COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMME

Activities 2009

Coalition for Minority Rights

In October 26, 2009, over 20 leading civil society organizations and activists met at Hotel Renuka, Colombo to give special focus on minority rights. The gathering agreed and endorsed the timely initiative by CHRD and requested to continue the process of voicing its support towards upholding the rights of minorities. There were number of discussions on contextual experiences of minorities and discrimination and harassments faced by them.

Mr. Asanga Welikala, key note speaker, pointed out that, possibilities of the Sri Lankan government’s interest in taking minority rights seriously, is dim and therefore, it is the civil society which has to take the concerns of minority forward. This was manifested in group discussions and open forum too, where many expressed the need to build a Coalition for Minority Rights

Bearing in mind, CHRD intends continuing the Coalition and it was unanimously agreed to include more organizations and individuals concerned with the rights of minorities, in order to carry out our work with enhanced efficiency.

CHRD is developing a long term proposals to intervene on minority issues with wider programmes on Advocacy, legal interventions and Community transformation.  The initiatives that taken with the support of NTT will be a foundation for larger programmes of CHRD on this issue of Minority Rights.

Training on Transparency and Accountability

CHRD, conducted a two day national residential training programme for its networking organizations on June 20^th & 21^st 2009, at Berjaya Mount Royal Hotel, Mount Lavinia. This training was conducted in collaboration with Transparency International Sri Lanka.  A total of 22 participants from nine districts participated in the training. Amongst the selected participants there were 11 male and 11 female participants. They were first and secondary leaders of their organization. The key objective is titled Skills and Knowledge Building on Combating Corruption for Community Based Organizations. 

Participants were representing their organization from Batticaloa, Bandarawella, Baddulla, Galle, Kandy-Hanguranketha, Kalmunai, Kegalle-Tuntota Nuwera-Eliya, Trincomalee.

Right to Information (RTI) Act, People’s responsible for Monitoring,  What is Corruption, Causes and effects of Corruption, Governance in CBO’s, How to Combat Corruption /Can corruption be rolled back? After, Awareness Creation: Tools for Creating Awareness, Developing action plans, People responsible for Monitoring were some of the subjects that were discussed at the programme.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) executive director Mr. J.C. Weliyamuna, Deputy Executive Director-TISL, Mr. Rukshana Nanayakara and Director - CHRD, Mr. K. S. Ratnavale were the facilitators at the two day workshop.

Programme was held in Sinhala and Tamil simultaneously for participants from both communities.

Monitoring Visit by CHRD

In completion of the second phase of the Coalition of Civil Society workshops, the annual monitoring was carried out by CHRD from 15-19, July 2009, among its community based organization in 07 districts.  CHRD’s programme officer under took monitoring and evaluation. The objectives of the monitoring were:

• ·         To ensure CHRD’s partner organizations implement what was cultivated during training programmes;

• ·         To identified the issues faced by CBO’s while carrying out their activities related to Human Rights;

• ·         To understand the reasons why it is important to monitor CHRD’s project;

• ·         To identify areas needing further support

• ·         To gather information to include into CHRD’s new project proposal;

• ·         To build network among the CBO’s;

Kegalle (15 July)

Kandy (15 July)

Nuweraeliya (16 July)

Badulla (16 July)

Ampara (17 July)

Batticaloa (18 July)

Trincomalee (19 July)

COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY

Second phase of the Coalition of Civil Society Programme of CHRD commenced in January 2009. The inaugural workshops were held in Nuwaraeliya and Maskeliya. A total of fourteen workshops were held in the first five months of 2009 (Six workshops in the Eastern province and six in the Central province). Nearly 705 (356 male and 349 female participants) participants reaped the benefits of the workshop which were held in places such as Nelumwewa (Polonuruwa District), Kudapokuna (Polonuruwa District), Kiran, Trincomalee Vandaramullai, Batticaloa, Kegalle, Kandy, Banadarawela, Badulla, Amapara and Kalmunai.

All workshop sessions commenced with needs assessment. The assessment was to identify participants’ knowledge on Human Rights and Fundamental Rights. Parameter method was used for the assessment. In addition to parameter method, two other methods like Diamond Ranking and Wen Diagram were also applied. CHRD Programme Manager, Stephen explained the objectives of the workshops and briefed about CHRD and its activities.

