one of peace, away from a culture of confrontation and towards one of negotiation. These objectives inform operations financed under the budget heading for democratization and human rights in Latin America, set up at the instigation of Parliament in 1990. They were initially confined to Central America and Chile, but now extend through the whole of South America. In the period 1990-95 a total of ECU 72 million was spent on 328 projects. Budget remark on heading B7-5240 concerning grants for certain activities pursuing human rights objectives. 32 In 1995 77 projects received Community funding. The bulk went to Latin American institutions, half of them governmental and half non-governmental, both national and regional, and international organizations conducting human rights activities in the region. 7 NGOs have not been the sole beneficiaries of Community support: funding has been provided for other schemes proposed by entities of civil society (local government, cooperatives, diverse associations etc. ). Support has also been given to new prosecution services in Guatemala and Honduras and a series of operations to combat immunity from prosecution, back penal reform, foster equal access to justice for all, train judges and court staff and help set up bodies to supervise the judiciary. At continental level, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has received Community aid, as have schemes aimed at developing legal assistance for organizations having recourse to the Inter- American system for the protection of human rights. A total of ECU 2 195 500 was spent on 12 operations. Other operations included training and improving conditions in both adult and juvenile detention centres in Venezuela and Guatemala. One approach has been to support the efforts of Latin American governments to bring the security and armed forces under effective civilian control and to separate the roles of these institutions in a democratic state. The Community has backed projects to train armed forces in Central America, the Andes, Paraguay and Peru in the field of human rights and the rule of law. Financial and technical assistance was also provided for similar schemes for El Salvador's police force. In 1995 the Community budget continued to back the development of the institution of human rights prosecutors in El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia and Costa Rica and its creation in Panama and Nicaragua. This support helps guarantee the institution's crucial independence and the decentralization needed to extend the scope of its activities. It also includes training for the institution's staff. The multiannual programme to promote human rights in Central America, which got under way in 1992, warrants special attention for the way it cements a partnership in the area of human rights and, more specifically, projects to provide legal assistance, support for the judiciary and training for target groups, among them members of the police and armed forces most involved in the consolidation. of democracy. Support for the electoral process has covered not only the conduct of specific elections but operations to educate young people in this act of citizenship. Funding has also been granted for the modernization of political parties to foster consultation and negotiation. Note also the specific Community support for projects in Chile and Argentina to provide medical and psychological care for victims of torture and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatment. These activities are carried out in specialized centres and also include research into the treatment of victims and the psychosocial effects of torture on individuals and society as a whole. Some Caribbean countries, in particular Haiti, are covered by other budget headings, in particular B7-522. 33 Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and 2. 3 Mongolia The Democracy programme launched in 1992 on a pilot basis under the Phare programme is aimed at encouraging the consolidation of democratic societies governed by the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Central and Eastern Europe. Extended to the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Mongolia under the Tacis programme in 1993, it focuses on: teaching politicians representing different parties (deputies and elected local and regional representatives) and parliamentary staff the rules and methods of parliamentary practice and organization; reinforcing NGOs and associations which, by their nature and specific activities, can make an ongoing contribution to the promotion of a pluralist democratic society; the transfer of specific know-how and technical skills relating to democratic practices and the rule of law to professional bodies and associations in the countries concerned. Strengthening civil society is central to the operations conducted in Central and Eastern Europe. Seen as a key to the democratization process, this area of activity has given rise to operations to educate the general public and target groups in civics, the promotion of forms of local democracy, measures to make government more transparent and the development of a social partnership between all the key players in society. Many schemes aimed at or involving chambers of commerce (Slovenia and Russia), trade unions, associations, social organizations link the democratization process and the transition to a market economy, underscoring aspects related to the common responsibility of all social forces, institutional and otherwise. An active partnership with NGOs permits the Community to make a