HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH

PhilRights’ researches are undertaken in response to the needs and concerns of the human rights community. The focus research areas identified in consonance with the needs of PAHRA member organizations. Studies conducted seek to expand and deepen understanding of human rights, mainstream the rights-based approach to development, and promote a human rights culture. The Research Program also aims to bridge knowledge gaps and enrich understanding on specific human rights concerns.

PhilRights conducts in-depth studies on burning human rights issues like terrorism and charter change, intellectual property rights (IPRs), etc. Aside from the identified research areas, the program also undertakes databanking of human rights indicators and trends, and prepares semestral and annual human rights situationers.

Likewise, the Research Program regularly monitors and manages the center’s databank on a wide array of human rights related issues and developments.

Output of the research program are packaged in various forms, including the annual “PAHRA Human Rights Report” and In Focus: A Mid-Year Human Rights Situationer. Both publications present facts and figures that comprehensively illustrate the situation of civil and political rights, and the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. PhilRights also publishes Occasional Papers that are the products of qualitative and quantitative researches.

HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH MONITORING AND DOCUMENTATION

As part of its mandate to help ensure State compliance with international human rights standards and hold the government accountable in cases of violations, PhilRights will scrutinize and document how the major branches of government (executive, legislative, judiciary) comply with its human rights obligations, including the State’s submission of timely reports to treaty monitoring bodies.

HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMATION

PhilRights’ Information Program focuses on the popularization and dissemination of human rights IEC materials, specifically the release of regular publications. This program ensures that human rights information and updates are made accessible to communities affected by human rights violations, and to people’s organizations (POs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and other groups and individuals supporting the human rights cause. Information is disseminated to target groups through printed materials as well as through forums, conferences, training, among others.

Regular Publications and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials – Regular publications are: 1) Human Rights Forum – a quarterly that tackles current human rights issues and concerns, with articles written in English and Filipino; and 2) In Focus: A Semestral Human Rights Situationer – a bi-annual situationer that focuses on the state of civil-political rights as well as the five focus ESC (economic, social and cultural) rights: food, work, housing, education and health. IEC materials include modules, primers, posters, leaflets, media releases and news features, and video documentaries.

Library – The institution maintains a collection of books, newspaper articles, video documentaries, photographs and other reference and educational materials on human rights issues. The library is open to students, NGO workers, grassroots communities, professionals and researchers.

On–line resource center – PhilRights is developing an on-line human rights resource center. By going on-line, timely human rights data and statistics, materials, situationers and analyses will be made available and accessible to the general public for educational, research, advocacy, lobbying, and reporting requirements and activities.

HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AND TRAINING

PhilRights’ education and training program aims to raise people’s capabilities and competencies on human rights concepts, principles and approaches; expand people’s understanding and appreciation of various HR issues/concerns; and sharpen the analysis on HR issues/problems of PAHRA member organizations, grassroots communities, schools and basic sectors.

Among its projects are:

  • Module development
  • Human rights trainings
  • Basic HR Orientation
  • Monitoring and Documentation training
  • HR and Peace Integration in Education
  • CRC and CRP training
  • Internship