International Conference
“National Human Rights Institutions: Turkey and the World”
5-6 December 2005 - Aziz Köklü Hall in the Faculty of Political Sciences

Theme
National institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights. Guiding principles, alternative organisation models, the global picture and the national experiences of Turkey.

Aims and Objective
Promoting the debate on the theme by scholars and the experts from the international bodies, NGOs, universities and the government.

Scope and the Goals
Within the last two decades, the world has witnessed a proliferation of national institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights. Promoted by the United Nations and guided by international standards such as the Paris Principles, national institutions have played a major role for the protection of human rights both at the national and international level. Most countries today have national institutions organised in accordance with international standards and the particular needs of the country concerned. Turkey, too, has experienced similar developments since the early 1990s. However, this experience seems more likely to be an endless search of institutional design than an institutional consolidation. Recently, the search for a new and effective institution has gained a new dimension, thanks to the government, NGOs and the Danish Institute of Human Rights. The new initiative to set up a national institution in Turkey aims the participation of the civil society in the process from the very beginning, namely – the formation of the institution.

Providing an opportunity for a discussion on the theme by renowned experts and scholars, this conference will contribute to the ongoing studies on the formation of an effective national human rights body in Turkey. Hosted by Faculty of Political Sciences and organized by the Human Rights Centre, the conference is expected to be a significant contribution to the debates on National Human Rights Institutions. The Conference is supported by Heinrich Böll Stiftung Association.

Organisation
By the Committee on behalf of the Human Rights Centre

Prof. Dr. Gencay ŞAYLAN
Prof. Dr. Cem EROĞUL
Prof. Dr. Baskın ORAN
Ass. Prof. Dr. Kerem ALTIPARMAK
Cavidan SOYKAN
Ertuğrul Cenk GÜRCAN
Hasan Sayim VURAL