Five human rights project supported in 2011

News article | February 1, 2012

The Embassy has supported civic society projects in Latvia from 2008 till 2011 for a total amount of EUR 180 thousand. In 2011 alone five projects were supported for a total amount of EUR 65 thousand. Unfortunately, the Embassy has no budget for this type of support in 2012.

The five projects supported in 2011 were:
•    Delna, the Transparency International Latvia, realised a project, devoted to education of youth in anti-corruption and issues of civil society. Key activities of this project were visits to schools and universities of Latvia, realisation of the Youth Parliament in cooperation with the Parliament of Latvia, and the Summer Anticorruption School.  
•    Resource Centre Marta were awarded a grant for advocacy activities to prevent violence against women. The project involves advocacy work, cooperation with the decisionmakers towards improved legislation, and information campaigns.
•    Papardes zieds, Latvian Association for Family Planning and Sexual health, realised a project on teacher training in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The training for teachers for this aspect of human rights is almost unavailable, therefore a core group of trained teachers can make a difference.
•    A project “I can Be a Prime Minister” by the Centre for New Democracy was supported to promote  youth involvement in civic and political processes. In cooperation with Latvian national television, Mistrus Media and other supporters, the Centre realised a competition of young people to take part in a TV show, consisting of 5 episodes, in a role of a Prime Minister, where the winner, chosen by a competent jury from the shortlisted 10 participants, receives a title of the Most competent young person in politics. In 2011 it was Mārtiņš Pūris.
•    The Embassy also supported Centre Against Abuse Dardedze who realised a project to address and prevent sexual abuse of children in Latvia by raising public awareness and training professionals who assist abuse victims, by educating parents and working with children.

Photo: Ambassador Kraak in the opening of the yearly conference on child abuse prevention of the Centre Against Abuse 'Dardedze'. Courtesy of the Dardedze Centre.