Human Rights Forum (HURF)

HURF aims to protect and promote human rights and encourage peace in Nepal by establishing systems to resolve disputes peacefully.

Overview

The Human Rights Forum was established to work on human rights and peace. It was registered at the District Administration Office and affiliated with the Social Welfare Council as a non-governmental organisation. It is district-based and works at the local and district levels for the promotion and protection of universal human rights and the establishment of lasting peace. The organisation has the following specific aims and objectives:

• to develop a culture of facilitation, mediation and negotiation to resolve disputes and conflicts;
• to minimise the impact of local differences, disputes and conflict;
• to promote and encourage people to practise nonviolent means of conflict resolution when necessary;
• to develop a culture of human rights and peace;
• to pressure the conflicting parties to resolve conflict through peaceful means by putting forward examples established by the organization;
• to ensure justice for women, poor and marginalised people and Dalits.

HURF has been working on human rights and peace since its establishment. It has been alarmed by the impacts of conflict on the human rights situation and has noticed that people have been gradually accepting and acknowledging violence as a means of conflict resolution due to the Maoists' strategic use of violence.

The organisation therefore felt that an initiative was needed immediately in order to increase support for peaceful means of conflict resolution and for an improvement in the human rights situation. The initiative, “Community Mediation Programme”, has had a huge impact on local people and has raised their awareness of various peaceful means for conflict resolution.

What Services Are Provided?

• Documentation of disputes and conflicts
• Interactions
• Facilitation, mediation and negotiation for resolving conflict
• Training on facilitation, mediation and negotiation
• Training on human rights, conflict transformation and peacebuilding
• Legal training

Geographical area of operation

Ilam district in the Eastern Region of Nepal.

Funding Resources

Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT).

What further information would you like?

HURF would like information on national, regional and international organisations working on human rights and peace.

What new contacts would you like to make?

The organisation would like to develop relationships with people who are working in the human rights and peace sectors.

Associated Organisations

Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT).