About the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre

About SAHRDC

What is SAHRDC?
Infrastructure
Holdings
Publications
Campaigning
Networking
Training Programmes
Internship programme
Funding

The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC) is a network of individuals across the region. It seeks to investigate, document and disseminate information about human rights treaties and conventions, human rights education, refugees, media freedom, prison reforms, political imprisonment, torture, summary executions, disappearances and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. SAHRDC has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

The office of SAHRDC is based in New Delhi. It is a small office with little resources. There are seven people working regularly besides a hard core of a dozen volunteers. The core volunteers help us on our requests on a specific issue (i.e., lawyers, medical practitioners, journalists, computer programmers and other resource persons). Besides Indian volunteers, we have an internship programme, which attracts students and scholars from universities in India and abroad.

Infrastructure:

There are IBM compatible computers in the office. The software we use for data compilation and word processing are: MS Word 2000, Alice and Lotus. The communication equipment is a fax machine and a modem.

Holdings:

SAHRDC collects information on human rights, specifically on violations of civil and political rights. The subject areas of its holdings are: human rights education; arrest, detention and disappearances; refugees and asylum; torture, capital punishment and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; freedom of the media; custodial deaths; and extrajudicial killings. All our information is either in English or translated into English from other languages.

The type or form of information collated includes international instruments, national legislation, court documents, affidavits, data questionnaires, reports, leaflets, letters, clippings from media reports and books.

Our information sources are individuals, human rights activists and groups, lawyers, journalists, media and national and international organizations.

As information reaches the office, we classify it into thematic and geographic areas, which are given internally developed call numbers, and filed accordingly.

Before the information goes into the manual files, it is recorded on the computer worksheets according to the standard formats, which eventually enables us to retrieve it through key word searches.

The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre is connected to the Internet and has a web page.

Publications:

The SAHRDC currently brings out an electronic feature service called Human Rights Features Service in cooperation with Human Rights Documentation Centre (HRDC). It also does regular backgrounders on subjects of immediate interest to subscribers and the media.

SAHRDC brings out occasional investigative reports after an on-spot study. The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre has so far brought out reports on:

Eliminating Sovereign and Official Immunity in Fundamental Human Rights Cases, SAHRDC’s submission to the National Commission for the Review of the Working of the Constitution in January 2001
Komnas HAM – The Indonesian National Human Rights Commission: The Formative Years in November 2000
Preventive Detention and Individual Liberty, SAHRDC’s submission to the National Commission for the Review of the Working of the Constitution in November 2000
Abolition of Death Penalty, SAHRDC’s submission to the National Commission for the Review of the Working of the Constitution in November 2000
Abandoned and Betrayed: Afghan Refugees under UNHCR Protection in New Delhi in November 1999
Report of the Justice D. P. Wadhwa Commission of Inquiry: Judicial Commission or Injudicious Cover Up? in August 1999
The Bhutanese Political Crisis and Refugee Problem in October 1998
National Human Rights Institutions in the Asia Pacific Region in March 1998
Survival, Dignity and Democracy: Burmese Refugees in India, 1997 in October 1997
The Stateless Chakmas and Hajongs of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh in October 1997
Refugee Protection in India in October 1997
Alternate Report to the United Nations Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Return of the Maoists - Midnight Knocks and Extrajudicial Killings in Nepal
Willing Suspension of Disbelief - Parliamentary Elections in Jammu & Kashmir in June 1996
Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees in Tamilnadu Camps - Voluntary Repatriation of Subtle Refoulment in January 1996
Armed Forces Special Powers Act: A Study in National Security Tyranny in India in December 1995
Country Report on Refugee Situation in India in October 1995
The Status of the Child in India in July 1995
Child Labour in India in July 1995
The Status of Refugees under the Protection of the UNHCR in New Delhi in May 1995
No Secure Refuge on the Jumma Refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh Kashmir - Human Rights Update 1993
Bhutan: The Human Rights Situation on the Ethnic Conflict in Southern Bhutan
Massacre In Sopore in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir

FOR COMPLETE LIST OF PUBLISHED REPORTS - GO TO SAHRDC PUBLICATIONS

FOLLOWING REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE - GO TO ONLINE RESOURCE CENTRE

Campaigning:

Whenever it is necessary as a solidarity measure, SAHRDC sends Action Alerts requesting the national and international human rights community to appeal to Governments in South Asia to stop the violation of human rights in their countries.

Networking:

SAHRDC is the Secretariat of the Asia Pacific Human Rights Network (APHRN). APHRN is a network of select frontline NGOs across the Asia Pacific region.

SAHRDC’s Executive Director is on the board of the Geneva-based International Service for Human Rights (ISHR).

SAHRDC is a part of the Geneva based SOS Torture Network. It is also the South Asian Representative on the Bangkok based Asia-Pacific Human Rights NGOs Facilitating Team.

In November 1999, SAHRDC's Executive Director was invited by the Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi to brief the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and the Minister for Overseas Development on human rights concerns.

In July 1999, SAHRDC's Executive Director was an international consultant to the Technical Advisory Services Program of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in a Project Formulation Mission in Nepal on Trafficking in Nepal.

In March 1999, SAHRDC's Executive Director was an international consultant to the Technical Advisory Services Program of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in its training programme for UN agency staff, government officials and NGOs on using international procedures.

In November 1998, SAHRDC's Executive Director was invited by the Inter Ministerial Committee of the French Government to Grenoble to speak on the situation of Refugees and their Protection in Asia.

In November 1998, SAHRDC's Executive Director was an international consultant to the Technical Advisory Services Program of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in its training programme for UN agency staff, government officials and NGOs on using international procedures for the realisation of socio-economic rights.

In October 1998 SAHRDC's Executive Director was invited to participate in a Special Human Rights meeting in the Polish Parliament by the President of Polish Senate.

On 28 January 1997, Executive Director of SAHRDC addressed select NGOs working on refugee issues organized by the Washington based US Committee for Refugees.

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre was invited to address the Canadian Government's Immigration and Refugee Board from 21-24 January 1997 on refugee issues with special reference to Punjab, India.

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre hosted the "Asia-Pacific NGOs Human Rights Congress" in New Delhi from 6-8 December 1996 on behalf of the Asia Pacific Human Rights NGOs Facilitating Team. More than 100 NGOs from Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe and North America participated in the Congress.

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre addressed the Workshop on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Asian and Pacific Region held in Amman from 5-7 January 1997. The UN Centre for Human Rights organized the Workshop.

The Minister of State for Law of Bangladesh visited the office of the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre on 16 December 1996 to seek the views and expertise of SAHRDC in order to establish a National Human Rights Commission in Bangladesh.

SAHRDC's Executive Director was also invited to testify as an independent expert on a hearing held on Tibet by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament in June 1995.

In October 1993, Socialist Group of the European Parliament invited the Executive Director of the SAHRDC to address Round Table Conference on Kashmir.

SAHRDC is also represented on the International Editorial Board of the Ottawa based Human Rights Tribune, on the Robert F Kennedy Memorial Human Rights Award and the International Board of the International Service for Human Rights, Geneva.

SAHRDC is also consulted on occasion by the diplomatic missions of the Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America, United Kingdom, and the Mission of the European Union in India.

It has been received by senior officials of the South Asia Department in the Dutch Foreign Ministry in the Hague, the South Asia and Human Rights Division of the Danish Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs of His Majesty's Government of Nepal, the Human Rights Department in the Swiss Foreign Ministry in Berne, the Human Rights and South Asia Department at the US State Department in Washington, the South Asia Departments of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and the Law Minister in Bangladesh.

The SAHRDC is also consulted by the New Delhi office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and has been received by the Delegate General for Asia of the ICRC in Geneva.

SAHRDC interacts with the United Nations human rights machinery on a regular basis.

Training Programmes:

The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC) has been conducting a series of human rights training programs in the South Asian and East Asian region.

SAHRDC conducted a training workshop on International Human Rights Mechanisms for the officials of the National Human Rights Commission of Fiji and Fijian Non-governmental Organisations, held at Suva, Fiji, in May 2003.

SAHRDC was one of the key resource centres for the “Human Rights & People’s Diplomacy Training’ held at Bangkok, Thailand, in March 2003.

SAHRDC organised a workshop on ‘Introduction to the UN System: Mechanisms to Remedy Human Rights Violations’ held at Bangkok, Thailand from 9 to 13 June 2002.

SAHRDC was one of the resource centres for the ‘Advocacy Workshop on Evaluating NGO Advocacy during Reformation Era’ held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 4 to 7 June 2002.

