Services

Services

Information Unit

The information unit is used as a library by the students of the law faculty, lecturers, members of other organizations working in the field of human rights and allied subjects, and the general public. Foreign visitors too use the Information Unit, particularly those studying in universities abroad, back in Sri Lanka temporarily, to research .

The Information Unit at present has a large collection of books, journals, reports from international organizations and NGOs, Sri Lanka Government Gazette, Hanzard, Bills and Acts, Comprehensive press clippings of Sinhala, English and Tamil newspapers, bound volumes of human rights journals and other documents.

Services provided include loans to University Faculty and CSHR staff, and to an extent to undergraduate students, reference facilities, orientation to new entrants to the Law Faculty and a photocopy service to users.

Collection

The collection is fairly comprehensive and consists of approximately 900 books, fifty journal subscriptions, twenty five bulletins and newsletters, reports from the UN human rights organs, AI, ICJ, ICRC, and other organizations.

Services

Photocopying service : The photocopier was used to a greater extent, by the students offering human rights as a degree subject. They did much research to complete their assignments, and needed photocopies.

Book Loan service : Faculty members continued to borrow books and other material from the Info Unit. The staff of the CSHR too borrowed more. Students have yet to make the best use of the loan collection reserved for them.

Reference / Referral service

Students' use of material for reference was much increased, the main reason being their having to submit completed assignments. The most used material by them were the collected supreme Court judgments and pres clippings.

Referral service was in collaboration with the Nadesan Centre and the Law and Society Trust libraries.

Alerting service

The users of the Information Unit were alerted to new material by bulletin board displays.

An informal service of alerting Faculty to acquisitions of particular interest to each of those who use the Information Unit, was also carried out.

current awareness service

Sending out book acquisition lists and contents pages of core journals continued on a thrice-an-year basis to those on the CSHR Information Unit mailing list.

Human Rights Hotline

The Human Rights Hotline of the CSHR commenced in June 1999 with the aim of providing a mechanism to facilitate access to legal advice and legal assistance to victims of human rights violations. It facilitates quick and easy access to a professional who would advise the victim on the course of action. If the problem is a major one, the victim is referred to a lawyer, counsellor and/or human rights organization who/which would give expert advice and assistance.

The hotline continued successfully in its over two years of existence. Most help seekers had job related administrative problems. The information about the Hotline seems to have spread, since some of those who call for help say they were advised by friends or relatives to contact the CSHR. This is in addition to the public having been made aware of the service through the initial media advertisements. Advice by the officer in charge of the Hotline is given immediately by telephone or after further consultation, by letter.

To help the service, a constantly updated database of government departments and NGOs, women’s and children’s desks in police stations, as well as a list of legal persons, able and willing to help, is maintained. The CSHR appreciatively acknowledges the help received from organizations and persons in assisting the people who telephone the CSHR in their hour of need.