Civic activists can advocate for the rights of specific individuals, groups, and important public interests. For this purpose they can use various opportunities: mediate disputes and conflicts affecting human rights; propose changes to legislation and its implementation practices; organize public events and actions; address officials personally and initiate collective appeals; exercise public control and monitor the effectiveness of human rights protection in specific areas; disseminate information about human rights violations, etc.
Some NGOs have legal liaison offices. Lawyers at legal liaison offices provide qualified assistance free of charge. They focus on the special needs of defenceless people.
How can the staff of NGOs and lawyers at reception centres help you?
- Provide you with the necessary legal information and advice;
- Help make sure that responsible authorities and officials receive objective information about your problem;
- They will help to make sure that the responsible persons do not avoid their responsibility to protect your rights;
- Represent your interests before authorities, courts and other law enforcement agencies;
- will use special opportunities available to public organizations to solve your problem – meetings and negotiations with responsible persons, appeals, public events, recommendations for changes in legislation and practice of its implementation, etc.