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China Centers

Page history last edited by Jeff Plantilla 3 years, 5 months ago

China CentersKnown Centers based in ChinaIf your center is not in this list and you want to be added, please contact HURIGHTS OSAKA and we will assist you.

 


 

Beijing Children’s Legal Aid and Research Center

 

 

Year Established: 1999


Short Historical Background

 

The Beijing Children’s Legal Aid and Research Center (BCLARC) is the first Chinese civil society organization(CSO) on children’s legal aid and research. The BCLARC was founded in 1999 as the Children’s Legal Aid and Research Center through the joint efforts of the Beijing Zhicheng Law Firm and the China Association for Research on Juvenile Delinquency Research. In 2003 the organization registered with the Beijing Bureau of Civil Affairs as an independent CSO with the name of Beijing Children’s Legal Aid and Research Center. Also in 2003, the BCLARC became the administrative office of the Special Committee on Child Protection of the All China Lawyers Association. Since its founding, the BCLARC has played a leading role in encouraging and guiding lawyers across China to engage in child protection work. It was granted special consultative status by the Economic and Social Council in 2011.

Objectives


The BCLARC’s mission is to promote child welfare in China. Its goal is to encourage lawyers’ participation in child protection, to set up an integrated network of professionals, organizations and government departments in the field of child protection and to enhance child law research and legislation in this field.


The objectives of the BCLARC are:

 

  1. To give children access to justice through free legal advice and court representation;
  2. To promote the legal profession more engaged in children’s rights;
  3. To empower children as independent citizens by promoting children’s right to participation;
  4. To give children integrated protection through multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary efforts;
  5. To promote legal reform for children’s rights by empirical research and legal advocacy.


Programs


The BCLARC conducts a large variety of programs ranging from the direct provision of legal services and aid to children and their families, to conducting research and participating in legislation, policy making and education.

 

In 1999, the BCLARC established the Chinese Network of Children’s Legal Aid Lawyers in order to establish a professional team of child protection lawyers. The Lawyers Network is to provide children whose rights have been infringed with access to professional legal aid lawyers, with the ultimate aim of effective protection of the rights of children around the country. Currently, the Lawyers Network consists of more than 8,900 lawyers from 31 provinces (autonomous regions/municipalities) .

  • In May 2003, the BCLARC established the China Child Protection Media Support Network in order to aid the BCLARC and the media to work in collaboration to enhance child protection work in China. Since establishing the Media Support Network, the BCLARC has given working with the media to raise awareness of children’s rights protection a high priority. The BCLARC has cooperated with various media outlets to advocate child protection work, and has been interviewed over tens of thousands of times for such media outlets as: CCTV, CCTV Broadcasting Channel, China Radio International, China Education Channel, China Youth Daily, Legal Daily, China Education Daily, Secondary School Science Daily, 45 Kindergarten Education News, Beijing Youth Daily.
  • In 2003, the All China Lawyers Association established the Committee on the Protection of Minors. This is a public interest committee, with the objective of promoting legal profession on child protection; the Secretariat is based at the BCLARC, with Tong Lihua as the Director of the Committee and Zhang Xuemei as Secretary-General.
  • In 2004, the BCLARC initiated the Hundred Cities, Thousand Schools Program in order to educate school children about the legal system. Through lectures, mock trials, specific workshops, featured speeches, knowledge competitions, photo exhibitions and other activities, volunteer lawyers visited primary and secondary schools to educate the population on the protection of minors’ rights and promote the rule of law. 
  • In August 2006, the BCLARC aided the Sub-Foundation of Child Protection and Legal Aid in establishing The Juvenile Offenders Scholarship Program to support juvenile offenders to receive occupational training or go back to school and continue their education. This program has helped establish inter-agency cooperation within the child victim assistance system for having the courts participate in the program.
  • Since September 2006, the BCLARC started the New Start Program for Child Victims, with the aim to provide financial support to children whose rights were violated but who were not awarded compensation. This program helps children to re-establish the will and confidence, allowing for a new start to their lives. Since its establishment, the program has provided support and benefited more than 300 children, including orphans, child laborers, sexual abuse victims, injured school children and other severe personal injury victims. This program has been used as a model by provinces across the country. 
  • In 2007, the BCLARC initiated “Hundred Cities, Thousand Counties Education Program”, conducted training in 18 provinces around the country, covering more than 80 per cent of the counties, with over 1800 volunteer lawyers attending. This training was of particular importance in the history of Chinese lawyers’ participation in child protection work.
  • Since 2009, the BCLARC has initiated the establishment of specialized legal aid organizations for minors’ rights protection. It has promoted the establishment of 6 specialized organizations in Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi,Fujian, Inner Mongolia and Jiangsu Provinces. since 2009, the BCLARC has initiated the Juvenile Justice program, creating manuals on dealing with minors concerning criminal cases, conducting trainings on the rights protection of minors in criminal cases, and convening conferences on juvenile justice. 


Activities


In addition to the programs above, the BCLARC engages in the following activities:

  • Legal Consultation: providing direct legal consultations to underprivileged children whose rights have been infringed and who do not have the means to find legal representation. The BCLARC has two legal consultation hotlines (8610-63813995, 63835845), offering free legal consultation to children throughout the country. In addition, the BCLARC provides in-person, mail-in and web consultations. Since the establishment in November 2001, the BCLARC has provided free legal consultation (with written records) to more than 40,000 people.
  • Court representation for children: the BCLARC is committed to providing direct legal representation to children from impoverished families. Until the end of 2010, the BCLRAC has provided representation for children in about 380 court cases involving matters such as work and other injuries, sexual abuse, juvenile delinquency, welfare and custody.
  • Research Activities: developing manuals on handling child sexual abuse cases and providing legal aid services to children as well as legislative research on combating domestic violence. The BCLARC has published more than 50 publications and a number of reports.
  • Activities Related to Legislation: drafting legislation on children’s protection such as the Regulation on Street Children Protection and helping to amend the PRC Law on Protection of Minors.
  • Empowerment-Based Educational Activities: conducting more than 5000 educational trainings for children, their parents and also for additional trainers.
  • Child Protection Projects: compiling statistics and analysis on sexual abuse cases, training judges, prosecutors and lawyers on how to protect child victims, and providing financial support to children across China.
  • Dialogue with International Institutions: attending seminars, visiting and collaborating with other countries’ child protection organizations including those in Australia and the European Union as well as participating in United Nations and UNICEF activities.


Special Concerns


Though the BCLARC takes cases and conducts research in a variety of areas, recently the following areas have been the subject of special attention:

  • Promoting legal reform for bettering protection of children at risk.
  • Establishing a system to provide children who have been abused by their parents or caretakers with alternative living arrangements.
  • Helping children who are sexually assaulted or abused, and pushing for legislation that will protect them to a greater degree.
  • Cooperating with local partners for juvenile justice pilots.


Publications


The BCLARC considers publication and research one of its main missions, and has published more than 50 books and a hundred articles:

 

Books Published

  • Analysis on Classical cases for Minors’ Rights Protection, Law Press, 2012
  • Comparative Research on Child Welfare System, Law Press, 2012
  • Kiss My Dear Baby, Fujian Minors’ Press, 2011
  • Comparative Research on US-China Juvenile Justice Reform Initiatives , Law Press, 2010
  • Strive for Justice, Law Press, 2009
  • Legal Education for Youth (4 books), Law Press, 2009
  • The Framework on Child Protection , Law Press, (2008)
  • Research on Inter-Agency Child Protection Mechanism, Law Press,2008
  • The Series on Child Law (4 books), Law Press,2007, based on The Science of Child Law (2001) by Director Tong Lihua
  • Case Studies on Children’s Rights Protection (2007)
  • Building a Harmonious Society through Public Interest Law (2005)
  • Practical Workbooks on Protection of Elementary and Secondary School Students (3 books, 2004)
  • Guidebooks on Children’s Rights Protection and Juvenile Delinquency Prevention(4 books, 2002)
  • Little Legal Doctor Series (4 books, 2000)
  • Lawyer Tong Hotline Series (13 books, 1999)


Journal

 

  • China Lawyers and the Protection of Minors (bimonthly, since October 2004)

 

Articles Published

 

  • Comments on the New Policy toward Addressing Street Children Issue, 2011 Xinhua News Agency Outlook Weekly 1439, Page 50, By Wenjuan Zhang
  • Why Parents Can Abuse their Child without Legal Responsibility, [August 2011] Law and Life 448, page 24, By Wenjuan Zhang
  • How to Place Trafficked Children Whose Parents Cannot be Found after being Released by Police, 2011 Xinhua News Agency Outlook Weekly 1427, Page 46
  • Public Interest Law and the Development of the Legal Profession, 2010 Beijing Lawyers Magazine1, Page 26
  • Pilots and Experiences of Protecting Child Victims In Sexual Abuse Cases in Mainland China, Red Corporation Limited, 2009,Page 88
  • Comments on General Comment No. 10 - Children’s Rights in Juvenile Justice, Rule of Law in Asia E-Newsletter,Vol.1 No.3 Feb. 2008
  • Study of Establishing an Independent Chinese Child Health Insurance System, The Science of Child Law (Social Volume), Legal Press, 2007, Page 79,
  • Revised version reprinted by China Education Daily (3rd Ed, Mar. 9 2008)
  • Sexual Exploitation and Child Protection: A Serious Topic in Need of Greater Attention, The Science of Child Law (Social Volume), Legal Press, 2007, Page 294
  • Comparative Study of Chinese and U.S. Systems on the Application of Life Imprisonment to Juveniles: Taking the CRC Framework as a Model, The Science of Child Law (Judicial Volume), Legal Press, 2007, Page 245
  • No Use of Child Labor and Promotion of Child Protection— Reflection on the Child Slavery Scandal in Shanxi, 37 China Law. & Child. RIGHTS. Protection 30 (2007)
  • Observation on Child’s Right to Participation at Both Legislation and Law Enforcement Level, 2009 Child Law Studies 4, page 56.
  • Legislative Proposals on Anti-Domestic Violence against Minors [2012] China Lawyers and the Protection of Minors
  • Legislation and Practice on Anti-Domestic Violence against Women and Children [2011] China Lawyers and the Protection of Minors
  • Problems of the Civil Procedural Law on Protection of Minors and Proposals for Revision [2011] China Lawyers and the Protection of Minors
  • Research on Delinquencies of Children of Migrant Workers in Beijing [2011] Blue Book on Development of Beijing
  • Research on the Justice System for Children in Ireland [2006] Human Rights Journal.
  • Thoughts and Proposals on the Legal Aid System for Minors [2005] China Legal Aid


