Democratic Development

To contribute to the development of democratic practices, institutions and culture at the national and regional levels. To support the participation of civil society and reinforce norms and mechanisms for the protection of human rights to influence governmental and intergovernmental bodies.

Economic and Social Rights

To help reduce the gap between the actual practices of states and their formal adhesion to international human rights agreements. To promote the implementation of social, economic and cultural rights by advocating a human rights framework for global economic, development, and governance policies (with a focus on international trade and investment rules).

Rights of Indigenous Peoples

To contribute to the full recognition and implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples nationally, regionally and internationally. To support the evolution of jurisprudence and other advances concerning the rights of indigenous peoples, and to support the participation of indigenous women in this process. To contribute to raising the awareness of young indigenous people of human rights.

Rights of Women

To facilitate women’s leadership and participation in civil society. To ensure their full contribution to peace-building processes, to seek accountability for gender crimes in transitional justice systems, and to build women’s capacity to meet the challenges of fundamentalisms, militarism and the prevailing security agenda.

Special Intiatives

Rights & Democracy undertakes and supports a number of special initiatives to further its mandate and to contribute to the entrenchment of human rights and democracy around the world.