14. Appendix 10 Steps for implementions - an outline Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 maj 1997

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE DOCUMENTATION PROJECT,
C/O German Section, 53108 Bonn, Germany, Tel.: 49 228 983 7303 Fax: Karsten Lüthke 49 228 63 00 38
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21 February 1997

STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION - AN OUTLINE


I. DECISION-MAKING

IEC

It is envisaged that the (EC will at its meeting in June 1997 take a political decision to set up, in principle, the refugee documentation centre, funding permitting. The decision should include the following elements:
a) The IEC is requested to note the study and endorse, in principle, the proposal to set up an Al refugee documentation centre.
b) The IEC is requested to endorse, in general terms, the conclusions and recommendations of the working group, and in particular, the recommendation that the refugee documentation centre should be set up as a "modified decentralized structure".
c) The IEC is requested to commit the international budget to make a modest contribution to the cost of setting up and operating the refugee documentation centre.
d) The IEC is requested to authorize first steps for implementation by transforming the present project working group into a continuity committee with the following tasks:
- to seek and receive formal commitments from a sufficient number of sections to fund the centre,
- to draft a fund-raising proposal for submission to potential external funding sources,
- to draft a plan and schedule for implementation,
- to look into possible locations for the centre,

ICM

It does not seem to be necessary to formally present the proposal to the ICM for decision-making in the form of a resolution. The wording of Ljubljana Action Plan MTO 1.5 would allow for the "implementation of the results of the feasibility study". The IEC may, however, wish in some form to seek the movement's endorsement for the proposal, In addition, it may help in presenting the proposal to sections and seeking their support to organize an informal meeting on the refugee documentation centre at the 1997 ICM The deadline for submitting such a request for a meeting to OLU at the IS is July 25,1997.



2. BUILDING SECTION SUPPORT

This Is an ongoing process which is already well underway. A formal message of support for the proposal was adopted by consensus at the meeting of refugee co-ordinators in Amsterdam in December 1996. This should be communicated via the IS mailing list to all refugee co-ordinators. It Is now important to widen the spectrum of those approached and consulted beyond refugee co-ordinators to Section Directors and Boards. A first opportunity to do so is the Directors' Forum at the end of February I 997 in Montreal, Canada. It Is also suggested to include the refugee documentation centre as a point for Information on the agendas of Grouping meetings to be held in I 997.

Members of the working group have been asked to approach the directors and boards of their sections. This process is presently underway in a number of sections (Sweden, Switzerland, Germany). The goals are to a) secure political support for the project from a limited number of sections willing to take a leading role in bringing the project forward and b) give advance notice to these sections that they may be expected to make a commitment at a later stage to contribute to the funding for the centre. (It is important that sections are aware of this as early as possible in order to be able to make preliminary budgetary provisions for the coming years.)
Once the IEC has positioned itself on the proposal. more formal approaches to major funding sections should be undertaken by the working group (or the continuity committee). Implementation of the proposal is conditional on a number of sections formally committing themselves to fund the project for the initial three-year period.



3. A PLAN AND SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The Operational Plan for the period April 1996 - March 1998 states that implementation "may need to wait for the outcome of the review of refugee work and the 1997 ICM decisions on the strategies for deconcentration and decentralization." However, it is important not to lose the momentum created by the feasibility study, the employment (until I April 1997) of a project officer and the consultations presently underway. The time span between the IEC decision and the beginning of the actual implementation phase should be as brief as possible. It is therefore essential to form a continuity committee or in some other way secure ongoing preparatory work aimed at starting implementation
An important task of the committee will be to draft - and agree with the IEC/IS - a sound and detailed plan and timetable for the implementation process identifying the steps to be taken, the resources needed, those to be consulted and decisions to be taken in due course.



4. RELATION TO OTHER ASPECTS OF OPERATIONAL PLAN REFUGEE CAMPAIGN

The movement will soon start an ambitious international campaign on refugees as a major undertaking for the year 1997. One important (internal) goal of the campaign is to educate and motivate the membership. This should lead to a stronger and long-term commitment from sections and structures to engage in refugee work on a continuous basis. It should also lead to a better integration of refugee matters in ongoing research and campaign work at the IS. The refugee documentation centre should be seen as an important element of this overall process.

REVIEW OF REFUGEE WORK

The content, exact timing and methods for this major review are not yet clear. The review of refugee work should be seen as part of an ongoing process within Al to periodically review important aspects of its work (similar to the publications or IGO work review presently underway). Such a process should not lead to the work in the programme area scheduled for review not to be developed or even stalled pending the outcome of the review.

It has been mentioned in internal discussions of the refugee documentation project that the higher standard of information management the project aims to achieve in the field of refugees should equally apply to other programme areas (such as MEC/MSP in this regard the centre could be a pilot project for a future overall information management strategy and needs to be closely linked to it.

DECONCENTRATlON AND DECENTRALIZATION

A major project on deco ncentration and decentralization, including movement consultation, is presently underway. A strategy on decentralization should be finalized in time for discussion and decision at the 1997 ICM. The refugee documentation project should be integrated into such a strategy. It should be seen as an important section-driven initiative to fulfill a function for the whole movement in a possibly decentralized manner.
As the first draft of the proposed decentralization strategy should soon be available, a linkage between this overall strategy and the specific refugee documentation project should not significantly delay progress with the project. The project should be pursued as indicated in this paper on the understanding that no irreversible direct implementation measures be undertaken before December 1997,