Address


Zhicheng Public Interest Law Building
No. 198 Fengtailukou dongli , Fengtai District, Beijing 100161 China
ph: 8610-6381-3995; 8610-6383-5845;
fax: 8610-6383-5279
e-mail: iiccp[a]126.com
www.chinachild.org

 

 

Beijing Zhicheng Migrant Workers’ Legal Aid and Research Center (BZMW)

 

 

Year Established: 2005


Short Historical Background


The Beijing Zhicheng Migrant Workers’ Legal Aid and Research Center (BZMW) is the first non-profit organization to provide fulltime, professional legal aid to migrant workers in China. It was first established as the Beijing Legal Aid Office for Migrant Workers (BLAOMW) on 8 September 2005 with the help of the Beijing Children’s Legal Aid and Research Center and Zhicheng Law Firm.

 

The office was staffed by a team of lawyers dedicated to providing free legal aid services to migrant workers. In July of 2009, BLAOMW was registered with the Beijing Ministry of Civil Affairs as what it is now known today. To promote more and more lawyers’ participation in migrant workers’ rights protection work, the BZMW has established to date 31 specialized and affiliated offices all over the country with a total of 83 fulltime lawyers and other staff. It was granted special consultative status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2011.

Objectives


BZMW aims to promote migrant workers’ welfare in China through direct legal aid, research, and reform. Migrant workers constitute a unique group in China that faces a large array of problems in the cities that they move into, including: unequal unemployment, inequitable or late payments, inadequate workplace health and safety protection, and lack of social and medical insurance, education and training. BZMW is committed to promoting the protection of migrant workers’ legal rights and interests, and improving the capacity of individuals to protect their rights.

Programs


The BZMW implements the following programs:

  • Migrant Worker Weekend Legal Education School – established in 26 April 2006, it provides classes to migrant workers on important legal knowledge enabling them to protect their own interests.
  • Assessment of the recent labor laws - BZMW evaluates the impact of the implementation of new laws such as 2008 labor laws (Labor Contract Law and the Labor Disputes Mediation and Arbitration Law), and disseminates the analysis through published assessment reports.
  • Cooperation with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) - BZMW cooperated with DIHR during the 2008-2010 period on protecting migrant workers rights. The financial support from DIHR, the six BZMW affiliated offices in western China supported capacity-building activities for full-time public interest lawyers working to empower migrant workers, and supported a databased study on the enforcement of new labor laws.
  • Migrant workers empowerment education program - BZMW holds training sessions for migrant workers both in construction sites and at law offices. In 2009, approximately 400 migrant workers participated in the training sessions and BZMW distributed more than 4,000 practical rights handbooks to migrant workers in order to raise their awareness of and capacity to protect their rights.
  • Training for lawyers working in legal aid offices outside Beijing - BZMW provides training (practical training and workplace observation at the BZMW office) for these lawyers on various topics including case analysis with reference to the law, advocacy techniques, and coordinating relationships among migrant workers, the government and the general public. It also sends it lawyers abroad for study tour such as the two-week study tour to Australia in 2008 and 2009 under the China-Australia Human Rights Technical Cooperation Program to learn best practices in workers protection.
  • Public Interest Law Forum - in December 2009, BZMW celebrated the tenth anniversary of Zhicheng Public Interest Law by holding a forum to strengthen the network of public interest lawyers in China and promote the mainstreaming of legal NGOs. This program brought together public interest lawyers, government officials, NGO advocates, and clients to discuss a variety of issues related to public interest law in China.
  • “Legal Aid Services for Migrant Workers in China” - this project organized with UNDP China office supported the establishment of 15 affiliated offices that would provide free legal aid services to migrant workers, training for fulltime professional migrant workers’ lawyers, legal education for the empowerment of migrant workers, and undertake comprehensive research on improving the legal environment in China to better serve disadvantaged groups.


Activities


In addition to the programs described above, the BZMW engages in the following activities on a long-term basis: Legal Consultation: BZMW provides migrant workers with free legal advice in various ways: two hotlines that provide timely and effective legal consultations (010-63813362, 63859982), and in-person, mail-in and web consultations (http://www.zgnmg.org).

 

Legal Representation for Migrant Workers: BZMW represents for free the migrant workers in mediation, arbitration, litigation, and other available legal channels for protecting their rights and interests.

 

In addition to general legal aid cases, the BZMW has also acted in special impact cases such as Xu Yange vs. KFC, about KFC’s nation-wide practice of discriminatory use of labor dispatch involving migrant workers.

Promotion of Lawyers: The BZMW promotes public interest lawyers engaged in the protection of migrant workers’ rights across the country and pays particular interest on training practitioners with the skills and expertise it has developed. Accordingly, the BZMW has organized various capacity-building seminars and workshops for lawyers on protection of migrant workers’ rights and NGO management.

 

The BZMW’s lawyers have given lectures at universities and participate regularly in university education seminars.

 

Legal Research and Reform: The BZMW conducts evidencebased research on labor laws and policies based on consultations and cases it has handled. Its research efforts include publishing legal articles, books and survey reports, and conducting research on legislative issues related to migrant workers. These publications aim to raise public awareness about migrant workers’ rights and have influenced law and policy reform, including the formulation of and revisions to the Law on Mediation and Arbitration of Labor Disputes, the Work-Related Injury Insurance Regulations, and the Social Insurance Law. The BZMW also provides the government with a large number of constructive recommendations on the basis of practical cases and lobbies the legislature to improve legal protection for migrant workers.


Legal Education: The BZMW empowers migrant workers through education programs to raise their awareness of the law, thereby improving migrant workers’ protection. The Center has organized numerous know-your-rights training sessions and distributed thousands of legal handbooks to migrant workers. In addition, the BZMW has also carried out training of trainers (TOT) programs for college students, barefoot lawyers and migrant workers, who amplify the organization’s impact by assisting workers in their local communities.


Community Outreach: The BZMW has developed a positive working relationship with many well-known media outlets, through which it advocates on behalf of migrant workers. Its cases and lawyers’ stories regularly appear in newspapers or on television programs.

 

The exposure helps the BZMW in carrying out public campaigns for the protection of migrant workers’ rights.
National Cooperative Network: In order to mobilize broad participation of lawyers in migrant workers legal aid work, the BZMW has established a national cooperative network for migrant workers coordinated by full-time lawyers with the participation of volunteer lawyers. This network was established with the support of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Commerce, financed by the Legal Aid Foundation of China and the UNDP, with efforts of the All China Lawyers Association and the Bar Association of different provinces. It includes a wide range of coverage, and focuses on fostering the first generation of full-time migrant workers’ lawyers.

 

Promotion of uniform practice: As the national headquarters of the migrant workers legal aid offices, the BZMW established best practice procedures and promotes these at all of the satellite offices through training and guidelines in an attempt to create a uniform, nationwide legal aid practice. The Center offers all new staff at satellite offices the opportunity to complete two weeks of on-the-job
training at the BZMW’s main office.

Publications


The BZMW conducts in-depth research on problems that emerge from its cases and as well as the existing flaws in the current labor laws related to migrant workers.

 

Books

 

  • How to Obtain Free Legal Aid (2006)
  • How to Demand Well-Earned Wages (2006)
  • How to Draw Up Labor Contracts (2007)
  • Legal Aid for Migrant Workers- A Handbook on Case Handling (2007)
  • Who Infringed Their Rights? – Analysis of Cases Concerning Migrant Workers’ Legal Rights in China, 5 annual volumes (2006-2012)
  • Labor Contract Law: The Guardian of Laborers (2008)
  • Strive for Justice (2009) Published reports
  • Annual Report on Migrant Workers’ Rights Protection (from September 2005 to September 2006)
  • Two Years’ Report on Migrant Workers’ Rights Protection (from September 2005 to September 2007)
  • Non-Payment of Wages Case Analysis (2006)
  • Report on Work-Related Injury Case Analysis (2007)
  • Report on Work-Related Injury Insurance for Migrant Workers – Legislative Proposal on the Revision of the Social Insurance Act and the Regulations on Work-Related Injury Insurance (2009)


Address


Beijing Zhicheng Migrant Workers’ Legal Aid and Research Center (BZMW)
Zhicheng Public Interest Law Building
No. 198 Fengtailukou Dongli, Fengtai District, Beijing 100161 China
ph: (8610) 6381-3362; 6383-5779
fax: (8610) 6383-5279
e-mail: Wangfang19791979[a]yahoo.cn
www.zcpi.org; www.zgnmg.org

  

 

Center for Law and Globalization Research(CGLS)

- Renmin University

 

Year Established: 1998

 

Short Historical Background

 

The Law and Globalization Research Center, affiliated with Renmin University, was founded in 1998 with fifteen researchers, among of which are ten professors, and five associate professors. The Center was the successor to the Jurisprudence Department, and has been permitted to grant masters and doctoral degrees by the Ministry of Education since 1986.

 

Objective

 

The Center aims to combine the general theory of law and globalization with both practical and academic research.

 

Programs and Activities 

 

The Center concentrates on law and globalization research and international exchange, whose main direction includes the general theory of law and globalization, globalization and human rights, globalization and Chinese legal system development.

 

Since its establishment it has been holding many international academic meetings, consisting of an international academic colloquium on the law and globalization, an international academic colloquium on post-modernism and the modernization of China’s legal system, an international academic colloquium on law and globalization - the theory behind the practice, and an international academic colloquium on Marxist law and contemporary international relations, etc. It holds a “jurisprudence forum” where invited well-known domestic and international scholars give lectures. It engages in international research and communication projects supported by the Asian Development Bank, China and Europe’s higher education project, the Ford Foundation, etc.

 

It has undertaken a large number of social science research projects. In a research project supported by the Ministry of Education Key Research Base, the Center undertook a research on European Union’s policy on China’s human rights situation and China’s counter-policy.

 

 

Address

  

The Law and Globalization Research Center

Renmin University

59 Zhongguancun Ave, Beijing 100872 CHINA

ph: (86-10) 82500352

e-mail: putianren[a]163.com

www.law.ruc.edu.cn/english/research/globalization.htm

 

 

 

Center for Gender and Law Studies (CGLS)

- Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

 

Year Established: 2002

 

Short Historical Background

 

The Center for Gender and Law Studies (CGLS), Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, established in September 2002, engages in promoting research on theoretical and practical issues in the relationship between gender and law. Its research projects and by multi-disciplinary approaches aim to build up an exchange forum and a research base for the study of gender and law, to advance multi-approach-oriented legal research, and to promote gender mainstreaming in the legal community in China.

 

Objectives

 

The CGLS aims

  1. To carry out and further research on gender and law;p
  2. To analyze Chinese laws from a gender perspective, and on the basis of the analysis, to submit legislative advice to the state legislative body;
  3. To advocate for public policy on the basis of comparative study of gender theory and practical surveys;
  4. To form a network on gender and law studies and, by sharing resources, promote gender mainstreaming in legal research and education;
  5. To build up an international forum by facilitating exchanges between Chinese legal professionals and foreign counterparts;
  6. To disseminate and popularize its research output and to raise the gender awareness of the public.

 

Programs

 

Research projects

1. Comparative study on gender and law

The project “Comparative Study on Gender and Law” (April 2003 —July 2005) serves as the basis for the establishment of CGLS and various activities implemented since then. The project has utilized the new method of incorporating gender perspective into legal research. The main activities carried out included: seminars, lectures, gender training, participating in legislative process and exchanges of scholars at home and abroad.

2. Amendment of the Law on Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests (LPWRI)

To improve the LPWRI in effectively guaranteeing women’s human rights during the transitional period of China, and to promote gender equality and sustainable development of society, CGLS conducted the project “Study on the Amendment of the LPWRI: Draft Proposal of the Law on Gender Equality” (October 2003—October 2005).

 

On the basis of research results already accomplished and first-hand materials accumulated, the members of CGLS, together with experts invited from other institutions, discussed in detail and completed the draft proposal on the amendment of LPWRI. Meanwhile, CGLS also published a monograph, Studies on Basic Framework of the Law on Gender Equality.

 

3. Theoretical and Action Research on Gender and Law

The project “Theoretical and Action Research on Gender and Law” (2005—2009), funded by the Ford Foundation, is the continuation of the project “Comparative Study on Gender and Law.” The overall goal of the project is to improve theoretical and action research, and to give an impetus to gender mainstreaming in the legal field. The main activities carried out included: building up and strengthening a national-international cooperative network of gender and law studies; creating and improving the first website focusing on gender and law in China——China Website of Gender and Law; holding domestic and international conferences; publishing books and translation works; conducting surveys and legal analysis; and conducting comparative study on gender and law.

 

4. Study on Gender Equality Issues Arising in the Course of Legal Construction

The project “Study on Gender Equality Issues Arising in the Course of Legal Construction” (2006—2009), entrusted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, aims to analyze gender bias or discrimination existing in the legal system in China, and to explore their causes and forms of expression in order to provide legal proposals. The methodology relied upon included examination of gender blind points and “areas of error” in public policy, legislation and judicial practice, and empirical survey on the status of gender equality in these areas.

  

Activities

 

CGLS hold the following activities:

 

1. Seminars

Since its establishment, CGLS has conducted academic exchanges with scholars and experts both from China and abroad, sponsored a range of roundtables and seminars, with a view to promoting and deepening studies on relationship between gender and law, and to strengthening international exchanges and cooperation.

 

In December 2003, CGLS held a roundtable discussion on “Gender and Law” with Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, and Ms. Rangita de Silva de Alwis, Advisor, Racial Discrimination Committee, and International Program Director, Spangenberg Group, US.

 

In April 2004, its organized a roundtable discussion on “Operation of State Mechanism of Gender Equality: from an International Perspective” with participants from domestic institutions, and Northeast University in the US.

 

In September 2004, CGLS and the Institute of Law jointly held the Seminar on “Women’s Human Rights: Gender and Law” under the China-EU Human Rights Network. Participants came from China and European Union countries.

 

In April 2005, it held a roundtable discussion on “Anti-discrimination Act and Countermeasures in Domestic Violence Field” with Professor Elizabeth M. Schneider of the Brooklyn Law School (US) and Dr. Rangita de Silva de Alwis participated as key speakers.

 

From August to September 2005, members of CGLS attended the Beijing 95’+10, and hosted special meetings respectively for government representatives and non-government forums. During the conference, CGLS planned and organized the forum of “Women’s Human Rights and the Law.”

 

In December 2005, CGLS coordinated a roundtable discussion on “Gender Mainstreaming in the Law”, which was sponsored jointly by the Institute of Law and the Madrid Club, Spain. Participants included Ms. Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland and the former United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Huang Ping, Director of the Bureau of International Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Professor Chen Zexian, Deputy Director of the Institute of Law, as well as representatives from the UN offices in Beijing, European Union office, and Ford Foundation.

 

In December 2006, CGLS held the Asian Regional Seminar on Gender and Law in Beijing, being the first one ever held in the Asian region. Participants, from six Asian countries, and from different parts of China, had heated discussions concerning gender sensitivity and gender mainstreaming in legislative, judicial, legal research and legal education fields. Professor Li Lin, Director of the Institute of Law, program officer of the UNIFEM and program officer of the Ford Foundation also participated in the seminar.

 

2. Lectures

CGLS held a series of lectures in order to set up a domestic and international exchange platform to facilitate research on gender and law using multi-disciplinary approaches, to train a contingent of research personnel to form the research base, and to gear up to efforts on gender mainstreaming internationally.

 

It invited many Chinese and foreign experts for the lectures that covered the legal significance of gender, gender equality and amendment of LPWRI, international human rights treaties and gender, law and indigenization of gender, battered women syndrome: a jurisprudential analysis, the basic state policy of gender equality and legal research, western feminist legal schools, strategy of gender mainstreaming, “Beijing95’+10” and framework of women’s human rights; equality and non-discrimination principles, critique of law on sexual crimes in contemporary China, private law protection of sexual autonomy, gender bias in legal profession, gender analysis of laws in the US and other countries, and anti-sexual harassment and anti-gender-discrimination.

 

3. Training

Since its establishment, CGLS has actively advocated gender awareness and made persistent efforts to incorporate gender perspective into legal research and education through various training activities.

 

In August 2004, CGLS launched a three-week Training Course for Comparative Study on Gender and Law, with members of CGLS and over forty teachers from thirteen institutions of higher learning enthusiastically participating in it. The event has laid down a sound foundation for using gender perspective in legal research and education. Experts from the UN and other countries discussed feminist theories, gender-based discrimination in the law, women’s human rights and feminist analysis, and Convention of the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and its implementation at domestic level.

 

In September 2004, members of CGLS and experts from EU countries organized an Advanced Training Course for Comparative Studies on Gender and Law in Gui Zhou Province. Participants came from the local police, procuratorate, courts, research institutions and institutions of higher learning.

 

In July 2006, CGLS sponsored a participatory training aimed at raising the gender awareness of the trainees. The training provided knowledge, methods and skills required for conducting surveys using questionnaires.

 

4. Study Course

CGLS conducts study courses regularly. Taking into account problems and needs that emerged in the process of implementing various projects, different study courses were offered on different academic works, such as classical feminist works and course book of gender and law, for the purpose of equipping participants on relevant theories.

 

5. Writing Teaching Materials

On the basis of consultation and discussions with experts from different branches of law at the institute of law, CGLS cooperated with experts in writing teaching materials concerning gender and law. The general framework of teaching materials involves gender and constitution, gender and civil law, gender and criminal law, gender and procedural law, gender and family law, gender and social law, gender and international law, and so on.

 

6. Survey

Together with sociologists, CGLS has designed the “Questionnaire on Status of Legal Workers” in China, and surveys were made among people from the police, procuratory, courts, law firms, institutions of higher learning, and research institutes in cities of different administrative levels in four regions, covering the eastern, middle, northern and southern parts of China. The aim of the survey was, by statistical analysis of the questionnaires, to explore and analyze gender awareness of legal personnel, status of women in the legal profession and status of gender equality in contemporary China. Being the first gender survey among legal personnel, it provided empirical data and an objective foundation for gender and law studies.

 

7. Analysis of Law

Applying gender perspective, members of CGLS have examined the main existing laws, departmental rules and regulations, local regulations, judicial interpretations, background materials of legislation, public policies and international treaties concerned, to see whether there are gender blind points and mistaken gender concepts. These efforts supported the development of legislative proposals, and promoted gender mainstreaming in the legal community in China. 

 

Publications

 

Studies on Basic Framework of the Law on Gender Equality

 

 

Address

 

Center for Gender and Law Studies (CGLS)

Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

15 Shatan Beijie, Dongcheng District, 100720 China

ph: (86 10) 64022109

fax: (86 10) 84040572

e-mail: genderandlaw2005[a]126.com

www.genderandlaw.org.cn

 

 

Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Research
- East China University of Politics and Law

 

Year Established: 2010

Short Historical Background


Teaching human rights law in Chinese universities is a developing trend in the twenty-first century. In order to better support and develop the teaching and research in the field of international human rights law and humanitarian law, the East China University of Politics and Law established its Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Research Center in December, 2010.

