For the seventh year in a row, Human Rights Monitoring Institute organizes the traditional human rights campaign series focusing on the most acute human rights issues and public awareness raising.
2011 has witnessed yet new challenges for human rights protection in Lithuania. Despite continuous efforts to tackle discrimination and intolerance, disrespect for inherent human dignity is still widespread among the public whereas the most vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities lack effective protection. Although Lithuanian Parliament has finally passed the law protecting domestic violence victims, the process of its implementation is far from smooth due to the reluctance on the part of the authorities to take active steps in ensuring the functioning of the protection system in practice. Another key issue is inaccessible and inefficient state guaranteed legal aid. This problem is further aggravated by the scarcity of pro bono legal practice in Lithuania and also by the fact that the right to a fair trial is considered by Lithuanians to be the most violated civil right.
Human Rights Monitoring Institute in partnership with “Open society and its friends” offers an online human rights course. The course aims to introduce students to key human rights concepts and theories as well as provide them with online platform for discussions on human rights issues. Over the 4 weeks long free online course students are provided with reading material and links to information necessary for meaningful participation in the study process. The students are encouraged to use the acquired knowledge while sharing their opinions in discussion forums, conducting online tests and writing blogs.
In 2010, Lithuania has ratified UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. By doing so, Lithuania undertook serious international obligations to respect the rights of the disabled and eliminate discrimination against this vulnerable group. According to statistics, there were 267 511 disabled persons in Lithuania in 2010, including 34 005 severely disabled. More than 6000 live in closed residential care institutions while the rest suffer from the lack of community care services. There is no doubt that the most painful issue is social exclusion of persons with disability which also affects their families. Is Lithuania ready to create a favorable emotional and physical environment so that persons with disability could enjoy all of their rights? These and other questions will be addressed during a conference on UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability which will be held on 10-11 November 2011. Full programme in Lithuanian can be found here.
Lithuanian Constitution establishes the principle of secularity by declaring that there shall be no state religion, and guarantees to every person freedom of religion, which also encompasses the right of the person to be free from any religion. In Lithuania, however, a considerable influence of the Catholic Church can be felt in various areas of social and political life. Where is the limit when the Church should not interfere into socio-political affairs in order not to violate the principle of secularity and the right of every person to have his or her own convictions? These and other issues will be discussed in a conference hosted by HRMI and organized in partnership with Lithuanian Humanist Association and European Law Students Association. The conference will be held on 1 December 2011, full programme can be found here.
Right to a fair trial is one of the fundamental human rights, which ensures stability and security in a democratic state, also creating a subjective feeling of justice, which, in its turn, serves as a basis for trust in state authorities. One of the key factors of guaranteeing this right is access to state guaranteed free legal aid. It is being provided in Lithuania for more than a decade, however, the actually functioning legal aid system is far from accessible and effective. Pro bono practice is also very rare in Lithuania, which makes access to justice for large part of the population into a privilege rather than right. Legal aid and pro bono legal work will be the main themes explored during the conference “Justice in Lithuania: Right or Privilege?” The conference, organized by HRMI, Lithuanian Bar Association and President’s Office, will be held on 16 December 2011 in Presidential Palace with President Dalia Grybauskaite opening the event. The event is held in memory of Kestutis Čilinskas, prominent lawyer and human rights defender.
During the social ads campaign, outdoor stands were displayed in 12 Lithuanian cities, informing of the new Law on Protection from Violence in Close Environment, which came into force on 15 December 2011. Everyone is encouraged not to stay indifferent and take initiative to report cases of domestic violence to police and other services. The campaign is organized by HRMI. Partners of the campaign: Police Department under the Ministry of Interior and the outdoor advertising agency JC Decaux. Campaign is supported by the Embassy of the United States in Lithuania.
JC Decaux has decided to prolong the display of the campaign until the end of 2012 due to it's crucial importance to our society.
Three radio shows “Human to Human” will be dedicated to the key human rights issues of the Human Rights Awareness Month 2011, namely, domestic violence, state and church relationship and legal aid. The shows will be aired on 16 and 30 November, and 16 December 2011.
Annual Human Rights Champion Award is given to a person, who has made significant contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights during the current year or lifetime. Last year, the award was given to Kestutis Cilinskas, lawyer and human rights defender. Among the winners are Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Ausrinė Burneikiene and Child Rights Ombudsperson Rimante Salaseviciute, also Ms Dalia Budreviciene, a “whistleblower” in labour relations, Liudvika Meskauskaite, a prominent lawyer with a number of cases won before the European Court of Human Rights
President’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania
Committee for Human Rights of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania
The Embassy of the United States of America in Lithuania
Police Department under the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania
“Hope”, care association for persons with mental disability
Lithuanian Bar Association
European Law Students Association, Vilnius Branch
Association Lithuanian Humanists
e-Academy
Lithuanian Medical Student’s Association
© 2012 Human Rights Monitoring Institute