Human Rights Commission

The concerning human rights situation in the Philippines and the vulnerability of indigenous peoples to human rights abuses led to the bilateral project between the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) and the NZ Human Rights Commission (funded by NZAID).

Three communities were identified as at risk of, or had experienced, human rights abuses – the Kankan-ey, Higaonon and Sama Dilaut/Bajau. These groups were subsequently invited to participate in this project.

Building Human Rights Communities

The project worked to empower these vulnerable communities by using a human rights community development approach delivered by specialist project teams. The project participants learnt to identify their human rights issues, prioritise and implement strategies to deal with these, appoint human rights advocates and commit to continuing with identified actions after the formal conclusion of the project.

Although the two-year project concluded in 2010, it is hoped that ongoing support of the CHRP and many organisations and agencies involved will continue to sustain the development of self-reliant and respectful communities.

Read the story of this project Building Human Rights Communities – The experience of three indigenous peoples in the Philippines (PDF).

Read Rosslyn Noonan’s speech at the closing programme in Manila, 21 March 2011.

Read the background information to this project.