 

The members of the Center (five part-time professors, an associate professor, two lecturers as of 2012) mainly research on law science, international law, international criminal law, involving the science such as history and diplomacy. Professor Guan Jianqiang is the director of the center.

 

Objectives

 

The Center aims to promote research on education on human rights law and theory.

Special Concern


The Center has a special concern on aiding Chinese civilian victims of the war who seek compensation from the Japanese government. The Center undertakes research on the legal aspects of this issue based on international humanitarian law. The Center also focuses on promoting the theory that “no country has inherent authority to waive the rights of civilian victims of war.”

 

In the field of human rights law, the Center researches on the relationship between international human rights law and domestic law.

Address


Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Research Center

East China University of Political Science and Law

No.1575 Wan Hang Du Road Shanghai 200042 China
ph: (86 21) 62071928
e-mail: guan58[a]sh163.net

 

 

Centre for the Study of Human Rights
- Nankai University

 

Year Established: 2010

Short Historical Background


The Centre for the Study of Human Rights at Nankai University was established on 8 April 2005. It was approved as a key humanities and social sciences research base in colleges and universities of Tianjin in 2010, and was designated as a National Human Rights Education and Training Base in 2011.

 

Objectives

 

The Zhang Pengchun Spirit and Our Mission

In 1947, Nankai University’s Professor Peng Chun Chang became Vice-Chairman of the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights, and was directly involved in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Professor Chang’s important contribution was recognized across the world and is the pride of Nankai University In view of this, the Centre’s objectives are: in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

  1. To identify and promote the best human rights thoughts from China and abroad;
  2. To leverage its multi-disciplinary talent advantage for research on and development of innovative human rights theories;
  3. To explore and participate in China’s human rights development; and
  4.  To help foster vigorous human rights development in China.


The Centre will work towards establishing itself as a cross-discipline and comprehensive academic platform for studying human rights and a key base for human rights education, training and knowledge dissemination. It also aims to become a bridge that helps connect the different human rights research institutes in China, an important think tank that advises the government on human rights policies, and an influential Chinese NGO on human rights issues in international human rights exchanges.


Program and Activities

 

a. Human Rights Research

1.China Human Rights in Action Series

From 2004 to 2013, the Centre has been collaborating with the China Society for Human Rights Studies in preparing annual China’s Human Rights in Action report, documenting major laws, policies, measures and cases relating to human rights for the year. A total of eight issues have been published. The reports are also available in English.

2.Annual Report on China's Human Rights (Blue Book)

Since 2011, together with the China Society for Human Rights Studies, the Centre organizes China’s human rights experts to prepare the Annual Report on China's Human Rights (Blue Book of China’s Human Rights). The annual Blue Book analyses the progress of human rights enterprise and the challenges faced in China from an academic perspective and provides policy recommendations. To date, ten books have been published.

3.Human Rights Research Projects

The Centre’s members leverage their multi-disciplinary synergy and undertook research on human rights issues commissioned by the National Social Science Fund, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Municipality and China Society for Human Rights Studies.


b. Human Rights Education, Training and Knowledge Dissemination

1.Specialized and Elective Courses for University

The Centre offers general elective courses for all Nankai University undergraduates under its “Human Rights Fundamentals and Awareness” syllabus. It also offers “International Law of Human Rights” as a specialized course at the Law School, and “Human Rights and Foreign Policy” at the College of History. The Centre further organizes lectures at the School of Government on “Human Rights Theory” for post-graduate students, and recruits Ph.D. students in human rights theory and practice.

2.Primary and Secondary School Education Project

The Centre is collaborating with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) in a three-year human rights education project for primary and secondary school students. The project includes developing human rights teaching materials and teaching guides, as well as training of teachers.

3.Training Project for Government Officials

The Centre offers human rights training for local government officials, develops the training materials and teaching guides, and provides teacher-training.

4.Knowledge Dissemination

To disseminate knowledge on human rights, the Centre’s members have developed popular human rights-related books, such as the 70 Years of Human Rights Development in China, Human Rights—A Citizen’s Reader, and Human Rights Protection in Contemporary China.


c. Advisory Service for the Government

The Centre’s members were invited as experts in drafting and evaluating the National Human Rights Action Plan. They also helped draft the white paper on Progress in China's Human Rights.

d. Human Rights Exchanges

1.National Exchanges

The Centre has hosted the Second National Exchange Forum for Human Right Research Institutions (2010), organized the China Human Rights Development Seminar (2011) and co-organized the National Human Rights Education Annual Meeting (2014). It also co-organized the Fifth Cross-Cultural Seminar on Human Rights (2017).

2.International Exchanges

The Centre’s members have made study visits to the Human Rights Centre of the University of Essex in the U.K., Netherlands School of Human Rights Research, the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and the Human Rights Centre at the University of Minnesota, USA. It has also collaborated with the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Netherlands School of Human Rights Education in various projects.

They have also participated in the human rights training organized by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and were involved in the universal periodic review conducted by the UN Human Rights Council. As an NGO, the Centre submits to the UN Human Rights Council a shadow report on the human rights situation in China.

The Center has a special concern on aiding Chinese civilian victims of the war who seek compensation from the Japanese government. The Center undertakes research on the legal aspects of this issue based on international humanitarian law. The Center also focuses on promoting the theory that “no country has inherent authority to waive the rights of civilian victims of war.”

 

In the field of human rights law, the Center researches on the relationship between international human rights law and domestic law.


Publications

 

  • Research on the development path of human rights with Chinese characteristics, 2016
  • Research on China's human rights protection policy, 2016
  • China's Human Rights in Action, 2004-2013
  • Protection of Human Rights in Contemporary China, 2015
  • 60 Years of Human Rights Construction in China, 2009
  • 70 Years of Human Rights Construction in China, 2019
  • How Does the Communist Party of China Address the Human Rights Issue, 2019
  • Citizen's Book on Human Rights, 2012
  • Teacher's Book for Civil Service Human Rights Training, 2016
  • Civil Service Human Rights Training Trainee Book, 2016
  • Teaching Manual on the Protection of Children's Rights and Interests (primary school edition), 2016
  • Teaching Manual on the Protection of Children's Rights and Interests (middle school edition), 2016
  • The story of Nannan and Kaikai, (primary school edition), 2016
  • The story of Nannan and Kaikai, (middle school edition), 2016
  • The Drafting Process and Influence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Proceedings of the International Symposium on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • Traditional spirit and cultural values and the local source of human rights: Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on intercultural human rights

 

Address

 

Centre for the Study of Human Rights
School of Law, Nankai University
38 Tongyan Road, Haihe Education Park
Tianjin, People’s Republic of China 300350
ph: (86 22) 23501318
fax: (86 22) 23500327
e-mail: changjian@nankai.edu.cn
https://zfxy.nankai.edu.cn/discipline/human_rights.htm

 

 

 

China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS)

 

Year Established: 1993

 

Short Historical Background

 

The China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), founded in January 1993, is a non-governmental national-level academic organization enjoying a special consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

 

The CSHRS now has more than one hundred members from different colleges, universities, research institutes and specific work units in thirty-one provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government. They are all experts and scholars in various disciplines such as philosophy, political science and law.

 

Since its founding, CSHRS has devoted its efforts to the promotion of human rights activities by actively organizing studies on Chinese human rights theories, and developing exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries.

 

 

Objectives

 

CSHRS aims

  1. To conduct studies on Chinese and foreign human rights theories, and the historical and present situation of human rights both in and outside China;
  2. To establish academic ties with overseas human rights organizations, experts and scholars;
  3. To work on promoting mutual understanding and support between the Chinese people and those throughout the world in safeguarding human rights, and exploring ways to ensure the development of human rights theories and practice.

 

 

Programs and Activities

 

Preparation and publication of human rights materials including such issues as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and China's Human Rights, the History of Human Rights, An Introduction to Human Rights Issues, Women's Human Rights in China, International Laws on Human Rights, and Human Rights Problems in the United States. Also, nearly a hundred articles were published in various newspapers and magazines, including "China Strives to Realize People's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and "Promote the Healthy Development of the International Human Rights Cause.

 

Publication of translated materials including the World Documents of Human Rights, the Supplement to World Documents of Human Rights, and the Human Rights Encyclopedia. These books collect and introduce, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign human rights theories and thoughts. They also include various declarations, conventions, agreements, resolutions and constitutional documents of different countries and international communities.

 

Financial aid to promote human rights theoretical study. In 1996, it jointly formed with the China Foundation for Human Rights Development (CFHRD) the Assessment Group of the China Foundation for Human Rights Studies. It has funded research on various topics including New Progress of Human Rights in China in 1997, the Human Rights Problems in the United States, and Major Differences Between China and Western Countries in Human Rights Issues. The research work has all been completed to date.

 

Seminars to keep its members nationwide well informed about the latest domestic and foreign human rights theoretical research results through information exchanges. During the seminars, experts from various fields were invited to discuss recent developments in human rights theories and practices.

 

Data of Human Rights Research - this mainly publishes theoretical articles written by experts and introduces major activities organized by the CSHRS. It offers as a result large amount of data on human rights theoretical research.

 

Popularization and education of human rights knowledge - writing and compiling books such as 100 Questions About Human Rights, and Human Rights in China--A Collection of White Papers on Human Rights. It has joined hands with the CFHRD to produce a TV documentary, Interviews on Human Rights in China, in which ten-odd CSHRS executive members give special explanations on some major issues.

 

International Exchange - includes establishing working relationship with human rights institutions in many countries, and participating in international human rights conferences.

