Cooperation between NGOs and NHRIs
The APF's Regional Workshop on National Institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations: Working in Partnership was held in Kandy, Sri Lanka between 26 and 28 July 1999.
The purpose of the workshop was to encourage the development of partnerships between the APF, national human rights institutions and regional and national human rights non-government organisations.
The specific objectives of the workshop were to:
- identify current and future areas of cooperation and collaboration between the APF, national human rights institutions and national and regional human rights NGOs
- identify concrete mechanisms for future cooperation and collaboration between the APF, national human rights institutions and national and regional human rights NGOs
- further strengthen and promote information exchanges and the establishment of networks between the APF, national human rights institutions and regional and national human rights NGOs.
- consider the role of NGOs in the pre-establishment phase of a national human rights institution.
The Kandy Program of Action was adopted at the conclusion of the workshop. It has provided the foundation for the APF’s ongoing partnership with NGOs.
The workshop was organised by the APF in collaboration with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and the Asia Pacific Human Rights NGO Facilitating Team.
The workshop was cosponsored by the OHCHR and financially supported by OHCHR, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Agency for International Development.
