Millions had become refugees, unable to return to their devastated homes or land. The international community was not giving a strategic and cohesive response to the crisis, although tens of thousands of people were dying and an entire culture was at risk.
The Kurdish Center for Human Rights was established in Geneva in 2000, according to the Suisse civil law. In response to the genocide, war crimes and human rights violations occurring across the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria.
The aims of the Kurdish Centre for Human Rights are:
To inform the European and Swiss people and the United Nation Human Rights Commission (OHCHR) on human rights violations against the Kurds via seminars and other dialogue platforms and to attend their meetings; to establish a dialogue with NGO’s, civil movements, associations, government and civil institutions;
In order to implement the rights of Kurdish individuals and people, preparing and developing culture projects; organizing different types of activities aiming at the integration of the Kurdish community in Geneva.
The Kurdish Center for Human Rights, as a non-profit organization of social utility, was born from the need to provide information and increase consent and support from the public opinion about the Kurdish movement and its activities in particular, the Kurdish question and Kurdistan in general.
Since its inception, the Kurdish Center for Human Rights deals mainly with information. It provides information in general on the Kurdish human rights question in Kurdistan, while specifically deals with the spreading of information on repression, discrimination and war against the Kurdish people in the four countries in which Kurdistan was divided in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne.
In the Kurdish Center for Human Rights, Kurds and Swiss are working in a variety of heterogeneous activities, mostly at voluntary level.
The Centre participates in public meetings to present the Kurdish human rights issue, often on issues that directly involve Switzerland, such as, for example, the fight against all forms of violence against women, opposition to the use of torture in prisons, the civil battle against the sale of weapons, or awareness-raising for respect for human rights in Turkey, opposition to war, freedom of press and opinion, the condition of minors or the phenomenon of immigration.
Most of the activity is related to civil society organizations, so that lasting relations can be established between the Kurds through their organizations and the Swiss organizations.
The Kurdish Center for Human Rights website will publish in English and French dossiers, researches, reports, news and a variety of resources about human rights, women, children, environment etc.
Each translated and published news is taken from official websites of human rights organizations (IHD, FIDH, KHRN, KMMK, SOHR, AHR, AI, HRW, MRAP, AIHM, OHCHR ect..), Turkish and Kurdish news agencies, newspaper and TV channels (ANHA, ANF, BIA, JINTV ect. ) in all parts of Kurdistan, as well as from direct contacts in the places. Furthermore, we publish all the human rights reports of the observer delegations in all parts of Kurdistan, as well as university theses on issues related to Kurdistan, prior to agreement by the author.
The Kurdish Center for Human Rights, promotes cultural events, in collaboration with other local associations and organizations or local administrations, which can transmit and make known the identity, culture and traditions of the Kurdish people and of Kurdistan, always involving different cultures living together Swiss people.
Likewise, the Center organizes observer missions whenever important cultural events occur in Kurdistan, such as the case of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year. Observer missions are participate to the events concerns human rights, such as visits to prisons and prisoners family, meetings with human rights, women’s and children, environmental and health associations and Triad Unione.
STATUS OF
“KURDISH CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS“
C/O Maison des Associations Rue des Savoises 15 – 1205 Genève
1th Article: Introduction
Kurdish Center for Human Rights was established in Geneva, according to the 60th article of civil constitution.
2nd Article: Duration
The institution was established for indefinite work.
3rd Article: Aims
The aims of the institution are as follows:
- To inform the European and Swiss people of the violations of human rights from Kurdish regions.
- To inform and to be in dialog with NGO`s, civil movements, associations, government- and civil institutions.
- In order to implement the rights of Kurdish individuals and people, preparing of projects.
- To inform about the human rights violations against the Kurds via seminars and other dialogue platforms.
- To inform the United Nation Human Rights Commission and to attend their meetings.
- In order to develop and protect the Kurdish culture organizing different types of activities.
- To implement the requirements for the sake of integration of the Kurdish community in Geneva.
4th Article Members
Any individual or institution that accepts the regulations and aims of our institution may become a member. Any member can be elected also as the honorary member in case of approval from the management of our Institution.
5th Article Sections
The sections of the institution are as follows:
-The General Assembly
-Administrative Board
6th Article General Assembly
The general assembly is organized by the administrative board with all the members, at least once a year.
The General Assembly
-Elects the Administrative Board and two persons that revise the finance.
-Makes decisions regarding the activities of the Institution.
-Accepts the annual budget and financial work.
1 of 5 members of the Administrative Board can ask the general assembly to convene.
7th Article Administrative Board
At least 3 people can become members of the Administrative Board and they are completely responsible for organizing the work of the Association. One of these members is responsible for the financial work of the Institution.
8th Article Book keepers
General Assembly elects 2 book keepers for the accounting work. Book keepers can`t take place in the Administrative Board.
9th Article Incomes
Incomes of the Institution:
-Subscriptions from members
-Donations
-Others
The Administrative Board is responsible for the economic assets of the institution
10th Article Social activities
Social activities are integrated with the year. General Assembly can change the regulations of the institution with the majority of 3/2 votes.
11th Article Dissolution
The General Assembly can dissolve with the majority of 3/2 of the members. When dissolution is on the agenda all the financial sources or assets will go to another institution with similar goals and aims.