Youth Initiative for Human Rights is the regional network of nongovernmental organizations that has branches in Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Bosni and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
YIHR – Montenegro was established in 2006 as the nonprofit and nongovernmetal organization, whose work is based on conviction that huamn rights and civil values represent the grounds of the open and progressive society to which we all strive. Mission of the Initiative is to qualitatively and actively contribute to development of such society in Montenegro and the Western Balkan region, through the cooperation network with its partner organizations. In its work, YIHR is devoted to protection of victims of violation of human rights, promotion of the rule of law, and promotion of democratic political culture.
The regional network of Youth Initiative for Human Rights is the recipient of the prestigious Vaclav Havel Human Rights Award, which has been awarded by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since 2009. The Vaclav Havel Award is awarded to organizations and individuals for outstanding contribution in the field of human rights in Europe and worldwide.
By participating in the Working Group for Negotiation Chapter 24, we also monitor the process of accession to the European Union.
The mandate of YIHR in Montenegro includes activities aimed at:
– researching, monitoring and documenting human rights violations,
– providing free legal aid to victims of human rights violation and public representation in order to improve the position of victims,
– education and capacity building of target groups, especially socially active young people, through education programs,
– regional cooperation,
– facing the past and introducing young people to the past events.
The core values of the Initiative are truth, justice, responsibility, political equality, freedom, democracy and peace.