International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development
Encyclopedia
The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (Rights & Democracy), is a non-partisan, independent Canadian institution that was established by an act of the Canadian parliament in 1988 to "encourage and support the universal values of human rights
and the promotion of democratic institutions and practices around the world." It receives around C$11m per year in funding from the Canadian government.
R&D works with individuals, organizations and governments in Canada and abroad to promote the human and democratic rights defined in the United Nations' International Bill of Human Rights. One of its most enduring efforts has been to protect citizens from rights abuses perpetrated by corporations. To this end, it developed a series of tools for Human Rights Impact Assessment
that can be carried out by civil society groups.
Aurel Braun
was appointed chair of R&D's board of directors in January 2009. His time with the organization has been full of conflict, not least over funding provided to two Palestinian and one Israeli human rights organisation. Following a particularly hostile board meeting in January 2010, the organization's president, Rémy Beauregard, died of a heart attack, and board members Sima Samar
and Payam Akhavan
resigned. Subsequently 45 of the centre's 47 staff demanded Braun's resignation, accusing him of "a pattern of harassment", and four members of the board requested "a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Beauregard's death, with a focus on the role and conduct of the board".
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...
and the promotion of democratic institutions and practices around the world." It receives around C$11m per year in funding from the Canadian government.
R&D works with individuals, organizations and governments in Canada and abroad to promote the human and democratic rights defined in the United Nations' International Bill of Human Rights. One of its most enduring efforts has been to protect citizens from rights abuses perpetrated by corporations. To this end, it developed a series of tools for Human Rights Impact Assessment
Human Rights Impact Assessment
Human Rights Impact Assessment is a process for systematically identifying, predicting and responding to the potential human rights impacts of a business operation, capital project, government policy, or trade agreement...
that can be carried out by civil society groups.
Aurel Braun
Aurel Braun
Aurel Braun is Professor of International Relations and Political Science at the University of Toronto. He is also a senior member of the Centre for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and of the Centre for International Studies, and a Fellow and Senator of Trinity College at the...
was appointed chair of R&D's board of directors in January 2009. His time with the organization has been full of conflict, not least over funding provided to two Palestinian and one Israeli human rights organisation. Following a particularly hostile board meeting in January 2010, the organization's president, Rémy Beauregard, died of a heart attack, and board members Sima Samar
Sima Samar
Dr. Sima Samar OC is a politician in Afghanistan, who served as Minister of Women's Affairs of Afghanistan from December 2001 to 2003...
and Payam Akhavan
Payam Akhavan
Payam Akhavan is a Professor of International Law at McGill University. He is the co-founder of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre in New Haven, Connecticut, an organization devoted to documenting human rights violations in Iran....
resigned. Subsequently 45 of the centre's 47 staff demanded Braun's resignation, accusing him of "a pattern of harassment", and four members of the board requested "a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Beauregard's death, with a focus on the role and conduct of the board".
External links
- Official website
- Maclean's article on internal troubles
- Radio documentary from CBC RadioCBC RadioCBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
'sThe CurrentThe Current (radio program)The Current is a Canadian current affairs radio program, hosted by investigative reporter Anna Maria Tremonti on CBC Radio One. It airs weekdays starting at 8:37 a.m. local time and runs until 10 a.m. for most of the year, although during the summer the program airs until 9:30 a.m...
on Rights and Democracy' s internal strife: Part I Part II - Sourcewatch article