The Central Asia Partnership Group (CAPG), composed of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), formed in 2003 with the support of the Danish Government to promote the peaceful and democratic development of the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The Partnership grew out of the realization that problems and opportunities in Central Asia should be addressed within a comprehensive and cooperative framework. Activities for 2005-2007 focused on addressing causes of conflict by working with NGOs and governmental partners in order to strengthen their capacity and to ensure the inclusion of human, refugee and migrants’ rights issues in fora on local, state and regional levels. More information on the first phase of the CAPG can be found here.
Programme Initiative 2007-2009
The 2007 - 2009 programme focuses on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and aims at
1) Enhancing the capacity of Central Asian national governments to apply a human rights based approach to migration management, refugee protection, justice and law enforcement sectors,
2) Increasing the capacity of Central Asia civil society organizations and NGO networks to collaborate with state bodies on human, refugee and migrants’ rights,
3) Strengthening the State-civic dialogue on human, refugee and migrants’ rights in Central Asia.
The programme is implemented through 6 sub-components, each managed by a CAPG partner:
Component 1. Support to National Remedies for Human Rights protection (DIHR), activities within this component will:
-Increase the administrative and analytical capacity of the Tajik Human Rights Commission to fulfil and develop its mandate (provision of a small national secretariat and transfer of international expertise)
-Secure information and communication on human rights with the general public and develop a concept for a national human rights institution in Tajikistan
-Support the further development of the Human Rights Advisory Board in Kyrgyzstan.
Component 2. Refugee Protection (DRC)
The CAPG works towards increasing the capability of Central Asia’s migration authorities to follow international law on refugee status and promotes refugee legislation and protection by enhancing the understanding of refugee protection and RSD within authorities.
Activities include:
1) Provision of training and assistance to Kyrgyz and Tajik immigration authorities by a long-term deployment of an expert in refugee protection issues,
2) Support to the further development and expansion of a regional corps of trainers in refugee law and protection issues,
3) Development of the capacity of the judges at the second instance appeal courts in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Component 3. Development of the institutional capacity to manage migration (IOM)
Through trainings, study tours and fostering information sharing and exchange, the CAPG endeavours to increase the ability of government agencies to manage migration in adherence to international standards and instruments.
Activity areas include:
1) Establishment of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation on labour migration (study tour),
2) Awareness-raising on the need for migration-related data in Tajikistan,
3) Organization of a series of technical workshops for State officials in Kyrgyzstan,
4) Organization of a study tour for Kyrgyz State officials focused on the management of labour migration,
5) Provision of support to informational consultation centres for migrants in Kyrgyzstan.
Component 4. Ferghana Valley Networking Initiative (DRC)
Dolina Mira NGO Network comprises approximately of 30 NGOs from the regions sharing borders in the Ferghana Valley. The CAPG supports the development of the Dolina Mira Network in order to capacitate it further to engage in dialogue on human rights issues with local communities and authorities and to carry out conflict preventive and dialogue activities on human rights issues.
Activities include:
1) Organization of workshops,
2) Organization of a small-grants programme for Dolina Mira NGO members ,
3) Development of a fundraising strategy.
Component 5. Civil society development, dialogue and cooperation (IOM)
Building on the success of the Ferghana Valley Networking Initiative, which allowed concrete cooperation and coordination of actions, the CAPG Partners encourage the creation and the development of other NGO networks.
Activities include:
1) Organization of an NGO Forum in Tajikistan,
2) Development of NGOs’ capacity to collaborate on projects related to migrants’ rights, through the provision of specific trainings on migrants’ rights,
3) Support NGOs in their provision of legal assistance to migrants.
Component 6. State-civic dialogue (IOM)
Providing a forum on the national and regional level for discussing issues related to human rights and the rights of refugees and migrants and promoting State-civic cooperation on these issues cuts to the heart of the Programme’s mission. The CAPG is able to create legitimacy with both governmental and civil society counterparts, linking the two together in several programmatic activities, through the Partnership’s unique multi and bi-lateral structure and strives to ensure local ownership in all of the programme’s activities.
Activities include:
1) Organization of an NGO Forum in Tajikistan,
2) Organization of State-civic roundtables in Kyrgyzstan,
3) Creation of a State-civic Expert group working on migration in the Ferghana Valley. |
