The Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos of Nicaragua was founded in 1977 by a group of notable citizens who courageously opposed human rights violations perpetrated by the government of then president General Anastasio Somoza Debayle against the Nicaraguan People. The dedicated work of the Comisión has continued over the course of six different governments and their accompanying ideologies while holding true to its guiding principle: protecting the Human Rights of the People of Nicaragua.
We have direct presence through our subsidiaries in four departments and one of the two autonomous regions of the country (Managua, Matagalpa, Jinotega and Granada) and through our network comprised of 1,200 volunteers defending human rights across six departments including the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (Chontales, Carazo, Chinandega, León, Boaco, Masaya, Rivas and RAAS). We are currently reaching more than two million inhabitants (46% of the total population), of which 65% are located in urban areas and 35% in rural areas. 51% are female and 49% are male.
We currently operate through three key areas of work indentified in our strategic plan for 2010-2014:
PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:.
1. Training (leaders, network of volunteers, staff of CPDH)
2. Social awareness (public officials, civil servants, private enterprise, International Cooperation).
3. Information and communication with the general public through:
1. Mass media.
2. Word of Mouth
3. Production of educational and informative material.
DEFENSE, PROTECTION AND RESTITUTION:
• Our process of dealing with complaints and victims of human rights violations serves an average of 1,500 complaints per year. Of these complaints, 50% are about domestic and sexual violence, 20% are against the national police, 15% deal with labor rights violations, 10% are regarding the complete denial of or hindering of the judicial process and various other rights violations.
• Mobilizing social pressure for the defense and restoration of violated human rights. In the process of addressing and resolving complaints, CPDH Works constantly with the National Police, Criminal and Civil Courts, the National Prison System, the Public Defender, the Public Prosecutor and the Institute of Legal Medicine.
• Case management before public institutions, the development of judicial and legal resources with the institutions responsible for administering justice.
• Handling of complaints and cases before international courts of human rights, particularly before the CIDH
LEGAL ADVOCACY:
• Develop and mobilize support to make proposals
• In public policy, particularly social public policy
• In the national legal framework
• In making decisions regarding public resources
• Defining positions on key human rights issues.
• Research, monitoring and social audit.
• Monitoring the national state of human rights by its components: Health, Education, Civic Participation and the Municipal Budget, Worker Rights, Environment, Accessibility of the Judicial System, and Domestic and Sexual violence.
• Civic Participation
• In the management of the Municipal Budget.
• Advise and support opportunities for participation in advocacy
• Coordination and Partnerships.
• lobbying.
Cross-cutting issues: Human Rights, Gender and Generational Differences, Democracy, Civic Participation, Political Advocacy.
We have a professional team composed of lawyers, psychologists and sociologists, who are responsible for developing the necessary steps to achieve our objectives. Our team is supported by a network of promoters in each of the departments. This network has been developed through training activities, counseling and educational materials to ensure that its members are provided with the necessary support to function efficiently.
In particular, we have coordinated our efforts with the Courts, the National Police, the Public Prosecutor, and the National Prison System, to ensure respect for both victims of human rights violations and persons deprived of liberty.
In this capacity, we deal with complaints by consulting with the victim and their families and coordinating with government and non-government agencies to ensure comprehensive care and protection of human rights. Through collectively written proposals, we develop advocacy actions directly to update and modernize the legal framework to reflect the advancements made in human rights. In realizing this goal, we enjoy proactive participation from several organizations including: propios de sociedad civil Unión Ciudadana por la Democracia (Citizen´s Union for Democracy) and the Organización Permanente de Sociedad Civil por el Acceso a la Justicia (The Organization for Permanent Access to Justice), etc.
PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS..
PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED BY CPDH IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS |
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AGENCY |
PROJECT |
SUMMARY |
Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Democracia (Foundation for the Development of Democracy) - NED-USA |
CITIZEN WATCH FOR THE RIGHT TO JUSTICE phase I and II, (July 2007 – June 2009) |
Consisted of developing a process of direct observation of the institutions responsible for administering justice, acknowledging the experience of the system´s users, receiving complaints of delays in justice and violations of human rights, and directing proposals to the appropriate institutions to achieve changes and improve the system. |
Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Democracia (Foundation for the Development of Democracy) - NED-USA |
Citizens for Free Access to Justice, phase I and II (July 2009 – June 2011) |
Consisted of developing an advocacy process in the institutions administering justice through the development of support activities, management, coordination, and social awareness of victims of human rights violations access to justice (running until June 2010) |
Instituto Republicano Internacional (International Republican Institute) (IRI) |
"Awareness campaign for citizens to exercise the right to vote for Democratic candidates in the Municipal Elections of 2008" |
Through this Project, CPDH in coordination with Hagamos Democracia (Let There Be Democracy) instituted a program designed to raise public awareness about the importance of voting. To recognize this end, the objectives have been geared towards: A. Raising public awareness about the need for Nicaraguans to vote for democratic candidates to prevent the establishment of a dictatorship in Nicaragua. B. To provide the voting population with the profile of an ideal democratic candidate for Mayor. |
Programa de Transparencia (Transparency Program) USAID |
SOCIAL COMMITTMENTS AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS OF 2008 |
This project aims to create a process in which citizens are provided with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively participate in the political process and take advantage of the opportunities political parties offer. |
Programa de Transparencia (Transparency Program) USAID |
