The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) organised a 4 day training workshop in Tunisia for 15 Libyan civil society organisationson strategic planning and project management. The training, which was eff
ectively concluded on September 3 focused on developing an institutional vision and mission as well as strategic objectives for the organizations, knowledge exchange on the nature of challenges facing civil society in Libya and ways to address themusing a participatory approach through various tools, as well as the implications of the context in which the Libyan organisations operate in defining their interim and long term goals.
In addition, CIHRS held a seminar titled ‘Between Peace in Tunisia and Armed Conflict in Libya: The Role of Human Rights Defendersand Civil Society’ The panel included Hassan Al Amin -Libyan journalist and human rights defender, Zahraa Langhi-Director of the Libyan Women Platform for Peace, Tunisian scholar Salah El Dein Al Jourshi, and Massaoud Romdhani- CIHRS representative in Tunisia.The seminar discussed ways to strengthen Libyan civil society in light of the absence of state institutions and challenges faced by the proliferationof armed groups and to learn from past experiences of Tunisian civil society and their active role in the democratic transition in Tunisia.
This was followed by a two day workshop, 5-6 September, where all participating organizations came together to assess the present human rights situation in Libya, the challenges they face, exchange information on the activities and objectives of each organizationand collectively discuss a joint plan of action. On September 6, Libyan civil society organizations met with a number of international human rights organizations concerned with the situation in Libya, representatives from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, as well representativesfrom the European Union and a number of other European countries; to exchange views and discuss advocacy efforts at the national and international level for the protection of human rights.
The Libyan organizations involved, in cooperation with CIHRS, are part of a platform established in March 2016 that will extend its activities for the coming two years with the objective of supportingLibyan civil society in a climate dominated by violenceand weak institutional capacities as well asfacilitating ongoing dialogue and reflection amongst the organizations involved and with international organizations concerned with the situation in Libya. This occurs through a multidimensional process that involves research, documentation, legal assistance, advocacy and shared experience. Follow up meetings and further trainings will take place in the coming period.
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