Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has launched an online searchable database (www.hrcparchive.com), which contains newspaper clippings, documents and data pertaining to human rights issues and democratic development in Pakistan.
Each year hundreds of students, journalists, writers, civil society activists and researchers from within Pakistan and abroad visit the HRCP’s archives at its head office in Lahore. This online archive made it possible to access the required research material in an easier, faster and more efficient way.
Researchers could now benefit from this resource from all over the world. The project would strengthen the monitoring, documentation and dissemination of human rights issues in Pakistan.
Currently, the electronic archival database contains more than 600,000 records covering a period starting from 1 January 2006 to 30 July 2012. The work is underway to add archival records of the years 2003-2006 and at the same time the database is also being updated on current happenings.
The online digital archive is free for users who could search documents and news on select subjects by entering key words in the search engine of the website.
The HRCP archival website is distinct from other popular search-engines like Google as it provides focused results pertaining to particular subjects and events in Pakistan in a chronological order.
At the moment, HRCP’s database is the only digital archive available on the internet that highlight issues related to Pakistan.