practical contribution to pluralism and the establishment of genuine democratic citizenship. Many schemes pursued equal opportunities, particularly for women. The emphasis was on increasing through predominantly educational projects designed to promote their role, capacity to organize and integration into the social fabric. in civil, social and political involvement their life The issue of national minorities lay at the root of a variety of operations. Particular attention was accorded to fostering dialogue between the authorities and representatives of minorities in the interests of negotiation and conciliation. Stimulating cooperation networks at local and regional level is also important. The chief means employed are education, developing awareness and promoting methods for settling conflict. Legal assistance to ensure that new legislation dealing with minorities is consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights is likewise vital. The Community has also provided funding for projects to rehabilitate victims of issue in Slovenia, Albania, torture and research and increase public awareness of Romania and the Baltic states. 2. 4 Former Yugoslavia (except Slovenia) 34 Chapter B7-52 provided ECU 6. 5 million towards the peace process and the promotion of human rights in the Former Yugoslav republics. Priority was accorded to supporting the media, primarily through the purchase of equipment and materials. The aim is to help maintain and consolidate independent media, which remain the only real forum for free expression in the region. It is also vital to provide access to reliable sources of information. This is backed up by training to improve the professional standards of journalists and other media staff. Other projects have focused on increasing awareness of the role of the media in society, their pluralizing function and their special responsibility in the democratic development of society and human rights. Another line of action has been to reinforce local associations and institutions and support local or external schemes to promote multiparty democracy. In particular this involves supporting practical schemes to bring communities together and to foster reconciliation and coexistence between different ethnic groups, including schemes concerning information and education on human rights and democratic practices. The Community budget provides aid for the victims of serious violations of human rights or humanitarian law. Such help consists primarily of support for schemes set up on the spot or in a Member State by bodies and institutions specializing in the psychological, physical and social treatment of severely traumatized people. Special attention has been accorded to women victims of sexual violence and children, who have been particularly seriously affected by the atrocities committed. Almost ECU 1. 5 million has been spent on measures of this kind. 2. 5 Turkey There is a special budget heading for the promotion of human rights and strengthening the rule of law in Turkey. Most of the projects backed involve training and raising awareness. Targeted on court staff, lawyers and other legal professionals, they also provide for the development of practical teaching reflecting the realities on the ground. Associations being thin on the ground in Turkey, an effort has been made to reinforce Turkish NGOs, in particular by enabling them to take part in international human rights conferences and make study visits to similar organizations abroad. This support is combined with activities aimed at disseminating sound information on human rights and training primary schoolteachers. Community aid also goes to schemes aimed at providing psychosocial assistance to women victims of violence. This assistance is backed up by measures to increase public awareness of the issue. Another project involves training medical experts working in particularly difficult conditions, especially in south-eastern Anatolia. 35 B. PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF THE FINANCING OF ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY The creation of Chapter B7-52 in 1994 at Parliament's initiative has helped to highlight the dimension human rights have assumed in Community policies since the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty. Parliament wanted to ensure consistent and transparent management of expenditure on the promotion of human rights and democracy outside the Community. In 1995 the Chapter contained eight budget headings covering different subjects or geographical areas and the upwards trend in funding continued. The budget headings of Chapter B7-52 are subject to special provisions to ensure the coordination, transparency and effectiveness of initiatives. 1. Coordination The inter-departmental Human Rights Coordinators Group was set up in 1991 to concert the efforts of the various Commission departments involved in the promotion of human rights and democracy within and without the Community. The Group has laid down guidelines and identified references and common criteria for selecting projects and harmonizing procedures under these headings. The budget implementing Regulation specifies that "proposals shall be drawn up on the basis of guidelines and criteria defined by the permanent inter-departmental Human Rights Coordination Group (No 52)". The meetings of the Group are also a means for disseminating information about positions adopted by the Community in international regional forums. Administrators of these Chapter headings can consult each other in ad hoc working parties set up for each project once the opinion of the other departments concerned and, where applicable, the Delegation, has been obtained. Any project requires a Commission decision, prior to which there is a written procedure during which the agreement of those administrating budget headings in this Chapter, the Legal Service, DG XIX (Budget) and o DG XX (Financial Control) is obtained. 