Participants were divided in five groups. Each group was asked to identify problems they face in their communities. Problems were prioritized using Diamond Rank method to analyze community problems. One representative from each group spoke on the main problem they identified. Describing these problems, a common discussion was held to analyze the priority problems in-depth.

After identifying these issues participants were asked to divide those problems in two categories in order to solve problems legally and by civil society groups as a community. 

Briefing participants on legal system of Sri Lanka and Human Rights, Fundamental Rights as well as legal remedies for land issues were also discussed.

Participants were brought together for a panel discussion during which participants raised questions regarding their problems. Immediate and long-term solutions were discussed. CHRD, issued leaflets PTA and ER to raise awareness amongst participants. In addition addresses of the Supreme Court and Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission were also given for their information. 

CHRD Programme Manager and former District Child Protection Committee Coordinator S. Stephen aware participants on Convention on Rights of Children (CRC). Soon after lunch break the CRC session was continued. Participants were again divided into groups and they discussed about the Child Rights.

CHRD, issued leaflets for the participants to raise awareness on PTA and ER. During the session they gave legal advice for legal issues raised by participants during the problem analysis session.

Finally certificates were issued to the participants by CHRD.Key problems identified were Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates, Child Abuse, School Drop-out Children, Corruption, Alcohol (Drug Abuse), Child Labor, Lack of transport and Pre Schools, Unlawful Arrest, Land Registration, Corruption, National ID, No proper road and Shortage of pure drinking water.

Outcomes

• Participants became aware of their and children rights,

• Came to know the structure of problem solving, in case problem arises in the community.

• Promised to contact CHRD and HRC if and when a problem arises.

• At the end of the workshop a group of youngsters came forward to provide information on such incidents like detentions and arrestment in their village.

• Promised that they will contact CHRD and Human Rights Commission, Colombo if and when they need assistance.

• Developed a network with each other, since they represent various organizations.        

• A Human Rights Committee was formed at the end of the workshop in order take up issues in their areas and report to the HRC,Kandy.   

• A mutual understanding between Sinhala-Tamil Rural Development and Eksath Lanka Padanama organizations were realized at the end of the workshop in the Kegalle district.

Photos of the coalition programme give below.

Trincomalee

Centre for Human Rights and Development conducted a workshop on April 5,2009 at the New Silver Star Hotel, Trincomalee. A total number of 41 participants were present.

Kiran (Batticalloa)

Centre for Human Rights and Development conducted a workshop on 04 April, 2009 at Thadaham, Kiran (Batticaloa District). On this workshop basic human rights problems and legal solutions for the issue were discussed. A total number of 56 participant were present.

Badulla

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Bandarewela

Centre for Human Rights and Development organized a programme on March 20,2009 at the Prince Hotel, Bandarawela in the Badulla District. 56 participants were present for this workshop.

Kandy

Kegalle

Centre for Human Rights and Development with assistance of Gemisarana Kendraya Organization conducted a workshop on 27 February,2009. The social problems in villages was discussed in the workshop held at Gemisara Kendraya, Tuntota (Kegalle District). A total number of 58 participants were present.

Batticaloa

Vandaramullai

On 26 January 2009 Centre for Human Rights and Development with assistance with Community Development Foundation(CDF) conducted a workshop with 53 participants.

Nelumwewa,Welikanda

On 23 January 2009 Centre for Human Rights and Development conducted a workshop to identify the participants’ knowledge on Human Rights, Fundamental Rights and Child Rights. Nearly 45 participants were present for the workshop which held at Farmer’s Organization Hall, Nelumwewa, Welikanda (Polonnaruwa District).

Welikanda

Maskeliya

On 17 January 2009 Centre for Human Rights and Development conducted a Coalition of Civil Society workshop with coordination of Maskeliya JP Association(JPA) at Nepal Hall, Maskeliya (Nuweraeliya District). A total number of 56 participants were present.

Nuweraeliya

A coalition of civil society workshop was held by Centre for Human Rights and Development on January 16, 2010 at Co-Operative Holiday Home, Nuweraeliya. A total number of 56 participants were present.

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