EMBASSY AMMAN PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004061

SIPDIS

FOR DRL/PHD: KARA CUMBERLAND AND NEA/ARN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM EAID KDEM JO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY AMMAN PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
AND DEMOCRACY FUND

REF: A. A) AMMAN 3504


B. B) STATE 65803

C. C) FELLOWS-LEVISON MAY 3 AND FEB 26 E-MAILS

D. D) AMMAN 1232

E. E) AMMAN 842


1. Embassy Amman is pleased to submit a project proposal for
the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor's (DRL's)
consideration. Per the invitation in reftel B, post seeks
funding for this proposal from DRL's FY2004 Human Rights and
Democracy Fund (HRDF). This proposal would build on post's
success with FY2003 HRDF funding and support our human rights
strategy (ref E) by providing groundbreaking human rights
training and support to Government of Jordan (GOJ) employees.


2. In February and April 2004, post arranged for a human
rights activist on sabbatical from Amnesty International (AI)
and two American academics with extensive IO experience to
present training, lectures, and some one-on-one counseling to
more than forty GOJ employees and others on human rights
topics. Held in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) and the new National Center for Human Rights
(NCHR),participants included over a dozen MFA personnel,
staff of the NCHR, and smaller numbers from the Jordanian
Armed Forces, police, intelligence, and the Ministries of
Interior, Education, and Justice (refs C and D). When
proposed, this was a unique round of training in Jordan's
history, though the NCHR is now carrying out similar training
efforts for GOJ personnel. The sessions provided the
participants essential background on international standards
and practices. While other results of these efforts remain
largely unmeasured, the networking opportunities alone made
the training worthwhile for many participants. For example,
the April training session was held at the NCHR, which most
of the GOJ employees had never visited.


3. Unfortunately, given the NCHR's short track record and its
status as quasi-governmental, it is not recognized widely
enough and is typically not eligible to qualify for outside
funding, which it might if it were an established NGO. Given
its limited GOJ-appropriated budget, the NCHR has little
capacity for bringing foreign experts to Jordan (ref A). The
staff, while interested and engaged, are largely young and
inexperienced, with the AI activist who worked with the NCHR
in April pointing out that it has yet to discuss staff
development or strategic planning. The NCHR's cooperation
with NGOs is also in a nascent stage, though cooperation with
international NGOs was facilitated by the activist's visit.
GOJ officials in other human rights-related assignments are
mostly new to the human rights field, and virtually all are
new in their positions, which have been created only in the
last few years.


4. Post proposes three sessions of training to be funded by
the HRDF and in cooperation with the NCHR. Post would
identify an outside expert with substantive experience to
conduct each session, to be held on mutually agreeable dates
at periodic intervals over the coming fiscal year. Based on
their positive contributions in the past, we plan to work
with the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul
University and the AI activist, as well as other persons they
might recommend. Audiences of 15-20 persons per session would
include GOJ employees and, in at least one of the sessions,
NGOs. For this session, the theme would be the role of NGOs
and general human rights advocacy, with participation
determined by the NCHR. Another session, in cooperation with
the MFA, would repeat much of the substance of the February
session, which focused on international human rights
instruments, standards and bodies. The MFA and the Institute
for Diplomacy, which hosted the February training, have
expressed a desire to repeat this training and are
considering doing so on an annual basis, perhaps as part of
the basic training offered to beginning diplomats. The third
session would focus on the development of the NCHR itself,
with a focus on planning and the work of national human
rights organizations. In order to expand the reach of the
training sessions to more traditional elements of the GOJ
such as the police and Interior Ministry, English-Arabic
interpretation would be provided. Each session would last
three or four working days and, with the exception of some
NCHR staff who participated in sessions already held, would
include GOJ personnel not previously trained.


5. The estimated cost of this proposal is 21,000 USD. Each
session would cost approximately 6500 USD, consisting of
airfare (3000 USD),per diem (200 USD/day),honorarium (200
USD/day) and interpretation (225 USD/day interpreter and 250
USD/day equipment). Additional material and incidental costs,
such as copying and translation of course materials, are
estimated at 1500 USD. No rental fees for facilities are
included as the NCHR and the Institute for Diplomacy have
offered to host these events at no cost, and the Institute
may be able to provide interpretation equipment for any
sessions held there. Post has personnel with grant signing
authority and would administer these funds directly. The
action officer would be PolOff Keith Heffern (ETA 6/2004),
with PolCouns Chris Henzel (ETA 8/2004) as back-up. Given
timely approval and disbursal of the funds, the three
sessions can be conducted prior to a change in personnel.
Project evaluation would be in the form of written reports by
the action officer, based in part on feedback from course
participants.


6. Short term goals of this training are awareness raising
and capacity building within the GOJ, especially given the
lack of relevant experience among most GOJ personnel. This
would capitalize on the current government's charge by King
Abdullah to promote a human rights culture in Jordan. Over
the long term, we hope to create a cadre of concerned and
informed GOJ employees who would be stakeholders in such a
human rights culture. Given its potentially key role in
promoting and defending human rights in Jordan, post also
seeks to build the NCHR's training capacity immediately and
to raise its standing as an institution over the long term by
promoting its independence and efficacy. Given the lack of
long-term commitments, the sustainability of this proposal is
not a serious concern. Post seeks funding for this proposal
through the HRDF because it fills a niche not filled by MEPI
and the newly-established AID Democracy and Governance
country program, which have focused on other sectors.
GNEHM