Donor: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Duration of the project: June 1998 – May 1999
In 1998, the development of local human rights NGOs was at a remarkably low level in Serbia – majority of NGOs were established and operated in Belgrade. In an attempt to encourage the development of local human rights NGOs in various parts of Serbia, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights decided to support the establishment of the Centre for Human Rights in Niš. One of the main objectives for the establishment of the Centre for Human Rights in Niš was to raise public awareness of the importance of human rights at the local level and to encourage local participation in activities related to human rights. The Centre for Human Rights in Niš was involved in monitoring the human rights situation in the city of Niš and the surrounding area. Special focus was on monitoring human rights of Roma people. Since the nucleus group of the Centre mainly consisted of practicing lawyers – alumni of the Belgrade Centre’s annual school of human rights, the Centre in Niš was able to provide legal assistance to the individuals whose human rights were violated.
As planed, after one year the Centre for Human Rights in Niš became independent organization which is still active.
