In June 2006, the Council of Europe and the European Commission requested the ICCL to facilitate a visit to Ireland by the Turkish Human Rights Presidency and Human Rights Boards. The ICCL carried out this task in partnership with the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.
The Human Rights Presidency has existed within the Office of the Turkish Prime Minister since April 2001, and its functions include monitoring, examining and investigating alleged violations of human rights, and coordinating the work of other human rights bodies, including the Human Rights Boards. Provincial and Sub-provincial Human Rights Boards were created by Prime Ministerial Decree in November 2003, and their functions include examining and investigating alleged violations of human rights, awareness raising, research and reporting to the Human Rights Presidency.
Sixteen representatives of the Presidency and Boards (and one interpreter) visited Ireland and Northern Ireland from 2nd to 7th July 2007 in order to study the manner in which human rights are protected and promoted in these jurisdictions.
The programme devised by the ICCL and the Glencree Centre enabled the Turkish delegation to examine the role of human rights and equality statutory bodies and non-governmental organisations, and to review a range of the matic human rights issues. The purpose of the visit was to enhance the capacity of participants to perform their own protective and promotion functions in Turkey.