We aim to equip our masses with the facilities of education, Primary health, Speedy justice,Special education and attitude which will enable them to thrive in the fast & changing world. SAHR's primary concern is for the weakest members of the society who have to bear the full consequences of Human Rights.When they are denied such necessities as Basic health, Education and access to Justice. SAHR a
Non-profit and politically Non partisan organization. Proposes to bring together people of integrity to work as a collection for systemic reforms. PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE:
Since 2000, SAHR has been at the forefront of advocacy and preservation of human rights in Pakistan and our interventions are particularly in the areas of women, child and labor rights. SAHR is an emerging leader in enhancing the impact and capacity of local organizations providing direct service to uplift of vulnerable groups. SAHR continuously strives to raise public awareness about issues surrounding poverty and lack of human rights. Operating on country wide basis with especial focus in the districts of Punjab, SAHR aims to strengthen the preventive services and the capacity of government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to address the problem of Human Rights violations. Its mission includes:
» to work for the ratification and implementation by Pakistan of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of other related Charters,Covenants, Protocols, Resolutions, Recommendations and internationally
adopted norms;
» to promote studies in the field of human rights and mobilize public opinion in favor of accepted norms through all available media and forums, and to carry out every category of activity to further the cause;
» to cooperate with and aid national and international groups,organizations and individuals engaged in the promotion of human rights and to participate in meetings and congresses on human rights at home and
abroad;
» to take appropriate action to prevent violations of human rights and to provide legal aid and other assistance to victims of those violations and to individuals and groups striving to protect human rights. ISSUES: SAHR's work on
• Bonded Labor
• Child Rights
• Education
• Human Rights
• Justice, Juvenile Justice
• Primary Health
• Poverty
• Special Education
• Trafficking
• Violence
• Women Affairs
Organization & Structure:
The highest organ of SAHR is the general body comprising all members.The general body meets at least once every year. The executive authority of the organization vests in the Council that is elected every three years. The Council elects the organization's President,two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary General, Secretary Finance, Secretary Publication & Public Relation, Joint Secretary & Four Members. The Council meets at least twice every year. Besides monitoring human rights violations and seeking redress through public campaigns, lobbying and intervention in courts, SAHR organizes seminars, workshops and fact-finding missions. SAHR Secretariat is headed by its Director . The main office of the secretariat is in Arifwala. Membership:
SAHR now has a countrywide membership. It has not been as keen on expanding its enrolment as on its members' coming with an obvious commitment to the cause. The membership fee has been small out of
consideration for the common citizens who, it was thought, most needed to be attracted to the movement. But the well-to-do members have been encouraged to contribute as much as they could. The general body has met once every year to take general stock of the human rights situation in the country, to receive the year's performance and audit reports of the Society, and to debate and vote on issues placed before it or raised by
its members. Every three years it has elected a new Council. Council:
The strength of the Council is 11 members. It is elected for a three-year tenure. Care has been taken that all the civil society sufficiently represented and that there is also an appropriate presence on the governing body of women and the religious minorities. The Council meets twice every year to examine the Commission's performance of the previous six months and to approve of the programme for the next six months. It also through its resolutions draws attention to any issues of current concern and proposed action. Affiliation:
Although SAHR formed information exchange relationship with several international human rights organizations. Funding:
SAHR's finances came principally from local sources through subscriptions and donations. A third source has been developed on an ad hoc project-by-project basis. PROGRAM TOOLS:
SAHR offers a flexible area of program tools that are customized to specific local conditions:
• Analysis, Assessment and Program Design
• Consultancies by human rights, civic and legal experts
• Trainings, workshops and seminars for human rights NGOs, professional associations, legislators, judiciary and governmental institutions
• Training programs in research, organizational and advocacy skills
• Public educational programs for strengthening legal literacy
• Formal and informal education initiatives to increase public awareness of legal rights and responsibilities
• Creating public demand for justice and better access to justice, especially for disadvantaged and disenfranchised groups
• Drafting or revising the legal frameworks to make them consistent with international norms and supportive of democratic process
• Publishing review on the legal developments in Public interest
PURPOSE & AIM
SAHR was resolved to be 'an independent, voluntary, nonprofit organization which shall neither be associated nor affiliated with the government or any political party.' It was in all matters committed to 'act with impartiality and objectivity'. SAHR's mission adopted was to further the cause of human rights in the country. The United Nations' Declaration, Covenants, Conventions,Protocols and Resolutions concerning various areas of human rights wereaccepted as established norms, requiring full and early adoption within the country. To that end the Society committed itself to:
- Spreading awareness of human rights among the people;
- Exposing wrongs and disseminating knowledge about them;
- Motivating communities for Collective response against local wrongs;
- Mobilizing public opinion against bigger or systemic ills
- Intervening where important and possible for redressal of individual injustice or fear of injustice.
- Information collection, so that a track was kept of happenings and tendencies on a day -to-day basis.
- Fact-finding through SAHR's own missions for an independent, objective inquiry into an event or development of concern and to build appropriate pressure for action.
- Seminars on human right issues or human rights aspect of issues to create awareness or / and to influence and mobilize public opinion.
- Workshops to involve motivators, activists and others and develop insight / skill / know-how in respect of chosen activity.
- Surveys and studies in areas of concern where new formulations or findings required to be made.
- Publications to disseminate new information, to focus public attention or advance a point of view on issues of current concern, or as tools for coordination of activity.
- Public demonstrations as a way both of mobilizing people and seeking to influence decision-makers.
- Lobbying public representatives in the direction of the public action being canvassed.
- Legal assistance in individual cases of particular need, and court intervention on issues of general concern to SAHR.
- Networking with like-minded organizations within the country and liaison abroad, mostly with human rights bodies and in relation to human rights concerns, to exchange views and information and develop solidarity