2. Transparency There are a number of different reports each year on the use of these appropriations. This subject area is dealt with horizontally in specific reports on the implementation of operations to promote human rights and democratization (1992-93 and 1994) and on the implementation of the resolution of 28 November 1991 of the Council and the Member States meeting within the Council on human rights, democracy and development (1992, 1993 and 1994). The General Report on the activities of the European Communities gives an overall picture of the implementation of budget headings. In addition, there are reports on the use of individual Chapter B7-52 headings. The Member of the Commission responsible for headings B7-5240 and B7-5270 reports on them to Parliament and to the relevant parliamentary committees. Parliament also gets Apart from the microprojects component of the Phare democracy programme, which is administered directly by the Delegations without a written procedure being required. 36 information via the Commission's answers to written and oral questions. The Commission has also made an effort to provide non-governmental organizations with more information on the sources of Community financing in this field, the main source of information being the "Digest of Community resources available for the financing of The number of NGO representatives visiting the Commission NGO activities". departments concerned to get the information they need is also rising every year. 3. Effectiveness The effectiveness of efforts to promote human rights and democratization depend on the quality of the projects. It is also closely related to the establishment of an open and constructive partnership with international and regional organizations. * Identification of recipients and projects Recipients may by public institutions, international or regional organizations, NGOs or other types of voluntary association. Most budget headings do not exclude any category of recipient but those for Tacis and Phare place priority on cooperation between NGOs of the EU and the recipient countries. The two ways of selecting candidates - calls for proposals under the Phare- and Tacis-Democracy programmes and spontaneous applications for financing under other headings - remain broadly the same. More dialogue with applicants on the formulation of requests has helped identify projects that match the applicant's objectives with the priorities of the Community. This ongoing dialogue provides the Commission with the information needed to check in advance on the reliability of the applicant organizations and the feasibility of their proposed projects in terms of their capacity to carry them out. It also enables the Commission to become better acquainted with the NGOs and their constraints, needs and priorities thanks to the ever increasing number of visits of NGO representatives (not necessarily already in receipt of a grant) to the Commission departments concerned. This has led to a flexible form of partnership which does not depend on the status of the NGO as is the case with the UN and the Council of Europe. The procedure is not, however, satisfactory in terms of the visibility of Community aid. Selection through calls for proposals has the advantage of transparency and some degree of visibility. The drawback is a lack of flexibility which means that some of the funds are earmarked for ad hoc operations with objectives laid down by the Commission on the basis of EU political priorities and some for projects costing less than ECU 10 000, which are carried out under the supervision of the Delegation by local NGOs of the Phare recipient countries with no requirement to have a partner organization. The desire to become better acquainted with the reality on the ground so as to ensure that proposed operations are pertinent in the local context has inspired a pro-active approach April 1995 edition (VIII/222/95-EN). 37 and this has led to the first missions of independent experts with the job of identify new areas of activity for the Commission (examples being Ethiopia, Cambodia and Haiti). Such missions may involve evaluation of projects that have already been granted Community aid. Also worth noting are the preliminary operations with a view to electoral assistance, which are preparatory missions are sent at a very early stage to identify requirements and establish a plan of action. * Monitoring and evaluation of projects During implementation A special effort has been made to improve the monitoring of projects at all stages, mainly by carrying out ongoing evaluations based on checks on organizations in receipt Community grants. Independent consultants and agencies have been called in to evaluate certain groups of projects under some of these budget headings, and, via the delegations, carry out documentary and on-the-spot checks. Evaluation of the work of European centres specializing in the rehabilitation of torture victims required consultation of medical experts. The European Human Rights Foundation, which manages macroprojects under the Phare-democracy and Tacis-democracy programmes, has also been involved in It is a particularly complex task in view of the monitoring project