The project aims at addressing human rights-related capacity and protection needs among civil society organizations (CSOs), human rights defenders (HRDs), lawyers’ community members, and members of vulnerable groups. Under the project, OHCHR delivers a systematic and diverse capacity-building program for the benefit of the CSOs, HRDs, and lawyers’ community members on a wide range of critical human rights topics, with a focus on UN human rights mechanisms. A number of educational materials made available in the national language provide the CSOs, HRDs, and lawyers’ community members with substantial information on human rights. Further, the project aims to provide continued support for the engagement of the CSOs, HRDs, and lawyers in international and national human rights advocacy. The project also contributes to the improvement of the access to justice for vulnerable groups, both by advocating for the establishment of a civil legal aid system in the country and the provision of free legal assistance to members of vulnerable groups in Baku and in the regions of Azerbaijan.

The overall objective of the project is ensuring the protection of human rights of vulnerable groups in Azerbaijan, including in the context of COVID-19.

Specific objectives include:
SO 1. Continued capacity building program for the CSOs and human rights defenders, as well as their support for engagement with the international human rights advocacy by use of the UN human rights mechanisms;
SO 2. Continued advisory assistance and financial support for Azerbaijani CSOs and human rights defenders to enable their engagement with the international human rights advocacy by use of the UN human rights mechanisms; and
SO 3. Promotion of improvement of access to justice by members of the vulnerable groups and culture of pro bono legal services.

ER 1. Improved capacities of 350 CSO members, HRDs, and lawyers to monitor, document, report human rights violations and advocate for human rights; ER2. New human rights educational resources are available in the national language and disseminated among CSOs, HRDs, and lawyers; ER3.100 CSO members, HRDs, and lawyers benefited from free facilities and space for carrying out outreach activities; ER4. Members of CSO, HRDs, and lawyers receive financial support to prepare and submit alternative reports to the UN human rights committees; ER5. Members of CSOs, HRDs, and lawyers receive financial support to engage in promoting and protecting human rights, by use of UN human rights mechanisms; ER6. Raised awareness of civil legal aid and the culture of pro-bono legal services amongst legal professionals, CSOs members, and policymakers; ER7. In more than 3,000 cases vulnerable people in Baku and the regions gain access to free legal services.