Source description last updated: 14 October 2020

In brief: EuroMed Rights, which was founded in 1997 as the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), is a non-governmental organisation aiming to promote cooperation and dialogue in and between countries on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Reports for countries of priorities A-C.

Monthly coverage on ecoi.net.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“EuroMed Rights, formerly the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), is a non-governmental organisation aiming to promote cooperation and dialogue in and between countries on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.” It “[...]is a network representing 80 human rights organisations, institutions and defenders in 30 countries. It was founded in 1997 […] by civil society organisations dedicated to promoting human rights and democracy within the framework of the European Partnership. […] EuroMed Right’s mission is to promote and strengthen human rights and democratic reforms at regional and national levels. By creating network opportunities and encouraging civil society cooperation, EuroMed Rights aims to develop and strengthen the partnerships between NGOs located within the Euro-Mediterranean area, to spread and promote human rights values and to increase members’ capacities to reach these objectives. […] The network strives to support and protect human rights defenders, in particular its members and their work when they are threatened.” (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

“EuroMed Rights focuses its work around the following themes:

• Shrinking space for civil society
• Women’s rights and gender justice
• Migration and asylum
• Social and economic rights
• Justice and the rule of law (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

Funding

The total operating income for 2017 was EUR 3,007,830. It consisted of EUR 2,925,424 in subsidies, EUR 7,030 in membership fees and EUR 75,376 in other income. (EuroMed Rights: EuroMed Rights - Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network; Annual Report, 13 June 2018, p. 10)

“EuroMed Rights fundraising strategy is articulated around three general principles; ensuring the network’s independence; minimising our donor dependence and guaranteeing our financial sustainability.” (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

“EuroMed Rights has during the past three years conducted fund raising activities according to a strategy adopted by the EC in 2013. On this basis, the Network succeeded in diversifying funding sources and increasing the number of donors that provide core funds. However, its equity remains disproportionately low compared to the size of the organization.” (EuroMed Rights: 11th General Assembly of EuroMed Rights; Work Programme 2018 - 2021, 2018, p. 32)

“The Network will accept funds from public and private donors when they sustain activities that fall within the Network’s remit, strategic plan and work programme, and only insofar as its right to freely express its opinions and policies is respected and not compromised by political conditions […] The organisation aims at being in a financial position where one donor does not fund more than one third of the total activities […]“ (EuroMed Rights: 11th General Assembly of EuroMed Rights; Work Programme 2018 - 2021, 2018, p. 33)

In 2018, EuroMed Rights has received financial support from Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), the Danish-Arab Partnership Programme, the European Union, the Church of Sweden, Fondation de France, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, Open Society Foundations, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swiss Confederation and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. (EuroMed Rights: EuroMed Rights Annual Report 2018, June 2019, p. 26)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Countries on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea (The network currently manages programs covering Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Occupied Palestinian Territory/Israel and Turkey.) (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

Thematic focus: Eonomic and Social Rights; Gender Equality and Women’s Rights; Migration and Asylum; Palestine, Israel and the Palestinians (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

Methodology:

“To implement its mission, EuroMed Rights sets up thematic working groups and solidarity groups. Twice a year, these groups exchange information and expertise within their respective fields, formulate policy recommmendations, network and ensure the effective implementation of EuroMed Rights’ strategy and agenda. Each working group has a gender focal point tasked with ensuring gender mainstreaming in all activities. Working and solidarity groups can be ad hoc or permanent.” (EuroMed Rights Website, Who We Are, undated)

“The different EuroMed Rights groups will be sites for capacity building of members and partners through mutual learning processes, targeted trainings, access to colleagues in the region, etc. […] EuroMed Rights seeks to influence decision makers and civil society rather than the public at large, while it also uses communication tools to highlight the situation of its members, in particular when they are at risk. EuroMed Rights will […] continue to publish regular news letters, issue alerts, press releases and statements, briefs and reports and further refine its outreach to well defined target groups. […] EuroMed Rights will continue to systematically engage with partners at all levels seeking alliances with – and outreach to – international non-governmental organisations, environmental and development groups, social forums, political and religious groups where relevant. In addition, it will continue to conduct formal and informal consultations with its associate members, international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, FIDH and the OMCT. It will also pursue its close cooperation with the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Support of Human Rights Defenders (EMHRF) that was established by EuroMed Rights in 2004. […] EuroMed Rights will through gender mainstreaming continue to actively contribute to the strengthening of gender equality within the Network at all organisational levels [...]” (EuroMed Rights: 11th General Assembly of EuroMed Rights; Work Programme 2018 - 2021, 2018, p. 28-31)

Languages of publications:

English, French and Arabic

Further reading / links:

EuroMed Rights: EuroMed Rights Annual Report 2018, June 2019
https://euromedrights.org/publication/euromed-rights-2018-annual-report/

EuroMed Rights Website: Our Members, undated
https://euromedrights.org/members/

EuroMed Rights: Euro-Med Rights Network’s WG Methodology; An introduction (EuroMed Rights Concept Paper and guidelines on the Wgs), June 2016
https://euromedrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Methodology-English.pdf

EuroMed Rights: 11^th General Assembly of EuroMed Rights; Work Programme 2018 – 2021, 2018
https://euromedrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Work-programme-and-Strategy-2018-2021_EN.pdf

Van Hüllen, Vera: Transnationalising Euro-Mediterranean Relations; The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network as an Intermediary Actor, Freie Universität Berlin, November 2008
https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/18610/2008-9_vanHuellen.pdf


All links accessed 14 October 2020.