The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)
The EU is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. The Copenhagen political criteria on “stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities” incorporate these principles and shape the enlargement process.
Apart from traditional political dialogue, financial co-operation, trade and investment with third country governments, the EU also makes an effort to include national and international civil society organisations in the promotion of human rights and democracy.
The inclusion of non-governmental actors in the implementation of EU programs promoting democracy and human rights is a manifestation of the notion that human beings have inalienable rights as individuals. The EU upholds the universality and indivisibility of human rights, be they civil, political, economic, social or cultural. In that respect, civil society organisations have a lot to offer as initiators of change and implementers of reforms. They can be seen as a corollary to traditional state-centric approaches to promotion of a culture of human rights and democratisation.
The significance the Union attaches to the topic of human rights has most recently been illustrated by the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the still to be ratified text of the Reform Treaty of Lisbon, and the establishment of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
The EIDHR is a European Union programme that aims to promote and support human rights and democracy worldwide.
Since its inception in 1994, the EIDHR has been the principal vehicle for extending support to civil society activities in the promotion of human rights and democracy.
The specific aim of European Union assistance in the past under the EIDHR has been to support civil society activity in the promotion of human rights and democracy. Its budget rose by about 20% over the past five years (from about €100 million to over €120 million).
Since the beginning of 2007 the acronym EIDHR stands for the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. The implementation of the new Instrument has been further decentralised to the Delegations of the Commission, which can now draw country strategies, upon which to base respective calls for proposals that better reflect the specific circumstances on the ground.
An estimated €140 million are committed worldwide for 2007 through EIDHR. For the period 2007-2010 € 3 million would be available exclusively for Turkey for projects selected by the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey, while non-governmental actors in Turkey shall also be able to benefit from regional and global call for proposals administered centrally by the Commission’s EuropeAid cooperation office in Brussels.
60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Last update: 3.9.2009