SAHRDC conducted a training workshop for the officials of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal and Non-governmental Organisations chosen by the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in June 2002.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for the workshop on ‘International Human Rights Law & UN System’ held at Jakarta, Indonesia, from 16 to 19 July 2001.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for the ‘National and International Human Rights Procedures Workshop’ for Amnesty International’s South Asia Human Rights Defenders Project, held in New Delhi, India from 15 to 18 March 2001.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for the workshop on ‘National and International Human Rights Procedures’ held at Jakarta, Indonesia, from 20 to 24 November 2000.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for the workshop on ‘National and International Human Rights Procedures’ held at Jakarta, Indonesia, from 26 to 30 June 2000. SAHRDC in co-operation with the Geneva based International Service for Human Rights organised a training workshop on "International Human Rights Procedures" at Kathamandu, Nepal, from 31 August to 4 September 1999.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for a training workshop organized by Hong Kong based Asian Centre for Progress of Peoples from 4-15 January 1997.

SAHRDC held two training workshops on international human rights procedures in collaboration with the Geneva based International Service for Human Rights from 11-14 December 1996 at New Delhi, India and Kathmandu, Nepal.

SAHRDC also held four training seminars on international human rights procedures in collaboration with the Geneva based International Service for Human Rights from 18 September to 2 October 1995. The workshops were held at Delhi, Bangalore, Bombay and Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Tibetan Government in Exile.

SAHRDC in co-operation with the Geneva based International Service for Human Rights organised a training workshop on "International Human Rights Procedures" for Human Rights activists in southern region. The workshop was held in Bangalore, Karnataka from 25-26 September 1995

SAHRDC was one of the resource centres for Diplomacy Training Programme organized by Sydney University at Bangkok in February 1995 and at Kathmandu in May 1995.

SAHRDC made a presentation on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the World Forum of the International Forum of Child Welfare held in Madras, India on the 17 September 1994. The presentation was made at the request of UNICEF.

SAHRDC was the sole resource organization for a training programme for the Tibetan Womens' Association on the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Dharamshala, India on 13 and 14 August 1994.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for training for Tibetan youth activists on Human Rights documentation in Dharamshala, India on 2 and 3 July 1994.

SAHRDC was a resource centre for a Human Rights Training Programme organized by the Hong Kong Journalists Association held on 1-4 April 1994 in Hong Kong.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for a training program on Human Rights for the Asian Students Association, Hong Kong which was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 11 to 13 December 1993.

SAHRDC was one of the resource centers for a training program organized by Forum Asia, Bangkok and the YMCA Madurai, India in September 1993.

SAHRDC was the main resource centre for a training program of the human rights activists from South Asia and East Asia organized by Asian Centre for Progress of Peoples in Hong Kong from 24 to 28 May 1993.

SAHRDC was the resource centre for a training program on Human Rights of the Asia Alliance of YMCAs in Chiangmai, Thailand on 18-22 May 1993.

SAHRDC was commissioned to conduct the training programme for Indian Women’s groups going to the Manila NGO Preparatory Conference held in November 1993. This was in preparation for the Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995.

SAHRDC was the nodal NGO to facilitate South Asian NGO input into discussions at the Vienna 1993 World Conference on Human Rights.

SAHRDC was one of the resource centres for a workshop organized by the Karnataka State Police Academy and the National Law School of India University at Mysore.

Internship programme:

The SAHRDC has a long-standing internship programme. It accepts interns from all over the world, who have a serious human rights commitment. Intending interns should be prepared and capable of hard and diligent research work. SAHRDC welcomes students, mid-term career professionals and lawyers looking for a sabbatical with good analytical and research aptitude.

At any given point, SAHRDC has a number of ongoing projects. We welcome interns willing to help in these projects. Most of these projects entail copious research work. Some of them require travel within Asia. Interns are able to assume a significant amount of responsibility. In the past, students from Yale Law School, Columbia University, Harvard University, Fordham, University of Virginia, University of Minnesota, New York Law School and Chicago Law School from the United States have interned with SAHRDC.

SAHRDC has also had interns from the London School of Economics, Essex University and the University of London from the United Kingdom. Indian interns have being from the National Law School University of India, Bangalore, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, The Tata Institute for Social Sciences, Mumbai, University of Delhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru University.

All of them have seen their own projects through, from visiting a refugee camp or researching at the Indian Law Institute or doing field visits to other Asian countries to writing most of the final reports themselves.

You should note that SAHRDC does not have paid positions available for interns.

To complete your application for an internship, please send us a detailed CV and a writing sample. The writing sample could be a term paper of between 10 and 15 pages.

Do not hesitate to contact us again should you require any further information or clarification.

Funding

SAHRDC has been unable to receive funding from international donor agencies due to the draconian Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) through which the Government of India seeks to curtail the Freedom of Association for the voluntary sector in India.

SAHRDC supports itself by subscriptions and professional fees paid for its information services. It also mobilizes small donations in India. SAHRDC's statement of accounts is available on payment of a fee.

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