implementation. partnership structure required by the Democracy programme and the cofinancing rules. Retrospective All recipients have to submit a report on work carried out and project expenditure before the project can be closed. The reports are considered with reference to the initial work plan, objectives and budget and taking account of a number of factors such as its cost- effectiveness, multiplier effect and the visibility of Community aid. If any irregularities are found which the organization cannot account for, a mission may be sent by the Commission department concerned or Financial Control and/or the Court of Auditors. In May 1995 the German Development Institute published its final report on the "Evaluation of positive measures to promote human rights and democracy in developing countries". The aim of this exercise was to increase the impact of EU-financed operations concerning human rights and democracy. The report's recommendations and conclusions emphasized the following: the objectives set out in the applications for financing were as a rule achieved: the choice of contractors had been an important factor in ensuring the effectiveness of many projects and a good allocation of resources; the adoption of measures, both administrative (simplification of procedures, more in-house expertise, better coordination and harmonization of operations and the like) and strategic (more consistency, better choice of priorities for the local context and greater synergy by grouping projects, etc. ) likely to increase the impact of operations. 38 * Relations with international and regional organizations The effectiveness of the Community's operations also depends on an open and constructive partnership with international organizations, such as the UN Human Rights Centre, and regional bodies (the Council of Europe, the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of American States and the Organization of African Unity). These partnerships heighten the impact of operations thanks to an approach based on the criteria of subsidiarity, effectiveness, visibility, complementarity and transparency. Definitions: - , Subsidiarity: Community aid should normally focus on areas not covered by other organizations but it may make a contribution to specific operations reflecting shared priorities; Effectiveness: Community aid should engender synergy with other initiatives; Visibility: by adding these specific headings to the Community budget Parliament obviously wanted show what the European Union was doing for human rights and such operations should therefore be clearly identifiable as EU initiatives; Complementarity: where the circumstances warrant (see above), Community aid should complement other organizations' initiatives as long as Community budget rules are complied with; Transparency: whatever funds are used (Chapter B7-70 budget headings, financial and technical assistance appropriations, plus Lomé and social funding), they must be used in accordance with the budget procedures provided for in the Treaty, the Financial Regulations, Council Directives and internal implementing rules. The procedures vary according to the budget heading concerned; for instance, in the case of financial and technical assistance the initiative comes from the country concerned but the human rights headings (Phare- and Tacis-Democracy) are, for historical reasons, subject to a tendering procedure. Other human-rights related headings may be used directly by Commission decision on a formal application for grant aid. The procedures governing these financial instruments often determine the type of recipient since the rules confine access to NGOs in some cases. In the institutional framework procedures vary according to the operation envisaged, for example joint CFSP action prefigures the use of budget appropriations for that purpose. Relations with partners are also influenced by other considerations: economic: it is difficult to agree to an administrative surcharge of 13% for every project of a UN agency; those based on previous experiences: e. g. the good experiences with the international tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and he difficulties encountered with the observer missions to Rwanda and Burundi. To sum up, the European Community presents itself to international and regional organizations not as a mere donor but as a parmer in the establishment of a human rights policy, as set out in the Commission's communication of 22 November 1995. 39 CONCLUSIONS The ever increasing range of financial resources available for human rights projects has widened the scope of action both geographically and in terms of what can be done. At this stage, and in view of the difficulties inherent in coordinating such an extended field of action and the evolving requirements of activities to promote human rights, it would be advisable to see to what extent these resources will enable us to act effectively in the medium and long term, react to emergencies and ensure the necessary consistency, impact and visibility. Good progress has been made not only in promoting a pro-active approach in the various procedures and improving evaluation techniques tailored to human rights projects but also in terms of overall cohesion and impact. * * * Closer cooperation with international and regional organizations that promote and protect human rights: dialogue with the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe has been stepped up and this has been translated into operational collaboration in the form of complementary operations that draw on each organization's experience and expertise and prevent overlaps or conflicts. 10 This has also helped bring about a greater continuity between the Community's positions in international and regional forums and operational activities. Incentives: the incentive amounts formula included in the revised Lomé IV makes available resources for institutional and administrative reforms as long as the ACP State concerned has already decided to finance such reforms with Lomé funding earmarked for development projects. This formula is part of the "positive approach" outlined in the resolution on human rights, democracy and development. Making instruments more complementary and ensuring continuity: some Chapter B7-52 headings have been conceived as a way of initiating or acting as a catalyst for new projects, meaning that a hierarchy of instruments is taking form. Innovatory projects which are aided on a small scale under specific headings can later be developed, if the results are satisfactory, on a larger scale with technical assistance or development funding. The rules on technical assistance and development cooperation provide for continuity of action in a geographical area thanks to multiannual programmes. These efforts have not yet produced notable results, mainly because of the lack of an overall strategy for the use of financial resources to promote human rights and democracy. This is why the Commission has embarked on an overview of work in this field which, following an outline of what has already been achieved, sets out guidelines for all aspects of these efforts to ensure consistency, effectiveness and visibility. The documents sets out the following proposals to ensure the optimal use of the financial 10 Close operational relations have been established with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Geneva Human Rights centre, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Council of Europe and the European Commission for Democracy through Law. 40 instruments concerning the observance and promotion of human rights. * Better appreciation at all levels of the specific nature of human rights activities. the characteristics of the recipients (above all the fact that their work is non-profit making), which should be taken into account throughout the budgetary procedure (selection, grants of funds, evaluation, payments); the need to differentiate between short-term operations calling for immediately available funding and medium- to long-term operations calling for continuity of funding beyond one financial year. Dovetail the use of different types of instrument in order to avoid overlaps and provide the necessary continuity and impact (the corollary being that a proliferation of budget headings with the same general wording about human rights but referring to different geographical areas should be avoided). For instance, each project could also be assessed in terms of the likelihood of its attracting other funding, especially in cases where complementary operations are needed to achieve its objectives. Develop incentives to enhance the impact of such initiatives, one possibility being to extend the idea of incentive amounts outside the framework of the Lomé Convention. Better linkage between the thematic and geographical approaches would improve intervention capacity in situations where a speedy response is required. Enlarge expertise on various aspects of human rights and increase capacity to initiate actions thanks to better knowledge of the specific requirements and features of the countries or areas in question. Ensure that information is accessible and that institutional guidelines are taken into account in establishing operational priorities, in particular by promoting a constructive dialogue with Parliament. Enhance the continuity between action at Member State and Community levels by promoting a regular exchange of information with the Member States. Increase synergies with international and regional organizations by medium- and long-term programming of priority activities to be implemented jointly and bv developing a capacity to handle one-off operations. * * * * * * 4! ANNEX 1 BUDGET HEADINGS AND OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR FINANCING THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY A. Budget headings specific to the promotion of human rights and democracy: Chapter B7-52 "European Initiative for Democracy and the Protection of Human Rights" This chapter was created in 1994 at Parliament's initiative (resolution of 14 May 1992). It covers all Community budget headings specific to the promotion of human rights and democratic principles. This rearrangement was carried out in order to make Community aid in this field more coherent and transparent and also reflects the new responsibilities provided for in the Treaty on European Union and some structural changes within the in 1995 - Community ECU 75,960 million as against ECU 59,1 million in 1994 - confirms the trend towards allocating more budgetary resources for the defence and promotion of human rights and democracy. These resources are given priority in the report. The total amount of these appropriations institutions. B7-520 Support for democracy in the countries of central and eastern Europe and in the Balkans (B7-5200 + B7-5201) 1. B7-5200 Phare programme for democracy 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments 1995 commitments ECU 10 000 0001 ECU 10. 000. 000 ECU 10 000 000 ECU 10 000 000 ECU 10 000 000 Budget remark The Phare programme for democracy supports the development of democracy and of the rule of law and the development of civil society in countries of central and eastern Europe. This appropriation can be used to support measures taken by women's associations actively campaigning for the restoration of democracy in civil life in the countries of central and eastern Europe. Of which ECU 5 million under Chapter BO-40. 42 B7-5201 peace process for the Republics formerly part of Yugoslavia Community measures to help democracy and support the 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 5 000 0002 ECU 4 887 000 ECU 5 000 000 ECU 5 000 000 This appropriation is intended to cover the financing of measures to support the peace process, calm tensions and develop democracy, by, among other measures, the promotion of free and independent media in the Republics formerly part of Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, FYROM, Bosnia-Herzegovina). Part of this appropriation should be utilized for action in favour of inter-ethnic dialogue, the media, women, democratic groups, press freedom and support for most vulnerable groups. Funding under this item is intended exclusively for operations relating to democratization and respect for human rights. 3. Support for democracy in the Independent States of the former Soviet Union 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 10 000 0003 ECU 10. 000. 000 ECU 10 000 000 ECU 10. 000. 000 This appropriation is intended to cover the implementation of a programme to support democracy and the rule of law and to develop civil society in the Independent States of the former Soviet Union. It comes from the Tacis programme (technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia). Of which ECU 1 million (transfer) Of which ECU 5 million under Chapter BO-40. 43 B7-5220 Human rights and democracy in the developing countries 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 14 000 000 ECU 14 000 000 ECU 19 000 000 ECU 18 978 243 This appropriation is intended to cover support for operations promoting human rights and democracy in strict association with the development policies of the Community in developing countries, including those on the southern shore of the Mediterranean. It also covers the financing of the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, support for the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups and the provision of technical expertise on issues related to electoral processes, good governance, the rule of law and the respect of human rights. 5. B7-5230 Democratization process in Latin America 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 13 000 000 ECU 12 999 978 ECU 14 000 000 ECU 14 000 000 This appropriation is intended to cover the financing of special activities to contribute to the process of democratization in Latin America, including Haiti and Cuba, particularly in assisting the reintegration into civilian life of those who have fought in civil wars in Central America. It may also be used to support democratically elected authorities which have been the victims of coup attempts, and which retain the confidence of the European Community. Also charged to this article is support for funding the activities of the Latin American Parliament in the context of the agreements with the European Parliament. This article also covers expenditure on studies, meetings of experts, conferences, congresses, information and publications directly linked with the achievement of the objective of the measure of which they form an integral part; this excludes expenditure involved in the management of these measures or in general administration (see Commission communication of 22 April 1992). 44 B7-524 Other measures to promote human rights (B7-5240+B7-5241) 6. B7-5240 human rights objectives Subsidies for certain activities of organizations pursuing 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 5 000 000 ECU 5 000 000 ECU 5 500 000 ECU 5 490 000 This appropriation is intended to cover the grant of aid to organizations pursuing humanitarian aims and promoting human rights, such as the European Human Rights Foundation and the European Foundation for Freedom of Expression. It also covers the administrative costs resulting from the administration of this item and the inspection of projects which have received grants. This aid is allocated for projects to be undertaken in non-Community states (developing countries, central and eastern European countries and others), as well as in the Community in the form of grants to: promote Community and international initiatives aimed at abolishing the death penalty in all countries by the year 2000, support rehabilitation centres for torture victims and other organizations offering concrete help to victims of human rights abuses which should continue to receive the same proportion of funding from the item as has been the case in the past, train people who are called upon to teach others about human rights (judges, lawyers, civil servants, those responsible for the training of police and security forces, teachers, etc. ), reinforce respect for the rights of the child and bring assistance to children who are victims of human rights violations, promote training with organizations specializing in the defence of human rights, support the observation of prisons at international level and the publication of the reports produced, promote the protection of human rights in countries where there is soon to be a change of sovereignty. Priority is accorded to projects offering concrete and direct aid. Projects concerning research and academic seminars of particular merit are taken into consideration in so far as is possible. ECU 250 000 is introduced to support the activities of the International Prison Observatory, 45 Also charged to this item are subsidies to organizations devoted to the protection of human rights, such as the European Human Rights Foundation. ECU 200 000 is intended for the European Foundation for Free Speech. 