Human Rights Monitoring and Reporting Training nancing and for expert assistance from the Helsinki Foundation. Though modest in terms of financing (support for a single project never ex- getting involved in exchange programmes. It was also proposed that the Ministry of Education should work on the reform and harmonization of legislation and bylaws governing orphanages and boarding schools. In association with the Helsinki Foun- ceeded $2,000), these projects have dation for Human Rights in Warsaw managed to achieve tangible results and OSCE field missions, the ODIHR in terms of respecting human rights In order to highlight these successes, developed a multiyear project called in the country in question. In some the ODIHR and the Helsinki Founda- Human Rights Monitoring and Re- cases, projects have led directly to tion have compiled a number of proj- porting Training, which was conduct- changes in legislation; have resulted ect profiles in a publication called ed from 2000 through 2003. in improved co-operation with the Human Rights Monitoring - an Effec- police, penal institutions, the Prose- tive Tool of Change. During that time, groups of approxi- cutor-General's Office, or the courts; mately 20 representatives of non- or have led to changes in the prac- governmental and tice of certain state bodies. Their suc- some state agencies were selected cess is proof that the strategy of from every country in Central Asia "small steps", of dialogue and of try- and the South Caucasus. Over a peri- ing to solve a problem at its root, is The initial programme met with od of 18 months, participants took possible, as well as effective. great interest from NGOs, state au- organizations Following up thorities, and international organiza- part in three five-day sessions devoted to human rights monitoring and As an example, two local non-gov- tions working in the target countries. reporting techniques, as well as to ernmental organizations - the Youth As a result, the ODIHR is currently the strategic planning of activities. Human Rights Group (the YHRG) developing more-targeted training and the Jalal-Abad Regional Public in order to respond to changing Foundation of Legal Formation and needs. Two regional follow-up con- Education - were selected to monitor ferences were organized in order to the human rights situation in Kyr- bring all the graduate trainees to- gyzstan's orphanages and boarding gether, establishing an informal net- schools, as well as the process of the work and providing a forum to as- placement of abandoned children sess lessons learned. From theory to practice Extensive experience in the postcommunist world has shown that teaching NGO representatives skills for human rights protection is more effective if they are given an opportunity to apply those skills in practice. Thus, the training concluded with a competition for individual monitoring proposals, the aim of which was to address a single, perhaps even minor, human rights issue in one's own country through monitoring and other techniques acquired during the training. Three or four of the best proposals were chosen for fi- throughout the country. The ODIHR then used the results of this project By the end of 2003, close to 300 as the impetus for organizing an human rights defenders had benefit- NGO-government meeting under its ed from this training. Civic Dialogue Programme. That meeting ended with a proposal that the YHRG, with international support, select one progressive orphanage and work with it on different levels, including by training personnel, raising human rights awareness among children, raising funds for technical assistance, and 26