Image credit: CIP
The Centre for Support of International Protection (CIP) is a leading human rights NGO in Southern Kyrgyzstan working towards justice and social inclusiveness through the provision of free legal aid, legislative reform, provision of humanitarian assistance and strategic litigation. It was created in 2007 by a group of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan.
Activities
The Centre's key activities are advocacy and monitoring of national legislation for conformity with international human rights standards and their implementation, the preparation of alternative reports on execution in the Kyrgyz Republic, and on the the commitments undertaken in the framework of the UN Conventions and other international legislation.
The Centre includes a reception area where local victims of rights abuse in the Osh, Jalalabat and Batken regions can approach experienced staff and receive free, high quality legal consultation. Such assistance includes the drafting of legal complaints, the initiation of domestic litigation, and representation before a number of government organs. In the cases of exhausted or ineffective domestic remedies, CIP also has experience preparing complaints for the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Since 2012, the organisation has also been working in conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the south of Kyrgyzstan.
Image credit: CIP
Peacebuilding projects
The Centre for Support of International Protection implements the following main peacebuilding projects:
- Ensuring the sustainable reintegration of internally displaced persons, forced migrants and returnees to southern Kyrgyzstan funded by UNHCR. The main purpose of this project is to mobilise the local communities for peace and free legal support.
- The promotion of human rights, funded by NED, aims to strengthen the capacity of lawyers and activities in the field of human rights in the country. In the framework of this project, the organisation provides legal aid in the south, monitors human rights abuses, advocates for legislative improvements, and prepares individual complaints and alternative reports for submission to the UN Human Rights Commission.
