Copyright © 1999 by UNHCR (photos by B. Press, J. Mohr, A. Hollmann, A. Hollmann & B. Press)

CRISIS RESPONSE PROJECT

Project Summary

The Crisis Response Project works to promote the protection of human rights by direct response to daily violations around the world, and through the production of a field manual on human rights. The field manual will provide basic information for individuals and organizations on how to report escalating human rights violations. By shortening the time it takes for reports of increasing human rights violations to become public, the attention of regional peacekeeping forces and UN agencies can focus on an area before widespread brutality becomes a part of the conflict. The Crisis Response Project uses research, education and training to achieve its goals.

Highlights

• On a daily basis, the Crisis Response Project responds to escalating human rights violations with letters, press releases and contact with other NGOs. Minnesota Advocates is currently calling for action to prevent human rights violations by the Taliban militia in Afghanistan, especially systematic assaults on the rights of women. The Emergency Action Network provides information on current human rights crises.
  
• In l997 Minnesota Advocates published the Handbook on Human Rights in Situations of Conflict which serves as a guide for using human rights norms and methods to prevent the escalation of conflict. The handbook is a resource for training and education, linking human rights to conflict prevention and management. It also provides contact suggestions, including a comprehensive directory of relevant UN, multinational, regional and local organizations.
  
• The Crisis Response Project is producing a field manual to serve NGOs and in-country activists as a guide for early conflict intervention: intervening as soon as human rights violations escalate can help serve as a deterrent to expanding violence. A packet of materials is being developed to supplement the field manual. It will include sources of human rights standards, lists of regional human rights NGOs and both regional and international media contacts. The project will hold trainings in countries where human rights violations are likely to signal escalating conflict. For comments or questions on the field manual please contact Jack Rendler.

For more information, contact Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights,
310 Fourth Avenue South
Suite1000
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1012.
Tel: 612-341-3302, Fax: 612-341-2971, E-mail: [email protected]