Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
Freedom of Association Working Group: Draft Terms of Reference
The overall aim and objectives of the working group are as follows:
Aims: to promote and to ensure the full implementation of human rights values and international standards relating to freedom of association (FoA) in the EuroMed region, with a particular focus on countries in the region where freedom of association is violated.
In order to achieve the above aims and the objectives herein, we will meet regularly as a working group in order to share ideas and experiences in the field of FoA, to agree and deliver a common work agenda and to support members in their own FoA organisational agendas at the national, regional and international levels.
Objectives:
- To develop sustained civil society monitoring and expertise on freedom of association conducive to change in legislation where relevant and, by extension, conducive to democratic reform
- The Working Group will address the need to identify indicators to assess the reality of the FoA and to create the conditions of an enabling environment of civil society
- To undertake, publish and disseminate a report on the review of the situation of FoA in the EuroMed region, in particular in the
- The Working Group will organise workshops with representatives of key human rights NGOs and resource persons in the Arab and EuroMed region to prepare, discuss and adopt the report and its recommendations
- The Working Group will ensure the dissemination of the results of the report and its recommendations to civil society, governments and international intergovernmental bodies (European Union, United Nations)
- The Working Group will ensure the update of the review after a year, including reporting on progress and setbacks in legislation and practice
- To ensure that the agenda and actions of the Working Group are coherent and fully integrated in the overall strategy of the Network as a whole
- To report appropriately to other structures and groups within the Network, especially to the Executive Committee
- To encourage and support exchange of information and networking amongst Working Group member organisations
- To act as a forum for the ongoing exchange of ideas and experiences within FoA, not just within the group and amongst EMHRN members but also more broadly in the region and beyond
- To act in support of local campaigns on freedom of association or in support of members/ civil society organisations whose freedom of association is violated
- To work in synergies with all dynamics related to the Human Rights values and objectives of the freedom of association working group.