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION FOR LOCAL DEMOCRACY- MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2008 |
With this Project, CPDH developed an information campaign in the municipalities in which CPDH conducted training programs with journalists on the legal framework. The campaign ¨Don´t stay in your house this November 9th, Vote for your future¨ consisted of the presentation of informative vignettes using the electoral context and the official calendar published by the CSE. |
Transparencia (Transparency Program) - USAID- |
CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT |
This program developed actions for strengthening the Committee for Municipal Development. Through technical assistance and the strengthening of the CMD´s leadership, this program encouraged civic participation and the use of established mechanisms during changes in local government. |
Fondo Común de Apoyo a la Sociedad Civil para la Gobernabilidad Democrática. (Common Fund to Support Civil Society for Democratic Governance) |
Human Rights Defenders for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence (May 2009 – March 2011). |
This program provided psychological and legal care for the victims as well as coordinated with both public and private institutions to ensure comprehensive care for women and children victims of domestic and sexual violence. |
AED – USAID |
Building Strategic Instruments for Institutional Leadership CPDH 2009 – 2010 |
This Project aims at developing a set of tools to aid institutions in their work including the 2010-2014 strategic plan for CPDH and the internal regulations and manual of positions and functions. |
Unión Europea (European Union) |
Strengthening and Institutionalization of Civic Participation in the Implementation of Social Policies at the Local Level |
This Project develops programs in four municipalities (Camoapa, Jinotega, Boaco and Granada) in order to strengthen community organization and civic participation. This project will operate for three years, beginning in October 2009 and ending in September 2012 for a total amount of $478,400. |
AED – ICNL - USAID |
Promotion and Defense of the Freedom of Association |
This program has consisted of regional exhibitions to promote the right of freedom of association. |
ASDI – Suecia (Sweden) |
Strengthening Civic Participation for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (January 2007 – March 2008) |
This project strengthened the capacity of our network of promoters to disseminate information to the public with emphasis on care for victims of domestic and sexual violence. This project involved training workshops, advisory visits with victims and the overall coordination of processing the victim´s complaint with legal and psychological care. This project also coordinated participation in our network´s efforts to develop educational programs in schools, universities and local institutions. |
Programa Estado de Derecho (Rule of Law Program) – USAID |
Training Promoters of Rural Justice in four municipalities of the Department of Chontales. (April 2007 – February 2008) |
This program consisted of the selection and training (training processes, support and technical assistance) of 70 promoters responsible for facilitating justice in rural communities in four municipalities of the Department of Chontales (Comalapa, Cuapa, Juigalpa and Acoyapa). This process involved creating a series of workshops with different themes (mediation, fundamental rights, family, property, children´s rights, gender, violence and other criminal offenses) to enable the promoters to resolve conflicts and provide the public with information on the procedures and requirements of the judicial system. |
Fondo Común de Apoyo a la Sociedad Civil para la Gobernabilidad Democrática. (Common Fund to Support a Civil Society for Democratic Governance) |
Active Citizens for the Defense of Human Rights in Health, Education and Local Development (July 2007 - March 2010) |
This project focused on developing the skills and abilities of the promoters and their partners to successfully monitor and influence the creation of health and education policies and to influence and participate in the creation of the local budget. At the conclusion of this project, the project is expected to produce concrete proposals to be adopted by the new local governments in 2009 and to contribute to changes in policies and the budget for health and education. |
Programa Estado de Derecho (Rule of Law Program) – USAID |
Civic Advocacy in the Administration of Justice Phase I and II. August 2006 – August 2008. |
This project focused on the application and adoption of a code of conduct and code of ethics for members of the judicial system. This information enables citizens to organize and demand compliance with the code by officials. |
ASDI – Suecia (Sweden) |
Training in Human Rights and Legal Services for Women, Adolescents and Children in Nicaragua (2004 – 2006) |
This project trained a network capable of defending human rights, establishing supporting groups and training programs at colleges and universities, and providing care and support to victims of human rights violations, especially those victims of domestic and sexual violence. |
LEGALITY:
From a legal perspective, the Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos de Nicaragua - C.P.D.H, operates under the Constitution and the guidance of Law No. 147, the law of nonprofit organizations. CPDH gained its legal identity by decree No. 388 of the National Assembly, published in the Official Gazzette No 79 on May 3 1991. CPDH is registered as a nonprofit organization with the Department of Registration and Associations of the Ministry of Interior under perpetual number 199.
MISSION:
To ensure respect of Human Rights in Nicaragua through research, monitoring, supporting victims of human rights violations, influencing legislation and public policies relating to universal human rights, increasing awareness of human rights violations, negotiating and resolving conflicts while maintaining a reputation for integrity and experience.
VISION:
To be the Human Rights organization serving the people of Nicaragua with credibility, efficiency and effect towards the attainment of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect of rights and freedoms inherent in human dignity; to ensure that these rights are protected through the formulation and implementation of laws and fair public policies that guarantee equal opportunities, promote the elimination of impunity for crimes, and eliminate poverty for present and future generations.
Members of the Board of Directors:
Doctor Nicolás Bolaños Geyer President
Lic. Carlos Huembes Trejos Vice Presidente
Lic. Raymond Genie Peñalba Secretary
Dr. Mauricio Lacayo Treasurer
Sra. Digna Zamora de Corea Senior Member
Sra. Argentina Novoa de Rivas Member
Sra. Auxiliadora Herdocia Member
Monseñor Amado Peña Member
Dra. Vilma Navarrete Arauz Member
Lic. Ariel Montoya Member
Dr. Hugo España Member
Executive Secratary of CPDH since 2002: Lic. Marcos Carmona Rivera
CPDH DE NICARAGUA