Source description last updated: 7 January 2020

In brief: The South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC) a New Delhi-based network of activists across South Asia that investigates, documents and disseminates information about human rights issues relevant to the region

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Human Rights Features (HRF) Monthly

Covered monthly on ecoi.net, for countries of priorities A, B and C.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

The SAHRDC aims to “investigate, document and disseminate information about human rights treaties and conventions, human rights education” and a variety of human rights issues. (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

“SAHRDC collects information on human rights, specifically on violations of civil and political rights.” It documents information on: “human rights education; arrest, detention and disappearances; refugees and asylum; torture, capital punishment and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; freedom of the media; custodial deaths; and extrajudicial killings.” (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

In addition, SAHRDC, whenever necessary, requests national and international human rights organisations to appeal to governments to stop human rights violations. The Centre has also been conducting a number of human rights training programmes in South and East Asia. (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

The publication series “Human Rights Features (HRF) aim[s] to look at the at issue behind the headlines” (SAHRDC website: Human Rights Features (HRF), undated).

Funding:

“The office of SAHRDC […] is a small office with little resources.” The SAHRDC explains that it has been unable to receive funding from international donor agencies” due to restrictions under India’s Foreign Contribution Act (FCRA). “SAHRDC supports itself by subscriptions and professional fees paid for its information services. It also mobilizes small donations in India.” (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: India and other South Asian countries

Thematic focus: Human rights education; arrest, detention and disappearances; refugees and asylum; torture, capital punishment and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; freedom of the media; custodial deaths and extrajudicial killings

Methodology:

“The type or form of information collated includes international instruments, national legislation, court documents, affidavits, data questionnaires, reports, leaflets, letters, clippings from media reports and books.

Our information sources are individuals, human rights activists and groups, lawyers, journalists, media and national and international organizations.” (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

HRF Monthly reports are written in narrative style either without numbered references (although sources may be mentioned generically in the text body) (see, for example, SAHRDC: Communal Conflict and the Plight of Religious Minorities in India, July 2015) or, if published as a commentary in the journal Economic & Political Weekly, may include references in the form of endnotes (see, for example, SAHRDC: Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Bill Another Building Block in the Edifice of Authoritarianism, 18 April 2015).

Language of publication:

“All our information is either in English or translated into English from other languages.” (SAHRDC website: About SAHRDC, undated)

 

All links accessed 7 January 2020