The Habi Centre for Environmental Rights was founded in July 2001 and seeks to change this. Named after Habi, the ancient God who controlled the annual flooding of the Nile, it was established to establish environmental justice for citizens. In Egypt environmental hazards and impacts have only increased in recent years, and now have reached a level in which they are threatening the lives, health and livelihood of Egypt’s citizens. There is a clear absence of knowledge both amongst citizens and civil society organization on their environmental rights, their right to participate in the management of Egypt’s resources.
Habi Vision:
-Guaranteeing the Egyptian citizens environmental rights, especially their right to access to resources and the participation in the management of and access to information on the status of these resources, by introducing alternative environmental policies, legal empowerment, going to the courts and organize campaigns in coordination with other civil society organizations.
-Help citizens to claim their environmental rights, by both monitoring policy and litigating upon request of local communities, and guarantee their right to live in safe and clean environment.
Specific objectives: -
1 – to contribute to the activation of environmental legislation by providing legal support at all stages, even resorting to the judiciary.
2 – to contribute to the development of the system of environmental legislation (either through research or by creating a judicial precedent)
3 – to contribute to a broader and deeper understanding of environmental legislation through training for NGOs and activists
4 – contribute to putting mechanisms for the distribution of environmental information and to develop the ability of citizens to use them to defend their environmental rights.
5 – lobby environment related public policy