Over the next four years (2019-2022), the efforts of the Regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights-MENA Region will focus on the following strategic directives:

1-      Advocate for ratifications of the core human rights instruments

        Regular public reports that would include status of compliance of legislation with human rights obligations in the region

 2-      Engage with States to extend capacity building activities and technical assistance mainly in support of national human rights mechanisms and                                processes of protection (NHRIs, NMRF, NAP,etc…)

         -Capacity building extended to NHRIs, NMRF and other mechanisms on how to interact with international mechanisms of protection and address protection and                   promotion of human rights

        -Training courses and studies aiming at engaging with duty bearers on promotion and protection

 3-      Embark on legal and institutional reforms related to laws governing fundamental freedoms in line with international human rights obligations 

        -Cyber laws, information laws, assembly and associations’ laws studied in line with ICCPR and other norms

        -Personal status laws, discriminatory laws reviewed in line with CEDAW and other relevant norms

        -Discriminatory laws studied in line with international human rights norms, in particular in relation to migrants, gender, ethnic and religious groups among others.

 4-      Initiate proactively institutional reforms in line with international human rights obligations, while gender dimensions are recognized

         Institutional reforms for security and justice sectors, with a stronger gender participation

 5-      Engage with civil society actors on capacity building activities and technical assistance mainly in support of preventive networks against reprisals with                   gender perspective considered

        -Organizing meetings for the women human rights defenders network created in 2018

        -Quarterly meetings for non-governmental organizations and NHRIs involving discussions on civil space and ESC rights

 6-      Conduct systematic and regular monitoring of the human rights situation in the region, in particular, the civic environment with a view to engaging with                   authorities re addressing violations or preventing recurrence

        -Documenting and verifying cases in the database

        -Regular public reports on the human rights situation that would include status of fundamental freedoms in the region

        -Constructive dialogue with authorities to prevent, protect and address human rights violations.