Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

24. March 2009 - 8:42 | Egyptian Initia...

Contact Information

City:

Cairo

e-mail:

eipr@eipr.org

Web site:

www.eipr.org

network:

Description

Presentation, history and objectives:

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About:
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is an independent Egyptian human
rights organization that was established in 2002 to promote and defend the
personal rights and freedoms of individuals.

Vision

The EIPR was established to complement the work of Egyptian human rights groups
by adopting as its mandate, and focus of concern, a group of rights and
freedoms that are closest to the human-being: his/her body, privacy and house.
These rights often are ignored or overlooked. We believe that the crucial
importance of public and political rights must be grounded in an understanding
of the indispensability of full protection for personal rights. EIPR activists
share a notion that the individual is not reducible to a mere component of the
community or the State. Therefore, responsibilities and duties that result from
the individual's belonging to his/her community and State should affirm, not
destroy, the individual's capacity to make choices and maintain independence as
a free entity. Each member of society deserves respect for her or his personal
dignity and integrity. Thus, we aim to explore the line between private and
public in the lives of individual members of community and society, while
realizing the interrelation and interdependence of these two spheres. We also
attempt to promote a debate about the State's legitimate powers and the areas
it should not invade while undertaking its legitimate responsibilities to
protect people from abuse.

Mechanism of Operation

The EIPR works through research, advocacy and
litigation to promote and defend the rights to privacy, religious freedom,
health and bodily integrity.

Programme:

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Right
to Privacy

This program covers a group of rights that are related to the private lives of
individuals, including their rights to secrecy of communications and
correspondence, to freedom of religion and belief, to protection of reputation,
and to adequate housing; in addition to sexual and reproductive rights of women
and men.

Freedom of Religion and Belief

The EIPR works to promote and defend the right to freedom of religion and belief in
Egypt through research and monitoring, strategic legal interventions and advocacy
campaigns. The program is currently addressing three interrelated issues: laws,
policies and practices that directly or indirectly discriminate on the ground
of religion or belief ; violations by security agencies and prosecutions based
on religion or belief; and the response by the state and society to incidents
of sectarian tension and violence in Egypt. The program's flagship
Quarterly Reports document and update developments related to freedom of
religion and belief in Egypt
every three months.

Health
and Human Rights

The EIPR considers the enjoyment of the right to health to be a prerequisite
for the enjoyment of other bodily rights. This program promotes and defends
people's right to access to health services, treatment and essential medicines
and freedom from discrimination based on health status. Other subjects of
concern include HIV/AIDS and human rights, the interrelation between health and
violence, and reproductive health issues in Egypt.

Structure and staff: