Regional Projects

Regional cooperation covers activities across the countries through regional organisations or in collaboration by different organisations from various countries. Women’s rights, work against trafficking and strengthening the capacity and security of organisations has been the focus of regional projects supported by KIOS. KIOS prioritises regional cooperation to achieve more effective human rights work.

Human rights work across the borders

Regional projects are supported in East Africa and in South Asia, where the work is in relation to KIOS focus countries and nearby areas. Regional cooperation is an excellent way to increase the capacity of human rights organisations and create wider networks, which in turn enable more effective work at local, national and regional level. It may also strengthen the organisations capacity to work with international human rights mechanisms such as those of the United Nations.

International cooperation increases the opportunities to influence decision makers at higher levels such as officials and politicians.  Regional cooperation is also an effective way to increase the security of human rights defenders at risk.

We should have learned – during past sixty or seventy years in Africa – that development without having a human rights framework to protect it, does not function, it does not work.Hala Al-Karib, SIHA Network

East Africa- Strengthening the capacity of human rights defenders and work against human trafficking

In East Africa, KIOS has supported the regional network East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP). The organisation reports, campaigns, trains and advocates for protection of human rights defenders and for raising awareness on human rights.  In addition, KIOS supports Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) network, which works against human trafficking in the Horn of Africa.

South Asia- Public interest litigation and women’s ESC- rights

In South Asia, KIOS has supported work on women’s rights. The starting point for this work has been the enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR). With the support from KIOS, Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR) has trained human rights actors on ESCR and educated them on how to use ESCR as a tool to eradicate poverty and to secure adequate income for women.

Socio-Legal Information Center (SLIC) from India has successfully used public interest litigation to improve the rights of marginalised people. With the support from KIOS, SLIC has trained and cooperated with human rights actors in South Asia to increase the awareness and usage of the public interest litigation. Legal claims have proved to be a significant tool for social and economic reforms and for implementation of justice.