Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Encyclopedia
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights is a nongovernmental
organization based in the Jabalia
Palestinian refugee
camp in the Gaza Strip
. Al Mezan was chartered "to promote, protect and prevent violations of human rights
in general and economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights in particular, to provide effective aid to those victims of such violations, and to enhance the quality of life of the community in marginalized sectors of the Gaza Strip". Mezan (ميزان) is Arabic
for balance or scales, as well as justice and equity. The center claims to be non-partisan
, and holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations
.
. Although it claims its long term aim is to foster development of full economic, social, and cultural rights, during the current heightened conflict between Israelis and Palestinians the Al Mezan Center has focused on what it alleges are accelerating violations of basic civil rights
and human rights
, primarily by the Israeli Defense Forces.
In the role of human rights monitor, the Al Mezan Center documents alleged human rights violations, such as disproportionate military attacks on civilian areas that result in widespread civilian casualties, the practice of imprisonment without trial, political assassination, and official policies condoning brutality and torture that undermine development of civil society. The Center also provides legal aid, advocacy, and capacity-building services and resources and conducts educational activities to raise awareness in the local community about basic human rights, democracy
, and the importance of international humanitarian relief.
Individual project donors are:
asserts that Al Mezan "promot[es] claims of 'Israeli war crimes'; inflammatory pictures and accusatory statements and reports", and that it is "particularly active in pursuing a virulently anti-Israel political agenda, while entirely ignoring Palestinian terrorism." http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/infofile.htm#al-mezan http://www.ngo-monitor.org/editions/v2n10/v2n10-6.htm For a rather different perspective, B'Tselem
asserts that the Al Mezan Center "attempts to address the needs of the marginalized population, suffering most profoundly from a lack of basic human rights, on a grassroots level. The Center aims to encourage the protection, promotion and respect of human rights in the Occupied Territories, especially economic, cultural and social rights, through a wide range of activities."http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Human_Rights_Sites.asp
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
organization based in the Jabalia
Jabalia
Jabalia also Jabalya is a Palestinian city located north of Gaza City. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Gaza Governorate, in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 82,877 in mid-year 2006...
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugee
Palestinian refugees or Palestine refugees are the people and their descendants, predominantly Palestinian Arabic-speakers, who fled or were expelled from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestine War, within that part of the British Mandate of Palestine, that after that war became the...
camp in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Al Mezan was chartered "to promote, protect and prevent violations of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
in general and economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights in particular, to provide effective aid to those victims of such violations, and to enhance the quality of life of the community in marginalized sectors of the Gaza Strip". Mezan (ميزان) is Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for balance or scales, as well as justice and equity. The center claims to be non-partisan
Partisan (political)
In politics, a partisan is a committed member of a political party. In multi-party systems, the term is widely understood to carry a negative connotation - referring to those who wholly support their party's policies and are perhaps even reluctant to acknowledge correctness on the part of their...
, and holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Activities
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights states it is dedicated to securing a permanent foundation for the protection of human rights in the Gaza StripGaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Although it claims its long term aim is to foster development of full economic, social, and cultural rights, during the current heightened conflict between Israelis and Palestinians the Al Mezan Center has focused on what it alleges are accelerating violations of basic civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, primarily by the Israeli Defense Forces.
In the role of human rights monitor, the Al Mezan Center documents alleged human rights violations, such as disproportionate military attacks on civilian areas that result in widespread civilian casualties, the practice of imprisonment without trial, political assassination, and official policies condoning brutality and torture that undermine development of civil society. The Center also provides legal aid, advocacy, and capacity-building services and resources and conducts educational activities to raise awareness in the local community about basic human rights, democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, and the importance of international humanitarian relief.
Funding
The organization's core donors are:- Netherlands Representative Office
- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
- Kerkinactie/ Global Ministries
- International Commission of JuristsInternational Commission of JuristsThe International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
- Sweden
Individual project donors are:
- Mertz Gilmore Foundation
- The French Consulate (funded the library in 2002-2003)
- The Ford Foundation
Affiliations
The organization is a member of the following networks and committees:- Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Network (ESCR Network)
- Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO)
- Coalition for Accountability and Integrity
- Middle East and North Africa Network to Stop the Use of Children as soldiers
- Habitat International Coalition - Housing and Land Rights Network
- MENA Network to Stop the Proliferation and Misuse of Small Arms & Light Weapons
Israeli opinions
Israeli opinions of Al Mezan range from very positive to very negative. On one side of the spectrum, NGO MonitorNGO Monitor
NGO Monitor is a non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem, Israel whose stated aim is to generate and distribute critical analysis and reports on the output of the international NGO community for the benefit of government policy makers, journalists, philanthropic organizations and the...
asserts that Al Mezan "promot[es] claims of 'Israeli war crimes'; inflammatory pictures and accusatory statements and reports", and that it is "particularly active in pursuing a virulently anti-Israel political agenda, while entirely ignoring Palestinian terrorism." http://www.ngo-monitor.org/archives/infofile.htm#al-mezan http://www.ngo-monitor.org/editions/v2n10/v2n10-6.htm For a rather different perspective, B'Tselem
B'Tselem
B'Tselem is an Israeli non-governmental organization . It calls itself "The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories"...
asserts that the Al Mezan Center "attempts to address the needs of the marginalized population, suffering most profoundly from a lack of basic human rights, on a grassroots level. The Center aims to encourage the protection, promotion and respect of human rights in the Occupied Territories, especially economic, cultural and social rights, through a wide range of activities."http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Human_Rights_Sites.asp
See also
- Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace ResearchTami Steinmetz Center for Peace ResearchTami Steinmetz Center For Peace Research is an academic research institution of Tel Aviv University which surveys public opinion regarding the peace process, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Arab-Israeli conflict....
- Jerusalem Center for Public AffairsJerusalem Center for Public AffairsThe Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs is a public policy think tank devoted to research and analysis of critical issues facing the Middle East. The center is located in Jerusalem, Israel...
- Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
- Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
- Democracy Watch (International)Democracy Watch (International)Democracy Watch is a website which promotes direct voting, without the use of representatives as intermediaries.-External links:* *...