 

Publications

 

China Human Rights Magazine  

 

Address

 

China Society for Human Rights Studies

No. 22 Building, An Yuan Bei Li, Asian Games Village, Beijing 100029 China

ph: (86-10) 6559-2354 / fax (86-10) 6522-9610

e-mail: infonew[a]public.bta.net.cn; yxh[a]cicc.org.cn

www.humanrights-china.org/en/

   

 

Cultural Development Center for Rural Women

  

Year Established: 2001

 

Short Historical Background

 

The Cultural Development Center for Rural Women is a non-governmental organization that seeks to promote the social development of China's rural women. Since its foundation, it has grown from its core activity of publishing a magazine to become a major non-profit organization with an integrated program that “supports the poor by combining development projects, news media and information services, and dissemination of the results of research.”

 

The Center grew out of the Rural Women Magazine (formally Rural Women Knowing All) project, which began publication in January 1993. The magazine, supervised by the All-China Women's Federation and administered by China Women's News, is the only monthly magazine for rural women.

 

The Center is registered with the Changping Branch of Beijing Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau.

 

Objective

 

The Center aims to create opportunities for self-empowerment and development together with rural women—those who live in the poorest parts of China— and also dedicated to improving the quality of life for migrant women in China's cities.

 

Programs

 

The Center has programs focusing on the following:

  • Strengthening rural women's community participation
  • Raising rural women's ability and opportunity to participate in politics
  • Helping to establish a system to prevent rural women's suicide
  • Reproductive health
  • Improving the quality of life of poor rural women
  • Providing for opportunities for girl dropouts aged between 16-18 to study
  • Upholding migrant women's civil and labor rights
  • Enhancing the social space for migrant women's development.

  

Activities

 

Rural women's community development – this includes microfinance, literacy classes, and projects aimed at enhancing reproductive health, preventing of suicide and increasing participation in politics.

 

Rural women's training and re-education – through the Practical Skills Training Center for Rural Women (established in 1998), the first center in China aimed at raising the overall capacity of rural women instead of merely training them for a diploma – the Center offers training in practical skills, and raising trainees' awareness of gender, citizenship, participatory and people-oriented concepts. The education program is designed to tap their potential, increase their self-confidence and self-reliance and to help them (grassroots women leaders or poor dropout girls) to realize their dream of taking an active part in community development, escaping poverty and achieving a well-off life.

 

Legal services for migrant women's – through the “Migrant Women's Club” (established in 1996), the first to serve migrant workers in China, the Center works to uphold migrant women workers' legal rights and interests, and is also concerned with their spiritual well-being, their overall quality of life and their capacity for self-improvement.

 

Publications and disseminating experiences - through service and practice, the Center is dedicated to exploring innovation in service provision in rural women's development, and in learning and sharing the lessons of its many years of experience. It has already compiled four sets of teaching materials for literacy classes -- Rural Teenage Girls' Basic Reader, Manual for Preventing Rural Women's Suicide and others -- as well as more than twenty books on the study of rural women's development, including Rural Women's Development and Countermeasures, Report on Suicide amongst Rural Women, and The Census Registration System and Female Migrants.

 

Research and publicity – themed around the various problems that rural women encounter, the Center has organized research
groups, and sponsored seminars and workshops on these issues. It undertakes survey and investigation on these issues and produced suggestions for policy changes that are brought to the attention of the government and the media. It has sponsored two seminars on Rural Women Development and Countermeasures, two seminars on Migrant Women’s Legal Rights and two seminars on Rural Women’s Participation in Politics as well as many other workshops, discussion meetings and news releases.

 

Publications

 

Newsletter

  • Seeds

 

Teaching materials

  • Rural Teenage Girls' Basic Reader
  • Manual for Preventing Rural Women's Suicide

 

Books

 

  • Rural Women's Development and Countermeasures
  • Report on Suicide amongst Rural Women
  • The Census Registration System and Female Migrants

 

 

Address

 

The Cultural Development Center for Rural Women

301, Building 1, Jiali Mansion, 180,

Beiyuanlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101 China

ph: (8610) 64984075

fax: (8610) 64980110

e-mail: njnbst[a]263.net   

www.nongjianv.org/web/english

 

 

Guangzhou University Research and Education Center for Human Rights

 

Year of Establishment: 2004


Short Historical Background


The Guangzhou University Research and Education Center for Human Rights was established in July 2004, as a university supported research institute. In 2007, the Center qualified as the Guangdong Provincial Key Research Base for Humanities and Social Science in the university. In 2011, the Center was recognized by the Ministry of Education as the National Education and Training Base for Human Rights. Strongly supported by the university, the Center has 10 full-time researchers and 1 secretary. It has five Research Groups, covering the following fields: Human Rights Theories, Civil & Political Rights, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, International Human Rights, and Human Rights Education.

 

Objectives


The Center aims

  1. To become the best human rights research institute in China;
  2. To become the best human rights training and education institute in South China;
  3. To become the resource and information center of human rights in South China.


Programs & Activities

 

  • Human Rights Training for the Judges, sponsored by Norwegian Center for Human Rights, 2012-2014
  • The Evaluation Index of Judicial Justice, sponsored by the Ministry of Education, 2012-2014
  • Human Rights Training for Primary Schools & Middle Schools Students in Guangzhou, sponsored by Guangzhou Bureau of Education, 2012-2014.


Special Concerns

 

  • Human rights obligations of the State
  • Right to political participation
  • Rights of migrant workers
  • Settlement of administrative disputes
  • Human rights education for government officials
  • Human rights education for students
  • Administration of Justice.


Publications

 

Book Series

  • 10 books published by Hunan People’s Publishing House
  •  8 books published by Law Press, China
  • 2 books published by Social Sciences Academic Press, China
  • 2 textbooks on human rights
  • 3 publications by China Procuratorate Publishing House
  • Over 100 essays on human rights
  • Two Consultant Report on “Amendments to the Criminal Procedural Law of China” to the Office of Legal Affairs under the National People’s Congress.


Other information


The Center dedicated its activities to human rights education in the past few years. In the university, the Center offers human rights courses to undergraduates majoring in law, postgraduates majoring in law and other students. The Center hold seminars for the general public in the provinces of Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi, covering more than 3,000 trainees consisting of prison police, criminal and security police, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, university teachers and others from all sorts of life. The trainings in the society were highly praised by the recipients. More requests on human rights education were expressed to us. Furthermore, the First National Conference on Exchange of Experiences of Human Rights Research Institutes, which was proposed by China Society for Human Rights Studies, was held by the Center in May 2009. And the Third National Human Rights Education Annual Meeting was organized by the Center in 2010.

 

The Center carried out a wide-scale field research on the revision to the criminal procedural law in 2006. More than 10,000 questionnaires were collected from different groups of interviewees, like members of the police, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, prisoners and the general public in the Provinces of Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Based on the research results, the International Conference on the Revision of the Criminal Procedural Law and Protection of Human Rights was held in late 2008 with 161 participants including scholars from U.S.A., Europe, Australia and China. Legislation recommendation on the basis of the field research was handed over to the Office of Legal Affairs under the National People’s Congress in 2010.

 

Address


Guangzhou University Research Center for Human Rights
No. 230, Waihuanxi Rd, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center,
Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
ph: (86 20) 3936 6733
fax: (86 20) 3936 6733
www.humanrights.org.cn 

 

 

Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL)

- China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL)

 

Year Established: 2002

 

Short Historical Background

  

The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) is an independent full-time inter-disciplinary academic institute with the mandate to undertake research, teaching, training, consultancy, resource support and cooperation in the field of human rights and humanitarian law. IHRHL was established by, and directly affiliated to, the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL).

 

IHRHL was established in June 2002 and has five full-time research members, four part-time research members and one secretary at present. It accepts visiting or part-time fellows from other institutions within and outside CUPL.

 

 

Objectives

  

IHRHL aims

  1. To carry out research, teaching, training, consultancy, resource support and cooperation in the field of human rights and humanitarian law;
  2. To promote in China the prevalence of human rights education, the dissemination of human rights knowledge, the enhancement of human rights consciousness, the nurturance of human rights culture, the improvement of human rights system and the advancement of human rights capacities; and
  3. To accelerate the universal recognition, respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights of all without any discrimination.

 

 

Programs and Activities

 

Research and publication - in cooperation with Norwegian Center of Human Rights (NCHR), Oslo University, Norway, compiled the two-volume Textbook on International Human Rights Law which was published in December 2002.

 

With the support of the Cultural and Educational Section, British Council Beijing, and in cooperation with Foreign Affairs College and Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, compiled International Human Rights Law textbook which was published in September 2004.

 

IHRHL is implementing many national and international research programs including The National Human Rights Institution (in cooperation with RWI, Lund University, Sweden), Comparative Study in Human Rights Protection under States of Emergency, China’s Practice in Ratification and Implementation of International Human Rights Conventions, The Sources of Human Rights in Perspective of Social System, and Human Rights and Human Harmony, etc.

 

Teaching - CUPL is the only University in mainland China which grants Master and Ph.D degrees in Human Rights Law. In May 2005 and February 2006 respectively, the IHRHL has been implementing the Graduate Program and the Major of Human Rights Law, and has been responsible for their academic requirements. The major courses under the Program and the Major include Theories of Human Rights, International Human Rights, Substantive Rights, Domestic Human Rights Protection Mechanisms, Human Rights Research Methodology, Constitutionalism and Human Rights, Criminal Justice and Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, etc. The staff members have undertaken the majority of the teaching assignments. The IHRHL also provides an optional course of International Human Rights Law to the undergraduate students.

 

Training Programs - in cooperation with various institutions, IHRHL undertook the following training activities:

  1. Second Sino-Nordic Advanced Workshop on International Human Rights Law for University Teachers in November 2002 in Beijing (with Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law RWI, Lund University, Sweden and Norwegian Center of Human Rights NCHR)
  2.  Human Rights Law Training Program for University Teachers from 1 September to 31 October 2003 in Beijing (with the European Union Commission)
  3. The Fourth Advanced Workshop on International Human Rights Law for Chinese University Teachers on 16-27 August 2004 in Beijing (with Danish Institute for Human Rights DIHR, RWI and NCHR)
  4. Human rights training course was held in December 2007 in Beijing (with support from Norway, the USA, Sweden).

