The Human Rights Centre (HRIDC) / formerly the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre/ is a Georgia based NGO dedicated to the promotion of human rights. It was founded on December 10^th 1996.

Priorities of the Organization:

Strengthening the Rule of Law by

• Supporting harmonization of national legislation with international laws and monitoring its implementation;
• Providing the society with information about the laws or legal protection mechanisms as well as offering free legal aid to anyone who requires it;
• Revealing cases where laws are breached and publishing them in order to make corresponding bodies take necessary action;
• Monitoring activities of various governmental bodies.

Civil Society Development by

• Strengthening the development of the third sector in the country;
• Empowering the society to be involved in social activities;
• Supporting the development of civil society in the regions, including the conflict zones.

Strengthening the Freedom of Expression by

• Supporting the development of independent media;
• Creating a network of human rights journalists;
• Conducting journalistic investigations on human rights;
• Revealing violations of human rights and making them public.

Eradication of Discrimination by

• Protecting the rights of minorities;
• Integrating women into public activities;
• Working towards preventing human trafficking;
• Carrying out peaceful campaigns in the conflict zones.

Activities of the Organization:

• Advocacy – A Legal Aid Centre is functioning at the HRIDC office where individuals can receive free legal assistance.
  
• Information – www.HumanRights.ge is an online magazine and web portal on human rights in Georgia, updated daily by the organization.
  
• Education/Public Awareness Raising  The Centre organizes trainings and seminars for different target groups on human rights related topics. The Centre also publishes materials, brochures, booklets, handbooks and other materials on human rights.
• Monitoring – The organization monitors the human rights situation in Georgia and studies concrete abuses and violations.
• Reporting – HRIDC reports its findings about the human rights situation in Georgia to the EU, Council of Europe, OSCE, UN and other organizations regularly.
• Lobbying – the Centre is involved in the lobbying of legislative and policy-making bodies for the purpose of prompting human rights in Georgia.

The Center is implementing following programs: 

Children’s Rights, Women’s Rights, Trafficking, Refugees and IDPs, Media, Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Human Rights Education; Social-Economic and Cultural Rights. 

HRIDC is a member of the following international networks: 

• International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
• World Organization Against Torture (SOS-Torture OMCT Network);
• Human Rights Without Frontiers, Int.;
• Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems, International (HURIDOCS);
• International Peace Bureau (IPB);
• NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court;
• Child Rights Information Network (CRIN);
• European Network for Civil Peace Services (EN.CPS);
• UNITED for Intercultural Action – European Network against Nationalism, Racism, Fascism and Support of Migrants and Refugees. 

The Human Rights Centre (HRIDC) underlines gender equality in its mission, vision and activities. The strategy and aims of the organization are based on a positive attitude towards different genders.

HRIDC has been supported by the following donors:

• Cordaid (The Netherlands);  
• Council of Europe;
• Norwegian Human Rights Fund;
• The Norwegian Helsinki Committee/ The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• UNICEF;
• Embassy of Canada;
• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC);
• OSCE mission to Georgia;
• International Economic Relations and Development Co-operation (YDAS-Hellenic
• Aid)  – General Secretariat of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Greece);
• Friedrich Ebert Foundation;
• Open Society Institute (OSI, Budapest);
• The World Bank;
• Penal Reform International;
• Minority Rights Group International;
• The Swedish Institute;
• National Endowment for Democracy, The USA;
• Stichting Vluchteling (SV, The Netherlands);
• Falkor I.C.Y, (The Netherlands)/European Commission;
• Swiss Embassy in Georgia;
• Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Georgia. 

Contact Information 

Tbilisi Office
Address: 3a, Kazbegi Ave., Entrance 2, IV floor, Apt. 22.
Tbilisi 0160, Georgia.
Tel.: (+995 32) 37- 69- 50
Fax: (+995 32) 45 -45- 33
E-mail: hridc@hridc.org
Web: www.hridc.org

www.HumanRights.ge