The particular attention focused by the Islamic school on the inherent dignity of human beings, and the influence of religious teaching on the Iranian culture have given rise to innumerable spontaneous and popular institutions in the course of the country’s history. It is evidenced by thousands of charitable organizations across the country that concentrates on humanitarian issues and provide assistance and protection to the social victims.
However, lacking among these was an academic center, which would foster and promote human rights-related debate, research and training. In order to institutionalize human rights activities at the national and international levels, the Faculty of Law and political Science set out to establish in January 2001 the Center for Human Rights Studies as part of the activities of the project Strengthening Capacities for Human Rights Training and Research.
Following the workshop on the establishment of regional human rights arrangements of the Asia-Pacific held in 1998 in Tehran and in light of the need for providing technical assistance to regional countries, stressed in its final declaration, the UNDP proposed the project on strengthening capacities for human rights research and training to the Faculty of Law & Political Science of the University of Tehran. The contract for this project was signed in March 1999 and subsequently started operation in May 1999 under the auspices of professor Nasrin Mosaffa, associate dean for financial and administration affairs of the Faculty of Law& Political Science.
The center for Human Rights studies was accordingly established in January 2000 under the above project, as a measure to institutionalize human rights research and training activities.
In order to realize its objectives, as set out under its draft statute, the HRCUT pursues various functions some of which are as follow:
1- Conducting research, authoring and translating materials in the following areas:
- Theoretical foundations of human rights.
- Conceptual and historical evolution of human rights.
- Sources and principles of international humanitarian law.
- Human rights enforcement and monitoring mechanisms.
- Violations of human rights and compensatory mechanisms.
- International criminal tribunals mechanisms.
- Regional and international human rights agreements.
- International human rights NGOs.
- Promoting international cooperation in the field of human rights.
2- Promoting cooperation with domestic and international academic and research centers in the above mentioned fields.
3- Organizing special training courses.
4- Convening academic conferences.
5- Publication of studies and conference papers.
Building & Facilities;
The HRCUT, as a research affiliate of the Faculty of Law & Political Science, is based in the building No 3 of the Faculty of law, located at No 3, Ordibehesht Street, Jomhouri Ave, Tehran.
This building has the following facilities;
1- A conference hall, with a capacity of 120 persons, equipped with audio-visual systems (TV video sets and one overhead projector).
2- A meeting room with a capacity of 20 persons and a special conference table.
3- Two rooms equipped with required facilities, reserved for researchers.
4- Secretariat room equipped with required facilities.
5- Director’s room fully equipped with facilities.
6- Associate director’s room equipped with required facilities.
7- Office of the director.
8- Security guards’ room.
9- Pantry.
10- Four bathrooms (two indoor and two outdoor).
11- Dining room located outdoor.
12- Warehouse located in the basement.
13- Prayer room.
14- Two extra rooms belonging to the Center for Human Rights Information.
Given the need for providing assistance to students and researchers interested in human rights, the establishment of a specialized center for human rights documents and information was a matter of high priority. To this end this center was founded on October 15, 1999 and soon began work on the fourth floor of the building No 2 of the Faculty of Law & Political Science .Following the establishment of the HRCUT, the Center for Human Rights Information also moved to the new building on January 16, 2001. This center consists of two sections as follow:
Upon its opening, this library had 300 volumes of specialized books on human rights available, which currently exceeds 750 volumes.
This library also hosts copies of the UN human rights documents. This center charges no fee for its services provided to students and researchers interested in human rights.
This section is equipped with 6 PCs all connected to the worldwide web through the Informatics & Statistics Center of the University of Tehran using Less line Connection mode. This center is also supplemental with other facilities namely a printer, scanner, and a copy machine, which are available for use by students and researchers.
The Center for Human Rights Information is currently one of the most active sections affiliated with the Center for Human Rights Studies. A considerable number of students and researchers, coming from all over the country, visit this center every day to use its unique services.
For a 2007 Updated ABOUT Version, Click Here!
