HRDN Strategy Session and Training

8 - 10 September, 2007
Istanbul, Turkey

From September 8 - 10, the Iraq Foundation held a meeting for 12 members of the Human Rights Defenders Network (HRDN) in Istanbul, Turkey. The meeting brought together HRDN members, IF staff, and regional experts to discuss the Network's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and agree on a long term strategic plan and a short term working plan. The second part of the meeting centered on reporting and documenting training.

IF partnered with the Association Libanaise Pour l’Education et la Formation (ALEF), a human rights organization based in Lebanon, to help build the capacities of the HRDN in the areas of reporting and documentation, and develop them to become in line with international UN standards. As part of the meeting, ALEF evaluated reports prepared by the HRDN and made recommendations on ways in which the reporting could be improved. The meeting was part of IF's continued efforts to support the network and build the capacity of its members. The HRDN was created as an outcome of a training that was completed in December, 06. The network includes human rights organizations based in Diyala, Kirkuk, Mosul, Kut, Missan, Baghfaf, Samawa, and Najaf.