 

International Exchange and Cooperation - IHRHL has cooperated closely with the relevant institutions of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the field of human rights law teaching, training, research and capacity building. It has also started cooperation with the relevant institutes of the U.S.A, Germany as well as some other countries. 

 

Publications

 

  • Textbook on International Human Rights Law, two volumes (2002)
  • Textbook on International Human Rights Law (2004)

   

Address

 

Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

China University of Political Science and Law

No. 25, Xitucheng Road Haidian District, Beijing100088 China

ph: (86-10) 58908276

fax: (86-10) 58908277

e-mail: ihrhl_cupl[a]yahoo.com.cn 

http://gate.cupl.edu.cn/rqrdyjs

 

 

 

Institute on Human Rights Law
- Law School of Yunnan University (YULS)


Year Established: 2009


Short Historical Background


Since late 1990s, the Law School of Yunnan University (YULS) has been establishing relationship with the Norwegian Center for Human Rights, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) in Sweden and other human rights research institutions in China and other countries. Since then teachers and students of YULS have participated in many workshops on human rights education and research in cooperation with these institutions. The cooperation with RWI in recent years constitutes a big step for the Institute.

 

Since 2008, RWI has been cooperating with the four universities in western China (Inner Mongolia University, Yunnan University, Guangxi University and Northwest University of Political Science and Law), focusing on strengthening institutional capacity, development of human rights curriculums, and human rights teaching methodology. The project contributed to the increase, both in terms
of quality and quantity, of human rights courses in these universities, and increased links among the teachers in these universities who are involved in human rights.


In order to enhance the capacity on human rights education and research, the cooperation with RWI focused on building a research organ in YULS through program activities, among other tasks.


Hence several teachers in YULS participated in all activities held under the cooperation programs and sent two young teachers and a master student to attend a Masters Program on Human Rights in Peking University. All these efforts resulted in continuing increase in interests on human rights education and research among the teachers in YULS.

 

The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010), adopted in 2009, encouraged institutions of higher learning in China to offer public courses and specialized courses on human rights, to support the development of related disciplines and majors, and to encourage studies on human rights theories. This action plan provided that China’s universities should take action to fulfil those purposes. Based on the above conditions and for the further development in human rights education and research, the YULS decided to establish the Institute on Human Rights Law in August 2009.


Objectives


YULS aims

  1. To strengthen fundamental human rights knowledge, teaching methodologies and research capacities of teachers in YULS; disseminate the ideals, theory, and knowledge of human rights to the students in different levels in Yunnan University through lectures, and to the teachers and students from other universities within and outside Yunnan Province through workshops, conferences, etc. ;
  2. To disseminate the ideals, theory, and knowledge of human rights to the society by using various forms and methodologies;
  3. To contribute its own special ideas and the results of its research to the academic community in dealing with human rights protection in China and in the world;
  4. To participate in the policy and law making at local and national levels by using its own special research results;
  5. To establish connections and cooperation program with human rights institutions in China and in the world in order to serve world peace, democracy and rule of law.


Programs and Activities

 

  • International Human Rights Law Teaching Capacity Building Workshop in Yunnan Province, China, 9-12 August 2012 organized by YULS and RWI
  • The Fourth National Human Rights Education Annual Meeting, 28 – 30 October 2011, Kunming organized by YULS, RWI, NCHR, and the Danish Institute of Human Rights (DIHR)
  • Sixth Workshop on International Human Rights Law for University Teachers from Western China, 9-20 August 2010, organized by YULS and NCHR
  • The International Human Rights Law Dissemination Seminar, 18-20 October 2010, Kunming, financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and organized by YULS and RWI
  • Fifth Workshop on International Human Rights Law for University Teachers from Western China, 9-20 August 2009, YULS and NCHR


Special Concerns

 

Article 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and minority rights protection.
Publications Zhang Xisheng

  • “Review of Universities’ Implementation of ‘National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010),” Journal of Yunnan University - Law Edition, vol. 25, no. 2, 2012
  • “Ownership and China’s Contemporary Constitution,” Tsinghua Law Review, vol. 5, no. 1
  • “On the Middle National Community in ‘The View for Restraining Each Other by the Tripartite’,” Journal of Yunnan University - Law Edition, vol. 24, no. 1, 2011
  • On Universities’ Implementation of ‘National Human Rights Action Plan (2009-2010). Third National Conference on the Working Experiences of Human Rights Research Institutes in China,November 2011, Sichuan University, Chendu
  • Ownership and China’s Contemporary Constitution, Eighth Annual Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference, 15-15 October 2011, Tsinghua University & The College of Williams & Mary Law School, Beijing
  • Ownership and China’s Contemporary Constitution, Third Conference on the Laws of China and Vietnam, 24-31 July 2010, Hanoi
  • The Predictability of Human Rights Research and the Establishment of Human Rights Research Institutes, Second National Conference on the Working Experiences of Human Rights Research Institutes in China, 28-29 April 2010, Nankai University, Tianjing. Shen Shouwen
  • “On the Constitutional Nature of the Chinese Revenue-Sharing System,” Present day Law Science, vol.10, no. 2 (April 2012)
  • “New Understanding of the Nature of Regional Ethnic Autonomy,” in Journal of Yunnan University - Law Edition, vol. 24, no. 6 (November 2011)
  • “On the Nature, Function and Institutional Dilemma of the People’s Congress System,” Soochow Law Review, vol. 23 (Autumn 2011)
  • “New Interpretation of Horizontal Allocation of Governmental Powers: From the Perspective of the Analysis of Structural Functionalism,” Journal of Political Science and Law, vol. 140, no.1, 2011
  • “On the Influence of the Current Constitution on the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law,” Forward Position, no.13, 2010
  • “The Perplexity of Legislative Power Placement in China,” Journal of Political Science and Law. vol. 27, no. 5, October 2010
  • “On the Constitutional Restraints: a Principle Restriction on the Fundamental Rights of Freedom,” Northern Legal Science, vol. 4, no. 3, 2010.
  • “On the Fundamental Rights Settings of the Citizens (or People) in the Constitutional Text,” Journal of Gansu Institute of Political Science and Law, no. 109, 2010
  • China’s Regional Ethnic Autonomy From the International Perspective, Journal of Yunnan University - Law Edition, vol. 23, no. 1, November 2011
  • Shen Shouwen & Dong Yingxuan, “The usage of degree verbs and the assurance of regional autonomy of ethnic minorities,” Hei Long Jiang National Series, no. 1, 2012
  • Shen Shouwen & Dong Yingxuan, “An Interpretation on the Text of the Chinese Constitution and the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law,” Social Science in Yunnan, no. 1, 2012
  • Ren Xinmin & Shen Shouwen, “Two Different Kinds of Local Autonomy: A Comparison between the Regional Ethnic Autonomy in China and the Local Autonomy of the International Community” Journal of Yunnan Nationalities University (Social Sciences), vol. 27, no. 2, March 2010.


Other Information


All staff members, including the Director (Professor Zhang Xisheng), of the Institute are volunteers.

 

Address


Institute on Human Rights Law
Law School of Yunnan University (YULS)

182 yi er yi dajie, Kunming 650091 China
ph: (86-871) 5035595
fax: (86 871) 5033171

e-mail: zhang_xisheng[a]hotmail.com; xisheng.zhang[a]nchr.uio.no 

 

 

 

Migrant Workers’ Education and Action Research Center

 

Year Established: 1999


Short Historical Background

 

Rapid economic development occurring in China since the market reforms started led masses of people leaving their villages and entering the cities to seek better economic opportunities.


As the national capital and the political, economic and cultural center of China, Beijing has become a major destination for the shift of rural labor from rural to urban areas. Among the large rural migrant population in Beijing, most come as families, dispersed among the vast communities on the margins of the city. Most of them do strenuous work in harsh conditions for meager pay in low level professions such as restaurant workers, domestic help, retail salespersons, cleaners, factory workers, etc. Rural migrants suffer disadvantaged living and working conditions due to their special identities, transitory status, low-level of education and vocational training. There are extreme disparities between the rural migrant population and the local population of Beijing.

 

The Migrant Workers’ Education and Action Research Center was established in 1999 to facilitate migrant workers’ transition and integration into the city. With a neighborhood community as base, the Center hopes to mobilize migrant workers and provide them with as much help and support as possible. The Center has the mission of narrowing the gap between migrant workers and urban residents, promoting social justice, and allowing migrant workers to enjoy the same basic rights and treatment as urban residents (such as the right to employment, survival,education etc.).


Objectives

 

The Center aims

  1. To enhance the level of knowledge, skills and technical expertise of rural migrants so that they can more easily transition and integrate into the city.
  2. To become a bridge between rural migrant workers and the government so that the government can understand the living situation and needs of rural migrant workers and accordingly make policy decisions for the interest of migrant workers.


Programs and Activities

 

The Center undertakes the following activities:


• Migrant Children Project
The Center organizes children to make them actively participate in community life and take action to improve the community. It also organizes educational activities related to urban life, safety, health
and sanitation for migrant children, counsel them regarding problems they encounter in school or in their daily lives, support their healthy physical and psychological development, and help them transition and integrate into urban society.

 

• Youth Project
The youth project is centered on the needs of youth in the community, including both those who are still in school and those who have left school and are now working. The Center will organize educational activities on basic legal knowledge, health and sanitation, provide them with psychological counseling so that they can handle the difficulties and challenges they face while they are growing up in a healthy and constructive way.

 

• Adult Project
The adult project mainly targets parents of migrant children. In addition to their work, they need to raise and educate their children. Therefore, the Center does not only host talks on legal knowledge,
health and sanitation, but also organizes seminars on parenting and provides parents with information about schooling and day care.
The Center organizes a parent discussion group to create a support network among migrant workers and to help them lead a better life in the city.

