The French Government has opened an opportunity for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria who pride themselves as human rights groups to increase their revenue base by giving them the chance to participate in the Euros 75,000 (about N13 million) 2004 French Republican Human Rights Prize.
According to a letter written to the human rights groups in all the countries where entries were being expected and made available to Sunday Vanguard by the media department of the Embassy of France, Abuja, the human rights groups are expected to turn in papers in the areas of education and training in human rights as well as in preventing torture.
The French Government read inter alia: “The French Republic’s Human Rights Prize, ‘Freedom, equality, fraternity’ for 2004, conferred by the Prime Minister of the French Government, is open for applications.
“Non-governmental organisations, regardless of nationality or frontiers, are invited to submit a field work proposal or a project conducted in France or abroad”. The groups are expected to dwell extensively on education and training in human rights because, “at a time when the United Nations decade on the education to Human Rights is close to an end, this issue remains a priority”. The organizers expect eligible work proposals or projects in the field of education to human rights for youngsters, training on human rights for teaching staff, the police, and prison staff, legal professionals.
The French Government, according to the letter, harped on the second theme because in spite of the 20-year-old United Nations convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, “torture remains widespread worldwide”.
officials, identification of victims and assistance to the victims, under all forms.
Under this category, interested people or groups can submit entries in the arrears of actions such as information campaigns regarding the prohibition of torture or the promotion of international instruments, notably of the optional protocol to the convention against torture.
Interested NGOs can access rules guiding the competition on the Internet at www.commission-droits-homme.fr until October 1st, 2004. Winners will be announced on 18th November this year and the French Prime Minister will award the Prize on 10th December 2004".
