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Both sides from the previous war took part in the planning and implementation of the programme. Following a joint preliminary assessment of rehabilitation needs, committees were formed to discuss problems and strategies for solving them. Volunteers from the community - from both sides, to waive fears that one or other of the factions would receive preferential treatment - were trained as health workers.
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
Development policies in their social and political context are being studied by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). UNRISD is an autonomous UN agency that conducts multi-disciplinary research to provide governments, development agencies, grassroots organizations and scholars with a better understanding of the effects of development policies and processes on economic, social and environmental change in different social groups.
UNESCO's Culture of Peace Programme has been cooperating with UNRISD in its project on 'Rebuilding Wartorn Societies.' The project provides systematic analysis of the experience and practice of post-conflict peace-building. As UNRISD explains, 'the task which begins once fighting has stopped is, in most cases, more complex and costly than was the fighting. A fragile cease fire must be transformed into a lasting political settlement, emergency relief ... and a process of political, economic, social and psychological rebuilding initiated to lay the basis for future sustainable development.' Country studies are being planned for Mozambique, Cambodia, El Salvador, and Somalia, among others.
In addition to its research activities, UNRISD will provide policy advice as a continuous process integrated with the research. It will also link in a global network the various institutions, agencies and individuals presently involved in efforts to rebuild
wartorn societies in order to promote dialogue and facilitate exchange of experiences and networking.
Center for Human Rights
Increasingly in recent years, the United Nations is assisting its Member States in developing comprehensive programmes of human rights which is one of the basic aspects of a culture of peace. The UN programmes of consultation and technical assistance for human rights, which were launched in 1955, received a new boost in 1992 with the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna which called for the application of coherent national action plans. These plans are designed to:
* reinforce institutions that defend human rights and promote democracy;
* reform penal and correctional establishments;
* assure judicial protection of human rights;
* assure the theoretical and practical training in human rights of administrators, lawyers, judges, security forces and others;
* educate and inform the general public to promote respect of human rights;
* and facilitate other activities which contribute to the functioning of a society by the rule of law.
The Centre responds to the requests of Member States by making a detailed evaluation of its needs in the domain of human rights and then elaborating and implementing appropriate programmes of assistance.
In 1994, comprehensive national human rights programmes were being assisted by the United Nations in 16 countries. These were Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Malawi,
Both sides from the previous war took part in the planning and implementation of the health programme, creating an atmosphere of mutual trust.
In practice the reinforcement of human rights is a complex process involving all activities which contribute to the functioning of a society by the rule of law.