 

• Informational Support
The center collects policy information and other news relevant to rural migrant workers and regularly disseminates the information to community members.

 

• Policy Advocacy

The Center collects information regarding the circumstances and needs of rural migrants and reflects this information to the government.
It advocates greater awareness of migrant workers’ issues among the government officials, and tries to influence law and policymaking to improve the living circumstances of rural migrants in Beijing.

 

Other Information


The Center has a library with a collection of books that community members can access. The collection includes children’s literature, books on parenting, newspapers, magazines, etc.

 

Address

 

Migrant Workers’ Education and Action Research Center

Room 1013, No.33, Beisi Huan Zhong Road
Beijing 100101 China
ph: (86-10) 6484-5915
e-mail: sdrcbj[a]yahoo.com.cn

 

 

Research Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RCHRHL)

- Peking University Law School (RCHR)

 

Year Established: 1997

 

Short Historical Background

 

The Research Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law of Peking University Law School (RCHRHL) was founded on 25 April 1997. RCHRHL is an academic association with members consisting of professors and scholars from different fields of law (international law, criminal procedure law, administrative law, comparative law) and different areas of human rights. RCHRHL, previously called Research Center for Human Rights (RCHR), expanded the scope of its research and international exchanges to also include humanitarian law in 2008.

 

Objectives

 

The RCHRHL aims 

  1. To facilitate academic exchanges both domestic and abroad in the field of human rights and humanitarian law;
  2. To develop human rights education and research;
  3. To increase the awareness of human rights of Chinese citizens.

 

Programs 

  

Human rights courses - RCHR offers courses to both undergraduate and graduate students on many areas of human rights. These courses, among others, include: Human Rights and Rule of Law, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; International Human Rights Protection Mechanisms, Regional Protection of Human Rights, Business and Human Rights, and International Humanitarian Law. It has also sponsored a joint master program on human rights with Lund University in Sweden, which is the first professional human rights education program in China.

 

Symposiums and seminars - It holds academic symposiums and seminars on theoretical and practical problems of human rights both at domestic and international levels.

 

Advisory service - It offers advisory opinions to the Chinese governmental institutions, including legislative, judicial and executive organs on matters such as the implementation of international human rights conventions.

 

Translation and publication - It edits and translates academic works and publishes documents and other materials on human rights.

 

Research and education - It implements projects on research and education on human rights in cooperation with domestic or international institutions. It publishes human rights books.

 

 

Activities 

 

Research Projects

  1. The Judicial Guarantee of Civil Rights Before Criminal Trial Project
  2. Project of the Implementation of the Cooperation on International Human Rights Between China and Canada
  3. The Project of Research on Anti-discrimination against HIV-infected Patients' and Hepatitis B Virus Carriers.

 

International Conferences

  1. The International Symposium on Judicial Justice and Rights-Safeguarding
  2. The International Symposium on "Promoting Development Based on Rights"
  3. "Nara's Sisters": Symposium on Women's Right
  4. The International Conference of the Deliberation on China National Reports by CEDAW Committee
  5. The Annual Conference of the Advanced Education on Human Rights in China.

 

Training and Other Activities

  1. The 7th Chinese University Teachers Seminar for International Human Rights Law
  2. Training for International Humanitarian Law Teachers
  3. "Anti-torture and Safeguarding Human Rights": debate between students from Beijing and Chongqing law schools.

 

 

Publications

 

  •  Human Rights: Chinese & Canadian Perspectives (Chinese Law Press, 1998)
  •  Judicial Justice and Human Rights Protection (China Legal Publishing House, 2001).
  •  Selected Documents on International Human Rights Law. Peking University
  •  Human Rights in the Perspective of Law (Peking University Press, 2003)
  •  Reports on the Pre-trial Detention System in China (Peking University Press, 2004)
  • An Empirical Study of Criminal Defense System (Peking University Press, 2005).

 

 

Address

 

The Research Center for Human Rights

Peking University

Beijing 100871 China

ph: (8610) 6275-1698/6276 7955

fax: (8610) 6275-1269/62756542

e-mail: Gongrr[a]pku.edu.cn; hrol_pku@hotmail.com; rchr[a]pku.edu.cn  

www.hrol.org

www.law.pku.edu.cn/article_view.asp?id=544&menuid=200393576525&menuname=

 

 

Wuhan University Public Interest and Development Law Institute (PIDLI)
- Wuhan University

 

Year Established: 2007


Short Historical Background


Wuhan University Public Interest and Development Law Institute (PIDLI), established in September 2007, is a university-based humanities and social science research institute. Its establishment drew inspiration from the public interest law movement, the “law and development” movement, and the “developmental law” campaign in Southeast Asia. PIDLI aims to promote rule of law and human rights in China, through research, advocacy and education.


PIDLI cooperates closely with the Wuhan University Center for Protection of Rights of Disadvantaged Citizens (CPRDC). CPRDC is the first non-governmental legal aid organization in China and the only non-business entity engaged in legal aid that is registered in the Bureau of Civil Affairs in Hubei province. Most of the researchers of PIDLI are also the working staff of CPRDC. As an institution born out of CPRDC, PIDLI and CPRDC cooperate with each other and complement each other’s strengths to adapt, participate with and guide the rising public interest law movement through joint publishing and advocacy initiatives. A Consultant Committee composed of highly-reputed and wellrespected
law professors decides on important issues that guide the direction of PIDLI.


Objectives Visions

 

PIDLI aims to promote social justice, human dignity and every person’s liberty and happiness. It is guided by the following values: inclusiveness, sustainability, cooperation, openness, participation,
and equality (I- SCOPE).


Programs and Activities

 

The main tasks of PIDLI consists of legal research, teaching and publishing; and the promotion of public interest, and development and human rights law under the guidance of the Consultant
Committee. It undertake activities including, but not limited, to the following:

  • Organize roundtable lectures/forums on human rights, public interest and development law;
  • Organize training on human rights and public interest law;
  • Organize research, training and advocacy on the development and promotion of civil society in China;
  • Offer internships for future public interest lawyers;
  • Offer legal clinic courses;
  • Support multi-disciplinary research on human rights, public interest and development law;
  • Participate in academic exchange at home and abroad.


Publications

 

  • Rule of Law in Asia E-Newsletter, in cooperation with ALRC (Asian Legal Resources Centre)
  • A Practical Manual on Rural Legal Service, Wuhan University Press (2012)
  • Chinese Journal of Public Interest Law, Wuhan University Press (2012)
  • Law in Hollywood Movies, Law Press (2012)
  • Justice For All: The Problems and Possibilities of Legal Aid and Empowerment in Rural Area, in cooperation with The Rights Practice (2011)
  • The report on universal periodic Review and Chinese Civil Society, in cooperation with The Rights Practice (2009).

 

Special Concerns

 

PIDLI has special focus on legal empowerment of members of disadvantaged groups.

 

Address

 

Wuhan University Public Interest and Development Law Institute (PIDLI)
Wuhan University School of Law
Mailbox 214, Wuhan, Hubei 430072 China
ph: (86 27) 6875 3729
fax: (86 27) 6875 3624
e-mail: office[a]pidli.org
www.pidli.cn/

 

 

Women’s Watch-China (WWC)


Year Established: 2005


Short Historical Background


Women’s Watch-China (WWC) is a non-profit organization working under the Beijing Zhongze Women’s Legal Counseling & Service Center, and Beijing Qianqian Law Firm (formerly known as the Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services of Peking University).
In 2004, the Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services joined hands with other women’s rights activists in China, and founded a task force for protecting women’s rights with the support of the Spangenberg Group and Ms. Rangita de Silva de Alwis.

 

The Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services successfully held three task force meetings on protecting women’s labor rights, fighting to end domestic violence, and protecting women’s property rights. The three meetings were followed by a “Women’s Action Forum,” which culminated in the establishment of the WWC in April 2005.

 

WWC pays close attention to the real condition of women in China, in order to understand women’s rights protection, advocate the idea of gender equality, and explore effective strategies and
measures for protecting women’s rights.


Objectives


WWC aims

  1. To monitor the status of women’s rights protection in China from a multidisciplinary perspective;
  2. To represent women as a voice of advocacy in society through a non-governmental organization (NGO) perspective;
  3. To develop into an information database, think-tank, observation post, and monitoring station for issues concerning women’s rights
  4. To advocate women’s rights protection, and to realize gender mainstreaming and gender equality through training, symposiums, and other activities;
  5. To provide a communication platform for organizations and individuals who are interested in women’s rights.

 

Programs and Activities


WWC undertakes the following activities:

  • Search for relevant data and information, and study key issues about women;
  • Follow and broadcast major cases and events of women’s rights violations, as well as support lawsuits and non-litigation activities;
  • Maintain and update WWC website by releasing the latest news and data, as well as publishing activities, research reports, and project achievements;
  • Publish and distribute a monthly E-newsletter, with the goal of expanding its subscriber coverage;
  • Hold an annual forum and training program for its members and observers to strengthen teambuilding skills, and improve tactics on defending women’s rights;
  • Publish an annual work report;
  • Collaborate with relevant organizations and individuals, at home and abroad;
  • Advocate reform and improvement of the legal system, and women’s law system, with experts, media, and other NGOs.
  • Since 2006, WWC’s projects mainly focus on protecting women’s land rights and establishing internal mechanisms in corporations to combat sexual harassment in the workplace:
  •  “Protecting Rural Women’s Land Rights” Project
    • research in Yunnan, Zhejiang, Hunan, Sichuan, Hebei and other provinces; protection of women’s land rights in Hebei, Hunan and Jiangsu provinces; advocacy for new policies and measures that substantially protect rural women’s land rights through various trainings, meetings, and symposiums.
  • “Establishing Anti-Sexual Harassment Mechanism in Corporations” Project
    • campaign for the establishment of anti-sexual harassment mechanisms (in collaboration with women’s federations, labor unions, foreign enterprises, industry associations, experts, and the media) through selected outstanding corporations as test cases. Six corporations eventually established such mechanisms. WWC continues the project by including more corporations, industry associations, education and research institutes, to provide a safer and healthier environment for employees.

 

Special Concerns

 

WWC has special focus on

  • Rural women’s rights to land;
  • Gender discrimination against women in the workplace;
  • Domestic violence against women;
  • Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace;
  • Women’s participation in public and politics;
  • Sustainable development and effective aid.

 

Publications

  • Annual Reports (2005-2010)
  • Case Study on Chinese Female Professionals’ Enforced Early Retirement Age (2009)
  • Survey Report on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (2010)
  • Manual on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (2010)
  • Brochure on Rural Women’s Land Rights (2010)
  • Survey Report on the Protection of Rural Women’s Land Rights in Guannan County, Jiangsu Province (2011).


Address

 

Women’s Watch-China
Secretariat c/o Beijing Zhongze Women’s Legal Counseling and Service Center
Room No.1304, Third Building of Qianhejiayuan 108 Beisihuan Donglu,Chaoyang District
Beijing 100029 China
ph: (86 010) 8483 3276/8483 3270
fax: (86 010) 8483 1639 ext 8006, 950507 ext 426115
e-mail:admin[a]womenwatch-china.org
www.womenwatch-china.org

 

 

Wuhan University Center for Human Rights Research and Education


Year Established: 2014


Short Historical Background

 

Wuhan University has a long and glorious history of human rights education and research. The late Prof. Han Depei, an international private law expert, attracted wide attention with the article, “The ‘Rule of Law’ We Need,” published in Observation (issue 10, volume 1, 1946), after he returned from abroad. The article discussed the legal protection of human rights. In 1979, Prof. He Huahui, a constitutional expert, published the article “On Human Rights,” which explained, with exceptional insight and valor, the intrinsic value of human rights and the significance of human rights to socialism. The article was compiled in the book Works of He Huahui, which was published in 2006 by Wuhan University Press. Teachers at Wuhan University Law School have published many books and papers on human rights, including Human Rights Theories and International Human Rights (Li Long and Wan Exiang, Wuhan University Press, 1992), International Human Rights Law (Wan Exiang and Guo Keqiang, Wuhan University Press, 1993), Human Rights Theories and Practice (Han Depei and Li Long, Wuhan University Press, 1994), and Comments on European Human Rights Court Trials (Wan Exiang, Hubei People’s Press, 1999).

In 2007, inspired by the public interest law movement and the law and development movement, which had been thriving in developing countries, scholars at the law school founded the Wuhan University Center for Public Interest and Development Law Research, which combines legal theory and practice. Based on the science of law, the Center specializes in the idea of public interest, development and human rights, and advocates and engages in interdisciplinary and practical studies. The Center cooperates with the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the Institute for Human Rights at the China University of Political Science and Law, and maintains close contact with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme.

The Center for Human Rights Research and Education at Wuhan University was established in January 2014. The establishment of the Center benefited from historical tradition and efforts of earlier generations, as well as plentiful earlier results of these efforts, construction of a solid platform and rational development planning for human rights.


Objectives


Teachers and students at Wuhan University have always maintained a pragmatic and innovative spirit. They have energetically engaged in the work of protecting the fundamental rights of vulnerable groups and have pushed forward the realization of social equality and justice.

 

Programs

 

Wuhan University Center for Legal Aid - In 1992, Wuhan University’s Center for the Protection of Rights of the Needy was founded and was later renamed as the Wuhan University Center for Legal Aid. It was the first nongovernmental legal aid institution in China. As a pioneer in legal aid, the Center has accumulated rich experience in human rights protection.

In the coming five years, the Center plans to work in the following areas:

  • First, the Center aims to become a first-rate human rights legal education base in the country;
  • Second, the Center will conduct research, with a focus on human rights protection and governance, and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities;
  • Third, the Center will deepen exchange and cooperation with domestic and overseas organizations, actively participate in the Coordinated Innovation Platform for Judicial Civilization, the Work Experience-sharing Conference of National Human Rights Research Institutions and the Symposium on Human Rights Teaching of Chinese Universities. It will also sponsor international and domestic human rights symposiums;
  • Fourth, the Center will improve and strengthen human rights training, particularly for lawyers, civil servants and college students.
  • Fifth, the Center will provide human rights consulting reports and legislative advice to government departments, based on its empirical research and participation in international human rights mechanisms.

 

Activities

 

Wuhan University now has three doctoral degree programs in the fields of human rights law, sports and human rights, and international human rights law. The Center offers three human rights law major courses at the law school: Introduction to Human Rights Law (an undergraduate elective), as well as Introduction to Human Rights Law and International Human Rights Law for graduate students. The Center also offers electives such as Law in the Movies for all Wuhan University students, spreading human rights education through movies and literature. The Center has cooperated with the provincial and municipal centers for legal aid in developing experimental teaching on human rights. The Center has also led the nation in offering courses on the rights of persons with disabilities, explaining the Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the rights perspective, barrier-free environments and nondiscrimination. The Center plans to popularize these innovative teaching methods among other schools across the country.

Teachers and students at Wuhan University are enthusiastic about serving society while conducting human rights research and education, such as by helping the needy in communities, training legal workers in localities and helping ensure the rights of each person. In the past two decades, the center has provided 61,800 consultations, responded to 21,000 mail inquiries, answered 36,000 phone calls, given 1,000 pieces of advice via its Website, and served as legal representative in 2,800 lawsuits. The Center has written or compiled more than thirty textbooks in the field of public law. The Center has also cooperated with the Ministry of Justice and the Hubei Provincial Department of Justice to produce three textbooks, consisting of both texts and graphics, for public law education.

The Center has actively sought cooperation with local governments to launch more extensive legal and human rights training programs, in a bid to increase public awareness of rights, and to increase the capacity of grassroots legal workers to safeguard the rights of disadvantaged groups. From 2006 to 2010, the Center cooperated with the Hubei Provincial Department of Justice to train more than 800 grassroots legal aid workers in thirty poverty-stricken counties in the province. In 2010, the Center organized a few symposiums on handling lawsuits involving migrant workers, in order to improve the capacity of legal workers to protect the rights of migrant workers. In 2011, the Center organized legal training for more than 400 legal coordinators in Luotian County, exploring ways to conduct legal aid training and enhance legal awareness in rural areas.

Based on the influence of Wuhan University in central China, the Center has conducted surveys, pilot programs and training programs about legal aid and human rights protection for social groups such as migrant workers, persons with disabilities, rural women and criminal suspects in detention. The Center actively pushes forward legal aid work in Hubei, Hunan, Henan and Anhui provinces.

 

Publications

 

The Center has a number of publications listed in its website. Visit this url: www.pidli.org/cbyyj/2017-07-15/194.html


Address

 

Center for Human Rights Research and Education
Wuhan University School of Law
Mailbox 214, Wuhan, Hubei 430072 China
ph: (86 27) 68753729
fax: (86 27) 68753729
e-mail: pidliwhu[a]gmail.com
www.pidli.org

 

a. Human Rights Research

1.China Human Rights in Action Series

From 2004 to 2013, the Centre has been collaborating with the China Society for Human Rights Studies in preparing annual China’s Human Rights in Action report, documenting major laws, policies, measures and cases relating to human rights for the year. A total of eight issues have been published. The reports are also available in English.

2.Annual Report on China's Human Rights (Blue Book)

Since 2011, together with the China Society for Human Rights Studies, the Centre organizes China’s human rights experts to prepare the Annual Report on China's Human Rights (Blue Book of China’s Human Rights). The annual Blue Book analyses the progress of human rights enterprise and the challenges faced in China from an academic perspective and provides policy recommendations. To date, ten books have been published.

3.Human Rights Research Projects

The Centre’s members leverage their multi-disciplinary synergy and undertook research on human rights issues commissioned by the National Social Science Fund, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Municipality and China Society for Human Rights Studies.


b. Human Rights Education, Training and Knowledge Dissemination

1.Specialized and Elective Courses for University

The Centre offers general elective courses for all Nankai University undergraduates under its “Human Rights Fundamentals and Awareness” syllabus. It also offers “International Law of Human Rights” as a specialized course at the Law School, and “Human Rights and Foreign Policy” at the College of History. The Centre further organizes lectures at the School of Government on “Human Rights Theory” for post-graduate students, and recruits Ph.D. students in human rights theory and practice.

2.Primary and Secondary School Education Project

The Centre is collaborating with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) in a three-year human rights education project for primary and secondary school students. The project includes developing human rights teaching materials and teaching guides, as well as training of teachers.

3.Training Project for Government Officials

The Centre offers human rights training for local government officials, develops the training materials and teaching guides, and provides teacher-training.

4.Knowledge Dissemination

To disseminate knowledge on human rights, the Centre’s members have developed popular human rights-related books, such as the 70 Years of Human Rights Development in China, Human Rights—A Citizen’s Reader, and Human Rights Protection in Contemporary China.


c. Advisory Service for the Government

The Centre’s members were invited as experts in drafting and evaluating the National Human Rights Action Plan. They also helped draft the white paper on Progress in China's Human Rights.

d. Human Rights Exchanges

1.National Exchanges

The Centre has hosted the Second National Exchange Forum for Human Right Research Institutions (2010), organized the China Human Rights Development Seminar (2011) and co-organized the National Human Rights Education Annual Meeting (2014). It also co-organized the Fifth Cross-Cultural Seminar on Human Rights (2017).

2.International Exchanges

The Centre’s members have made study visits to the Human Rights Centre of the University of Essex in the U.K., Netherlands School of Human Rights Research, the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and the Human Rights Centre at the University of Minnesota, USA. It has also collaborated with the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Netherlands School of Human Rights Education in various projects.

They have also participated in the human rights training organized by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and were involved in the universal periodic review conducted by the UN Human Rights Council. As an NGO, the Centre submits to the UN Human Rights Council a shadow report on the human rights situation in China.

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