FINLAND
The ÅLand
Islands Peace Institute
Institute for Human Rights (
THE ÅLAND
ISLANDS PEACE INSTITUTE
The Åland Islands Peace Institute was founded in 1992 by the Åland Peace Association to do peace research as well as peace work among local people.
The Institute is participating together with TAPRI, Tampere Peace Institute, and NordREFO in a research project on nationalism, regionalism and security in the Baltic Sea area. The Institute aims at creating a scientifically and politically open forum in Åland for different kinds of minority discussions.
The Institute carries out research into conflict and security issues, autonomies and minority groups, and issues relating to the Baltic sea region. A research project on minorities and women has been initiated.
The Institute supports a wide range of youth activities including a summer youth exchange programme in co-operation with the Community of the Peace People in Northern Ireland. Annually in October, the Institute arranges the Åland Islands Minority Days; a series of 2/4 day seminars on minority issues. The Institute also provides education in conflict management for schools and professional groups.
Publications include books and reports in addition to a bimonthly newsletter in Swedish and English.
The Institute was founded in 1985 and is an integrated unit of Åbo Akademi University and its Department of Law. Åbo Akademi University is the Swedish-language University in Finland. The activities of the Institute are focused on research in the field of the international protection of human rights with the following foci: general problems of human rights law and its place in the international legal order, the relation between international and domestic law, human rights in times of armed conflict and public emergency, participation and political rights, rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, and economic and social rights.
The Institute’s main activities include lectures, courses, seminars and organisation of international meetings and symposia.Current research projects include among others: 'Political rights of minorities and indigenous peoples in the Nordic countries' (Kristian Myntti) and 'Economic and Social Rights' (Catarina Krause).
The Institute organizes two courses annually (basic and advanced) on the International Protection of Human Rights. Since 1996, a course has also been offered on Election Observation and Human Rights Monitoring.
The Institute edits, publishes and sells a number of publications, the majority of which emanate from international seminars and meetings.
THE NORTHERN INSTITUTE
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINORITY LAW
University of Lapland
Arctic Centre
Arktikum House
Pohjoisranta 4, FIN 96100, Rovaniemi
Tel.: ++358 16 3412773/3412758
Fax: ++358 16 3412777
Website: www.urova.fi
Director: Frank Horn
The Institute is contained within the University of Lapland. Its activities, defined quite broadly when it was founded in 1985, were respecified in 1993 to reflect its profile more accurately.
In accordance with its present philosophy, the Institute engages in legal research pertaining to environmental law and minorities and indigenous peoples. Legal issues concerning Finland and the Northern regions of all Scandinavian countries figure prominently in this research and, in this way, the Institute contributes to the overall profile of the University of Lapland and the region.
It is clear, however, that serious research must extend beyond regional issues. Accordingly, research at the Institute will encompass a wider range of approaches and include more international mobility, although these have already been important features of its activities. The researchers at the Institute participate actively in the work of the Finnish Section of MRG.
Recent research projects are: ‘The rights of minorities and indigenous peoples and immigrant and refugee groups in Scandinavia’ (article by Lauri Hannikainen); ‘Minority Rights in Finland – Russians in Finland’ (article by Frank Horn).
The Department, which is part of the Faculty of Law at the university, conducts research in relation to, for example: the European Convention on Human Rights; the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; economic and social rights as human rights; the protection of human rights within the European Union; the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples; and on a comparative basis in relation to the region of Nordic and Baltic countries. The research is combined with active participation in the operation of European and global research networking and human rights treaty bodies.
FINNISH LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
The League’s aim is to promote the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms against all human rights violations. The League is involved in research, documentation/information, publication, conference organisation, international cooperation programme, consulting and support to human rights organisations in Third World countries. The League’s current research is: ‘Racism and the Sami’. Full details of publications can be found on the website.
The League publishes Human Rights Report, 4 times a year.