The Legal Information Centre for Human Rights was founded on May 2,
1994. Intimately involved in the setting up and consolidation of LICHR were
the non-governmental organizations of Denmark and Estonia. LICHR launched
its activities at the beginning of January 1995.
Partners
LICHR operates in close contact and tight co-operation with the Government
and Parliament of Estonia, the political parties, NGOs, educational and
research institutions and the international public. Among its partners
are the Danish Centre for Human Rights, Netherlands Helsinki Committee,
Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, International Minority Rights Group
- London, OSCE Mission to Estonia, OSI-Budapest, European Commissioner,
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, IOM etc.
Spheres of activities
In its activities, LICHR has mapped four high priority strategic spheres:
1. Conflict prevention: identifying the causes of potential conflicts
through analysis and dissemination of information, as well as by enhancement
of awareness and knowledge about the human rights;
2. Fostering the creation of a society, basing on culture and standard
human rights;
3. Analysis of the legislation for its conformity with the international
instruments on human rights;
4. Provision of legal advice and aid to individuals and groups of individuals,
whose rights are not duly guaranteed or are violated.
From March 2002, LICHR participates in the activity on the IOM project
“Prevention of Trafficking in Women in the Baltic Region”. LICHR provides
the legal counseling and assistances through hotline. The most interest
of the hotline clients is to know information concerning the job abroad.
Nevertheless, LICHR makes every effort to study the situation, to protect
victims and to prevent the potential crimes both in individual and in global
level.
LICHR staff has provided information to journalists and international
organizations (such as IOM, La Strada-Ukraine, Nordic Council of Ministers)
concerning cases and policy recommendations. LICHR has provided information
about some cases on trafficking with legal comments to local and neighboring
countries’ mass media. In addition, we have written some articles published
in the local newspapers and in LICHR Website.