The first working group on the implementation of the Human Rights Guide in the Eastern Partnership countries - Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - took place in Riga from 7th to 8th September. 

The Baltic Human Rights Society launched the Human Rights Guide in the Eastern Partnership countries in July 2022. The project will provide each partner country with the Human Rights Guide, an online, community-oriented, universal and easy-to-use platform for human rights education and self-help. This platform is already available in several European countries (humanrightsguide.eu) and will be implemented and adapted in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine as part of this project.

The first working group of the project included project partners from the Ukrainian Centre for Civil Liberties, the Moldovan Human Rights Embassy and the Georgian Foundation for the Support of Legal Education of GYLA, which will ensure the adaptation of the Guide’s content and the implementation of the Guide in their respective countries. The working group was coordinated and chaired by Agnese Koligina-Balode, Executive Director of the Baltic Human Rights Society, Arina Melse, Lead Researcher, Elina Rancane, Project Coordinator, and Caroline Bouzat, Consultant.

The first day of the working group opened with an address by the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia. This was followed by presentations on the project, the research methodology and structure of the Guide, while IT solutions and design issues were also discussed. The project partners agreed on a work programme for 2022/2023 and discussed dissemination and communication opportunities within the project.

On the second day, a practical workshop was held on the preparation, editing, translation, checking and publication of texts in the Guide. The workshop outlined both the work process and the various technical details that need to be considered when working with the content of the Guide. The workshop ended with a discussion of the functionalities that complement the educational content of the Guide - tests, case law, law and infographics.

The Guide is expected to be online in all three partner countries in September 2023.

The project is being financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia under the "Development Cooperation Projects and International Aid" Programme. The project is being supported by the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia as associate partner and by the Estonian Human Rights Centre and Human Rights Voice - partners of the Human Rights Guide in Estonia and Lithuania.