Netherlands Helsinki Committee
The Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) is a non-governmental organization that promotes human rights and strengthens the rule of law and democracy in all countries of Europe, and the Central Asian countries participating in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).{{Cite web |title=Netherlands Helsinki Committee » The Hague Justice Portal |url=http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=2131 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160910173229/http://haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=2131 |archive-date=September 10, 2016 |access-date=2018-04-16 |website=www.haguejusticeportal.net}}
Background
NHC was founded in 1987 to provide input on Human Rights, Economics and the Environment, and Security aspects of the Helsinki Accords.{{Cite web|url=https://www.osce.org/secretariat/73223?download=true|title=The Moscow Helsinki Group: The seed from which the Helsinki movement grew|website=OSCE}} Max van der Stoel was among the founding members of the organization.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shrmonitor.org/osce-secretary-general-commends-the-netherlands-helsinki-committee-at-its-30th-anniversary/|title=OSCE Secretary General Commends the Netherlands Helsinki Committee at its 30th Anniversary|website=Security and Human Rights Monitor}} The NHC belongs to the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights organizations found throughout Europe.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
The NHC builds capacity of civil society and governmental bodies with a focus on strengthening legal protection and improving public policies that affect vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.{{Cite web|url=http://hrdn.eu/netherlands-helsinki-committee/|title=Netherlands Helsinki Committee|website=Human Rights & Democracy Network}} The organization cooperates with human rights NGOs, human rights lawyers and with the Council of Europe promoting rights-based approaches to human trafficking.{{Cite web|url=https://www.coe.int/web/anti-human-trafficking/lawyers-network#{%2216408095%22:[0]}|title=Improving access to justice for trafficked persons: launch of an anti-human trafficking lawyers' network|website=Council of Europe}} The NHC also works on improving prison conditions{{Cite web|url=https://www.government.nl/binaries/government/documents/publications/2013/08/30/matra-coprol/matra-coprol-first-phase-projects.pdf|title=Matra CoPROL|website=Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs}} and supporting probation services.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cilc.nl/support-to-probation-services-in-montenegro-first-mission-of-cilc-nhc-experts/|title=Support to Probation Services in Montenegro: First Mission of CILC & NHC Experts|website=Center for International Legal Cooperation}} Together with Leiden University and The Hague Academy for Local Governance, the NHC implements the Matra Rule of Law Training program, aiming to strengthen institutional capacity building through training professionals from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.diplomatmagazine.nl/2018/03/15/matra-rule-of-law-training-programme-networking-reception/|title=Matra Rule of Law Training Programme Networking Reception|website=Diplomat Magazine}}
The NHC supports human rights defenders and NGOs to withstand governmental pressure, improves the implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments and other international human rights agreements.{{Cite web|url=http://www.civicsolidarity.org/member/180/netherlands-helsinki-committee|title=Netherlands Helsinki Committee {{!}} Civic Solidarity|website=www.civicsolidarity.org|language=en|access-date=2018-04-16}} It plays an active role in several civil society networks of human rights NGOs in Europe, including the Civil Solidarity Platform,[http://www.civicsolidarity.org/ Civil Solidarity Platform] www.civicsolidarity.org EU-Russia Civil Society Forum,[http://eu-russia-csf.org/ EU-Russia Civil Society Forum] eu-russia-csf.org{{Cite web|url=http://eu-russia-csf.org/home/about-us/|title=EU-RUSSIA {{!}} CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM: About Us|website=eu-russia-csf.org|language=en|access-date=2018-04-16}} and Breed Mensen Overleg.[http://www.bmoweb.nl/ Breed Mensen Overleg] www.bmoweb.nl{{Cite news|url=http://www.bmoweb.nl/leden/nederlands-helsinki-comite/ |title=Nederlands Helsinki Comité - Breed Mensenrechten Overleg |trans-title=Netherlands Helsinki Committee - Wide Human Rights Consultation |work=Breed Mensenrechten Overleg |access-date=2018-04-16 |language=nl-NL}}
The NHC publishes pieces on human rights in Security and Human Rights, formerly known as the Helsinki Monitor, today the online journal Security and Human Rights Monitor.[https://www.shrmonitor.org/ Security and Human Rights Monitor] www.shrmonitor.org{{Cite web|url=https://rm.coe.int/16806da52e |title=The Future of Human Rights Protection in Europe |last=Muižnieks |first=Nils |website=Council of Europe}}