7. B7-5241 organizations working to defence and promote human rights in Turkey Aid by the European Union for non-govemmental 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 500 000 ECU 500 000 ECU 500 000 ECU 413 000 This appropriation is intended to cover Community aid to non-governmental organizations working for the defence and promotion of human rights in Turkey. 8. B7-5270 organizations offering concrete help to victims of human rights abuses Support for rehabilitation centres for torture victims and for 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation ECU 2 000 000 ECU 2 000 000 ECU 5 000 000 1995 commitments ' ECU 5 000 000 Budget remark No remark. 46 B. Summary list of other budget resources available for promoting human rights and democracy Chapter B7-30 1. B7-3020 persons 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation -1995 commitments Budget remark Cooperation with Asian and Latin American developing countries Aid towards self-sufficiency for refugees and displaced ECU 60 000 000 ECU 59 831 000 ECU 70 000 000 ECU 69 898 000 This appropriation is intended to cover measures to promote the self-sufficiency of refugees, displaced persons and other population groups, which have left their country of origin or residence because of fighting, lack of security or other man-made crises. In addition, it may be used to support measures to make survival, repatriation and resettlement possible. In particular, the aid may be extended to cover the local population in the host countries and countries of origin , where economic conditions so require. It may also be used, if necessary, to support actions aimed at the prevention of population displacement. These measures may be financed jointly with non-governmental organizations and international organizations. This appropriation also coyers expenditure on studies, coordination in the field, meetings of experts, conferences, congresses, information and publications directly linked with the achievement of the objective of the measure of which they form an integral part; this excludes expenditure involved in the management of these measures or in general administration (Commission communication of 22 April 1992). 47 Chapter B7-21 Humanitarian aid 2. B7-210, B7-211, B7-214, B7-215, B7-217 and B7-219 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments ECU 500 159 000 ECU 499 315 000 ECU 642 500 000 ECU 641 927 000 These budget headings are managed by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and are intended to cover the financing of humanitarian relief operations for people of non-member countries hit by natural disasters or events which have major economic and social repercussions. The aid is granted without distinction of race, religion or politics. It takes the form of medical teams, medicines, medical equipment, various forms of shelter, foodstuffs, power and fuel supplies, basic necessities of various kinds and cleansing products. It may also be used to finance psychological support for victims, measure to rehabilitate the legal system and medical and psychological assistance for prisoners. Heading B7-217 is targeted at refugees and displaced persons and is designed to tackle population movements by assisting repatriation and resettlement in the country of origin. Chapter B3-41 Social protection and freedom of movement 3. B3-4110 Free movement of workers, measures to benefit migrant workers, including immigrants from outside the Union 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 9. 200. 000 ECU 9. 102. 000 ECU 9. 599. 000 ECU 9 599 000 In accordance with the provisions of the social action programme, the Commission grants financial aid to democratically run bodies and associations representing migrant workers, including those from outside the Union, or operating for their benefit (reception, advisory and information services, conferences and debates on subjects connected with immigrant promotion schemes favouring the integration and participation of migrant workers, including immigrants from outside the Union, in the various levels of social and administrative life in the host countries) and promotes measures in favour of integration, including, in areas of high population density, the renovation and construction of housing and the provision of social centres. 48 In addition, at least ECU 3 000 000 is to be earmarked for measures and projects covering the care and integration of migrants from non Community countries and re- settlers. implemented by non-governmental organizations. These measures and projects should primarily be Pursuant to its communication of 9 December 1987 the Commission intends to ensure the correct implementation of Article 48(4) of the Treaty as regards the access to public service jobs in sectors considered as priority areas in the Community. This appropriation will also cover the outstanding commitments in respect of expenditure on studies. This item also covers expenditure on studies, meetings of experts, conferences, congresses, information and publications directly linked with the achievement of the objective or measure of which they form an integral part; this excludes expenditure involved in the management of these measures or in general administration (Commission communication of 22 April 1992). 