Finland supports Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission with over a million euros

Press release 296/2004
27 December 2004


Finland has allocated 1 103 000 euros to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission AIHRC. With the Finnish support the operations of the commission have thus been secured for the coming year. Finland is the third largest donor of the commission after the United States and Britain.

The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission was founded in June 2002. The new Afghan constitution, which was passed in January 2004, provides an official status to the commission. AIHRC is considered one of the best functioning institutions in Afghanistan and the chairperson Dr Sima Samar is widely respected all over the world.

The activities of AIHRC cover a large section of the country as, in addition to its headquarters in Kabul, there are ten regional offices. AIHRC is the most important human rights actor in Afghanistan due to its reporting, initiatives and other follow-up work. In its public appearances it can be more consistent than politically-oriented government representatives. Since the fall of the Taliban government the human rights situation in Afghanistan has shifted to a new gear. It is important to include human rights in all levels of the society and when establishing new state institutions. It is also an essential part of the reconstruction process and requires constant monitoring for the time being.

Further information: Katja Ahlfors, Attaché, Unit for Asia and Oceania, tel. +358 9 1605 6053