Donor: Swedish International Agency for Development Cooperation (Sida)
Duration of the project: April 1996 – May 1997
The aim of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights was to produce and publish a manageable and accessible text-book (Manual) of international human rights law in Serbian. The reason for this was the belief that one of the causes of the lamentable human rights situation in FRY was the lack of knowledge and understanding of human rights, not only in the general public, but also among those supposed to deal with human rights issues in education, law enforcement, legal representation, reporting on human rights issues, etc. The Centre opted for an original text in the local language and for the format of a manual taking into account the local circumstances, the legal situation in the country, and traditions.The textbook has been used by university students and participants of human rights courses for legal practitioners, law enforcement officials, journalists and other adult audi-ences. Among the first to use this book were students at the first courses of human rights law at the Belgrade University Law School, the Faculty of Law in Podgorica (Montenegro), as well as other educational institutions.
The textbook was published under the title Ljudska prava — udžbenik (Human Rights – A Textbook). Vojin Dimitrijević and Milan Paunović are quoted as main authors, in co-operation with Vladimir Đeric.
General structure of the book: What are Human Rights? Development of the Human Rights Idea, Sources of International Human Rights Law, Sources of Human Rights Law in Municipal Law, Implementation of Human Rights, Human Rights and International Organisations, Control of Respect for Human Rights, Responsibility for Human Rights Violations, Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, Classifications of Human Rights, General Conditions for Enjoyment of Human Rights, Restrictions of Human Rights, Right to Life and Physical Integrity, Right to Status, Right to Liberty, Right to Legal Security and Fair Treatment, Right to Dignity of Person, Right to Property, Freedom of Thought and Expression, Right to Take Part in the Conduct of Public Affairs, Rights of Persons Belonging to Minorities, Economic and Social Rights, Cultural Rights, Rights of Groups (Collective Rights), “Solidarity” Rights, Duties, Selected Bibliography, List of Documents and Selected General Works on Human Rights, Index.
