The Human Rights Support Department is one the central departments of Ministry of Justice of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The department was established in 2010 on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Luckily, the establishment of this department was ratified by the Council of Ministers in 2011.
The Human Rights Support Department of Ministry of Justice, works in capacity building of the government departments in order to properly execute a number of Afghanistan’s international obligations of human rights which, under its international commitments is responsible. This department, in order to achieve this, works for following four objectives:
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Organizing training programs on human rights;
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Pursuing the recommendations of the supervisory mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights;
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Supervision of implementation of the international human rights conventions;
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Review of the legislative and strategic documents in the light of international human rights conventions.
The Human Rights Support Department has 3 sub departments and 1 management
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Sub department of Hunan Rights Support Board; it has 2 positions of professional members of the Human Rights Support Board;
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Sub department of Law Review and Strategic Studies, it has 3 positions of professional members of the Law Review and Strategic Studies;
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Sub department of Human Rights Training Board; it has 2 positions of professional members of Human Rights Training Board;
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Executive Management;
The Objectives of Human Right Support Department:
Capacity building of the government departments in order to execute Afghanistan’s human rights obligations which, has responsibility under its international human rights commitments.
Main Duties of Human Rights Support Department:
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Pursuing the implementation of the International Human Rights Conventions and their relevant protocols in the governmental departments;
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Cooperation with the relevant government departments and the Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan in the implementation of the International Human Rights Conventions and their relevant protocols;
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Pursuing the recommendations and the resolutions of the United Nations and other national and international mechanisms on human rights, and the recommendations of the Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan in the government departments and ensure their executions.
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Cooperation with the Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on preparing reports to the United Nations supervising agencies;
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Conducting training programs in order to enhance the awareness level of the government departments staff members and military official on human rights, in coordination with the Independent Human Rights Commission;
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Gathering information on the compliance of the human rights norms in the government departments and submit it to the coordinating committee in order to evaluate and take proper decision;
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Study and scrutiny of legislative documents, policies and strategies of the government departments to comply with the International Human Rights Conventions and express views accordingly.
