IHRN provides specialist teams to undertake all stages of Project Cycle Management, from needs assessment, to project design/formulation through to mid-term, and ex post facto evaluation.
Past assignments include:
Support to SDC (Switzerland) including design and implementation of organisational learning process (CapEx) on HRBA and results measurement with field co-operation offices in 2013 and training, advice and development of PCM tools on the application of SDC’s 2019 HRBA Policy in programming.
Design/delivery of UK pre-deployment Training programme for police and justice sector personnel for EU EULEX Kosovo Rule of Law Mission, including applicable international human rights role-play exercises aimed at enhancing participants’ ability to carry out their mission mandated functions of “monitoring mentoring and advising”.
Capacity building support on methodology and indicators of progress for integrating human rights in the UNDAF process at country level and . and capacity-building support to “Human-Rights-For-All” project (UNICEF, ILO, OHCHR & UNDP), including needs assessment, training of Government Officials and HRBA awareness-raising with Parliamentarians, Drafting of HRBA Guidelines for use by Ministries & others in National Human Rights Strategy.
Training of monitors on to EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia on international human rights, international humanitarian law applicable in Georgia, monitoring best practice & methodologies) and training needs assessment report to Council of Europe. And production of handbook on monitoring for EUMM Field Monitors.
Advice and capacity building support to UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights & UNDP on (RMAP project) monitoring a range of sectors at municipal level and a range of subject areas. Support provided guided UNDP country programming in Bosnia-Herzegovina at the level of local authority municipalities, to enhance Good Governance and Rule of Law. This involved capacity building of staff on human rights-based development (content and process) as well as monitoring methodologies. Activities included formulation of impact indicators, design and delivery of training workshops for Bosnian field monitors and analysis of monitoring reports.
Needs assessment of Iraqi civil society organisations on behalf of DFiD and UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Formulation of recommended future support (Report: Next Steps recommendations on support to capacity building of Iraq Civil Society) followed by capacity building programme for network of Iraqi NGOs. This programme included training programme, study visits to Jordanian institutions, development of training materials and an Arabic manual for undertaking human rights work, including advocacy, monitoring, using international treaty mechanisms.
Uganda has been taking the lead in developing a sectoral approach to reform of its justice sector with the support of a consortium of donors.
The International Human Rights Network was invited to conduct an independent evaluation of the OHCHR Office in Colombia by a group of some of the donors who fund its work.
In 2007-08 IHRN was commissioned to provide an independent human rights training evaluation service to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
In 2004, the Commission started the process of assessing the impact of its EIDHR programming activities with IHRN contributing Karen Kenny, in an advisory role.
IHRN’s Human Rights Based Approaches have been developed through practical experience and elaborated in policy positions since 1996. Policy discussion continues to evolve in the light of new contexts and applications. For example, the report Human Rights Based Approaches and EU development Policies, launched in 2008; and the 2009 international conference Measuring Justice: justice sector evaluation & human rights.
As part of this process, international fora have been convened with representatives of relevant organisations and key stake-holders including host societies and donors. At various times, the support of the following has been central: the European Commission, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Europe, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) and Trócaire.
IHRN publications are part of a process of continiung advocacy. They are made available free of charge, with the request that the source is identified when they are disseminated or when extracts are used.
The documents are in PDF or Microsoft Word format. If you do not have a copy of Microsoft Word you can download the Microsoft Word reader (2261Kb) free.
Integrating Human Rights in Ireland’s Foreign Policy
Ireland chaired the United Nations Security Council during the crucial month of October 2001, which saw the start of the US-UK military response to the criminal attacks on the US of 11th September 2001. This article examines the right to self-defence in international law and in light of this, considers the Irish Government’s policy position during its Presidency of the Security Council. The article highlights the need for effective systems to ensure that Irish foreign policy is formed, and informed, by international law.
Ireland, the Security Council and Afghanistan: Promoting or undermining the international rule of law? by Karen Kenny, published in the Trocaire Development Review 2001.