49 B3-4114 Measures to combat racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism 1995 appropriation ECU 5 400 0004 Budget remark This action is intended: to promote cooperation with the various social institutions that advocate tolerance and oppose racial discrimination and xenophobic and anti-semitic situations and behaviour, and to finance effective measures in this sphere, to launch and develop measures to ensure a global Union strategy to combat racial and xenophobic violence, to launch education campaigns in the services of the national administrations most concerned with these phenomena. This appropriation is intended to cover the financing of measures to promote human rights and the combating of racism and xenophobia. It breaks down as follows: ECU 550 000 is earmarked for measures to combat racism and xenophobia in schools, ECU 200 000 will be used for NGOs combating racism, xenophobia and anti- semitism, ECU 50 000 is earmarked for the European Migration Network, covering the monthly publication in 'Migration Newssheet' and the french edition (Migrations Europe', ECU 500 000 will be used to fund a campaign against racism and to highlight the economic and cultural importance of foreigners, ECU 100 000 will be used to fund a measure to combat racism by reminding the public of past events, ECU 250 000 is allocated to the European Centre for Research into Racism and Anti-Semitism, ECU 500 000 is earmarked for measures, to be implemented with the European Trade Union Confederation, designed to combat xenophobia aimed at migrant workers, including migrants from non-Community countries, ECU 200 000 is earmarked for a study of the cultural, legal, political and social situation of minorities in the European Community and in Europe with a view to clamping down on racism and xenophobia before it develops. 4 Of which ECU 2 million (transfer) 50 Chapter B3-40 Social dialogue and employment" 5. B3-4012 Measures to achieve equality between men and women 1994 appropriation 1994 commitments 1995 appropriation 1995 commitments Budget remark ECU 6. 260. 000 ECU 6. 257. 000 ECU 6. 420. 000 ECU 6. 419. 000 This appropriation is intended to finance the implementation of the third programme, in particular the networks, local employment initiatives and other activities and projects. The Commission contributes to study and information projects in this field conducted by national bodies and initiates action in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. In connection with these measures, the attention of those who effect the expenditure must be drawn to the situation of women who form part of minorities in society. Funds are also provided for action plans designed to establish temporary refuges, in particular for migrant women who are victims of domestic violence. This item also covers expenditure on studies, meetings of experts, conferences, congresses, information and publications directly linked with the achievement of the objective or measure of which they form an integral part; this excludes expenditure involved in the management of these measures or in general administration (Commission communication of 22 April 1992). 51 Chapter A-30 General subsidies 6. A-3091 Women's forum 1994 appropriation 1995 appropriation Budget remark ECU 350 000 ECU 450 000 This appropriation is intended to enable the Women's Forum to operate. Like the Youth Forum, the Women's Forum or Women's Lobby Group has become an essential back-up to Community projects aimed at women. 7. A-3093 working for the establishment of an international criminal jurisdiction Support for international non-govemmental organizations 1995 appropriation ECU 300 000 Budget remark (new item) This appropriation international non-governmental organizations working for the establishment of an international criminal jurisdiction. is intended to cover a financial contribution to 52 12 July 1996 party ANNEX 2 Group 14 Standing working STANDING INTER-DEPARTMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATION GROUP Role Improve internal coordination to ensure consistency in Community policies, including the use of budget resources (see Note No 114903 of 24 September 1994 from Mr Williamson) Commission decision: COM(84) PV 722 Chairman: Secretary: Member DGs: Ms Napoli (DG IA) Mr Gavriliadis (DG IA) Secretariat-General, Forward Studies Unit, Legal Service, DGs, I, IA, IB, II, V, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XV, XIX, XXII, XXIV, XXIII and ECHO Number of meetings: Seven in 1995 Remit: The Group has been set up in response to a an ever greater need to coordinate all the Commission's initiatives relating to human rights and democracy, including aid for elections. This role, approved by the RELEX Directors-General, mainly involves: implementation of the communication from the Commission "The European Union and the external dimension of human rights policy: from Rome to Maastricht and beyond"; consistency and transparency in implementation of budget headings within Chapter B7-52 "European Initiative for Democracy and Protection of Human Rights"; appraisal of projects under headings B7-5240: "Subsidies for certain activities of organizations pursuing human rights objectives" and B7-5270 "Support for rehabilitation centres for torture victims and for organizations offering concrete help to victims of human rights abuses. 53 ISSN 0254-1475 COM(96) 672 final DOCUMENTS EN 06 11 Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-685-EN-C ISBN 92-78-13540-2 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg y