The Arab Observatory for Reform and Democracy:

Out of its quest to understand the various issues of reform and democracy in the Arab World, the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies launched the Arab Observatory for Reform and Democracy for the purpose of reaching the largest possible segments of citizens, media activists and the various advocates of reform in the world.


The Observatory focuses on the various issues and problems of reform in the Arab World by monitoring and following up all that involves reform-oriented action in complete neutrality.

The observatory seeks to form solidarity groups that seek to support the reformist trend and to give it momentum through paying attention to the international conventions and agreements. It also seeks to make daily presentations and analysis and to produce periodic reports to determine the most prominent reform issues and problems so as to raise the standards of reformist work and to encourage participation and dialogue among the various reformist movements under the control of the media institutions and the civil society organizations.

The observatory will relay stories, news and international events and compare them with the Arab situation with the aim of the exchange of expertise, skills, and activities so as to promote the functions of the observatory.

Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) is an independent, scientific and non-governmental centre for studies, research and training in Jordan. Thus, the ACHRS refrains from carrying out any activities, which might negatively affect its neutrality or scientific objectivity.

The objectives of ACHRS is to monitor the basic transformations in human rights and to contribute to the introduction of a change in the civil society and in the pattern of social, democratic upbringing. It also seeks to help in spreading and strengthening human rights culture in the Arab World.

Be committed to all the criteria that are contained in the provisions of international and regional conventions and declarations on human rights issued by the UN or the regional, Arab organizations.

The ACHRS seeks to achieve its goals through educational, intellectual, and cultural activities, which includes theoretical and applied research and studies, convening of conferences, seminars, workshops and study sessions, offering consultations, technical and scientific services, training courses and publishing bulletins, publications, reports and specialized periodical on human rights.

In the pursuit of its goals, the ACHRS will cooperate with local, Arab and international institutions and associations, whose activities are compatible with ACHRS activities.
The Goals of the ACHRS

1- To provide a scientifically-based statistical and information base on the local, regional and international human rights declarations, covenants, and conventions.
2- To provide a democratic platform for dialogue, coordination and integration of the efforts of the human rights governmental and non-governmental organizations.
3- To disseminate the human rights culture and to spread knowledge of it to all those who are interested in the various civil society institutions and government institutions.
4- To help governmental and non-governmental organizations in monitoring, documenting, and following up the human rights situation and to strengthen and upgrade human rights on all the legislative and applied levels.
5- To pay special attention to the human rights of the fragile segments of society, such as the children, old people, and people with special needs.
6- To participate in the building of the state that is governed by law, institutions and the democratic humanitarian society.
7- To participate in the process of reviewing the local legislation, laws and instructions and to offer scientific proposals to adapt them to the international norms of human rights.
8- To contribute to the strengthening of the humanitarian rights of women so as to enable them to effectively participate in public life and in decision making.
 

The beneficiaries from the Center

1- Governmental and non-governmental organizations functioning in the field of human rights.
2- Academics and university and higher institute students.
3- Civil society organizations.
4- Personnel employed by the judicial, legislative and law-enforcement departments.
5- Media workers and journalists.
6- Personnel employed by international and regional organizations operating in the field of human rights.