Mission Statement

Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights test Democratic Development) is an independent Canadian institution created by an Act of Parliament. It has an international mandate to promote, advocate and defend the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In cooperation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, Rights & Democracy initiates and supports programmes to strengthen laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries. Click here for more information about us.

 

Democratic Development

Strategic Objectives

1. Support at the national level democratic development through civil society's capacity to influence public policy, national institutions, and norms/mechanisms that reinforce human rights.

1. Reinforce civil society and promote human rights in countries in the process of democratic transition or consolidation of peace (e.g., Afghanistan, Indonesia), and in countries where the transition is blocked or where it has not yet begun (e.g., Burma, Zimbabwe).
2. Support and reinforce the action of governmental and para-governmental institutions (e.g., human rights national commissions, reconciliation commissions), including activities related to the holding of free and fair elections and political party development.
3. Develop norms and mechanisms to reinforce the legal basis of human rights protection and democratic practice (e.g. rights legislation, constitution writing).

2. Support the implementation and development of norms and mechanisms to protect human rights and democracy in regional institutions.

1. Provide support where they exist, and contribute to their emergence where they do not yet exist, institutions or instruments of human rights protection and of democracy on the regional level in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Support the activities of regional networks of civil society organizations dedicated to these objectives (e.g., fora or coalitions of civil society organizations from the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Organization of American States).
2. Support and reinforce the activities of regional intergovernmental institutions (e.g., the African Union).

3. Contribute to the development of democracy and democratic culture throughout the world through the practical analysis of democratic processes.

1. Research and publish on democratic development (e.g., on electoral succession, anti-democratic constitutional reforms, country studies, etc.), and participate in global debates, meetings and conferences that aim to further democracy (e.g. World Movement for Democracy and similar initiatives).  

Globalization, Governance and Human Rights

Strategic Objectives

1. Develop and promote Human Rights Impact Assessment that will build the capacity of civil society organizations and multilateral institutions to protect human rights in relation to international investment, and to demand accountability from transnational corporations.

1. Create a human rights impact assessment tool (HRIA) for private sector investment, particularly that which is supported by public international financial institutions (e.g. World Bank, Export Development Canada).
2. Apply HRIA to specific projects and build capacity to use the tool at the national level.
3. Further develop practical application of tool (e.g. publications and workshops) and share lessons with all pertinent actors, (years 3-5) including the private sector.
4. Promote binding norms at the national, regional and international levels for corporate social accountability, particularly on social and economic rights.

2. Defend the right to an adequate standard of living.

1. Advocate adequate flexibility in international economic policy arrangements in the interests of protecting the right to an adequate standard of living (e.g. WTO Agreement on Agriculture).
2. Promote practical application of the FAO Guidelines on the Right to Food at the national level (e.g. case studies).
3. Support the right to water.
4. Support the capacity of individuals and groups to obtain effective remedies for violations of the right to an adequate standard of living (e.g. Optional protocol to CESCR).

3. Help reduce the gap between human rights and policies on global governance, international trade and development.

1. Promote the primacy of human rights in relation to trade agreements.
2. Facilitate the evaluation of trade policy in the activities of regional and multilateral human rights bodies (e.g. the inter-American human rights system).
3. Advocate a human rights perspective for the development of Canadian aid and trade policy.  

Women's Rights

Strategic Objectives

1. Re-Affirm women's rights as human rights.

1. Promote the implementation of the full range of civil/political/economic/cultural and social rights.
2. Promote the right to information, and the right of freedom of movement.
3. Train and educate on women's human rights.

2. Seek gender justice and accountability.

1. Promote gender equality in constitutional, legislative and policy reforms.
2. Support the establishment and implementation of gender sensitive practices by international tribunals and the development of jurisprudence (at the multilateral and national levels) that recognizes the full range of gender crimes committed against women and girls during conflict.
3. Advocate for the recognition of the rights of survivors of sexual violence to compensation and reparations.

3. Address violence against women (VAW) in conflict situations.

1. Strengthen international, regional and local capacity to monitor, document and address women's human rights violations.
2. Build capacity to ensure the ability of women's NGOs to address violence against women (e.g. tools to address VAW such as R&D manuals, VAW investigation guidelines, witness protection guidelines, etc.).

4. Ensure women's participation in peacebuilding processes.

1. Monitor and follow up through advocacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels.
2. Advocate the implementation of Resolution 1325 focusing on women's role in peacebuilding: participation of women at decision-making levels (local, regional, national), electoral processes, ending impunity for gender crimes committed during the conflict period.
3. Access to tools (translation, trainings, distribution of print and electronic resources, support for Community-based libraries.
4. Facilitate network of activists from a regional perspective

5. Meet the challenges of militarism, fundamentalisms and security.

1. Develop linkages between women's human rights movements and human rights activists on issues of militarism and security.
2. Establish guidelines on human rights and the rise of fundamentalisms (in collaboration with partners).
3. Forge linkages between gender, human rights, humanitarian law and the challenges of the militarization of peace.

Indigenous Peoples' Rights

Strategic objectives

1. Contribute to the recognition and the implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples.

1. Incorporate the rights of indigenous peoples in national legislation, and support the development of laws to this effect, especially in countries engaged in a process of democratization and consolidation of peace.
2. Incorporate the collective rights of indigenous peoples into regional and international legal norms, based on jurisprudence and other advances in the development of rights.
3. Contribute to the dialogue between indigenous organizations and governments in order to adopt or implement legal norms, and support links among indigenous organizations in order to work more effectively at the national, regional and international levels.
4. Further the awareness of non-indigenous civil society and human rights organizations about the rights of indigenous peoples.

2. Support the participation of indigenous women in the democratic process and in the recognition and defence of their rights; contribute to their ability to influence these processes through their networks in the Americas, Africa and Asia.

1. Reinforce indigenous national organizations so that they can intervene in political processes effectively.
2. Support projects defending the rights of indigenous women at the national, regional and international levels, thus contributing to the process of democratization.
3. Facilitate exchanges and networks among indigenous women's organizations in and between developing countries and Canada.
4. Support the development of policies specifically directed to the needs of indigenous women.

3. Contribute to the education of indigenous students and youth in Canada on matters related to international human rights.

1. Set up an internship programme focussing on issues related to human rights and democratic development.
2. Facilitate the placement of indigenous inters in various organisations around the world (civil society, national, regional and international).
3. Support civic education activities, outreach programmes and community learning for and by indigenous youth, students and interns.

Special Initiatives

A) Human Rights Advocacy

Strategic Objectives

1. Support frontline human rights advocates in presenting their issues and concerns in regional and international fora.
2. Pursue international human rights advocacy work within the UN, particularly at the UN Commission on Human Rights.
3. Support the ratification and implementation of the International Criminal Court Statue.

B) Human Rights and Security

Strategic Objectives

1. Monitor and raise public awareness regarding the implications of security laws on human rights, civil liberties, and advocacy organisations.
2. Strengthen the capacity of organisations at the national, regional and international levels to address human rights challenges emanating from the global "security" and "anti-terrorism" agenda.

C) Urgent Actions and Important Opportunities

Strategic Objectives

1. Provide assistance and support to civil society organisations and institutions at times of crisis to ensure their survival or continuing operation.
2. Seize important opportunities requiring quick and efficient responses, and undertake new initiatives in light of Rights & Democracy's objectives.

D) Human Rights and Democratic Development Awareness in Canada

Strategic Objectives

1. Grant the John Humphrey Freedom Award to human rights and democracy advocates, and to raise awareness in Canada regarding their activities.
2. Engage in and organize various activities to enhance human rights and democratic development knowledge in Canada, and to influence public policy (e.g. use of media, strategic partnerships, campaigns, consultative groups, conferences).
3. To encourage and support throughout Canada the multidisciplinary and action-oriented activities of the Rights & Democracy university and college Delegations. To link the Rights & Democracy Delegations in Canada with counterparts in developing countries.
4. To provide opportunities for young Canadians to gain expertise through internships at Rights & Democracy, at international and regional institutions, and at civil society organisations in developing countries.

Inter-Thematic Projects and Initiatives

Definition

While many Rights & Democracy activities entail collaboration between two or more thematics, Inter-Thematic projects and initiatives are major endeavours that will necessarily involve staff from two or more thematics. These undertakings can be country specific or issue specific. The following initiatives are exemplary of this category.

A) China

Objective: To promote the human rights in China, particularly in relation to trade agreements, investment, agricultural reform, labour laws and technology transfers. To work with Chinese organizations in the democratic development of the country. To advocate for a rights-based approach in Canadian relations with China

Thematics engaged: Globalization, Democratic Development

Strategic Objectives

1. Promote human rights in China.
2. Help prevent the relegation of human rights to a secondary position in trade and investment agreements.
3. Advocate for a more coherent Canadian foreign policy regarding China, a policy in which human rights are of central consideration.

B) Democratic Republic of the Congo

Objective: To support civil society in the consolidation of peace. To implement Resolution 1325 in the DRC, and to promote the adequate prosecution of perpetrators of gender violence and crimes.

Thematics engaged: Women's Rights, Democratic Development

Strategic Objectives

1. Obtain justice for women who have survived sexual and other violence during the civil war, working particularly with the Coalition for Women's Rights in Conflict Situations.
2. Support women's rights and other NGOs active in peacebuilding and post-conflict consolidation, particularly in the campaign against impunity and in civic education.
3. Advocate for free and fair elections, and support the activities of organisations working on the democratization of the country.

C) Middle East and North Africa

Objective: To support civil society organisations and reformist state institutions in the peaceful transition of countries toward a more open political process, a culture of tolerance, and the respect for human rights.

Thematics engaged: Democratic Development, Women's Rights, Indigenous Rights

Strategic Objectives

1. Increase the capacity of civil society organisations to voice their concerns regarding human rights abuses, to organize, and to influence the political process (if and where possible) in a democratic direction.
2. Work with state institutions that have a reformist agenda (e.g. human rights centres, reconciliation commissions, juridical reform).
3. Support initiatives that facilitate contacts, networks, and activities bringing together reformists from various countries, including diaspora communities; develop an exchange programme linking regional organisations and their staff with Canadian organisations.

D) Indigenous Approaches to Peacebuilding

Objective: Develop the indigenous perspective with respect to issues of security, non-violence, peacebuilding and democratic consolidation.

Thematics engaged: Indigenous Rights, Democratic Development, Women's Rights

Strategic objectives

1. Develop the indigenous perspective on security concerns, peacebuilding and democratic consolidation, using a comparative approach.
2. Produce awareness-raising tools on these subjects, highlighting the indigenous perspective.

E) Minority Rights and Ethnic Conflict

Objective: To defend the rights of minorities and support their meaningful involvement in political processes; to advocate for democratic solutions to ethnic conflict based on a culture of tolerance and on legal and institutional safeguards.

Thematics engaged: Director of Programmes, Democratic Development, Indigenous Rights

Strategic Objectives

1. Work toward the elimination of discriminatory practices, laws and mechanisms that deprive individuals and minorities their collective rights at the national level.
2. Support civil society organisations, regional institutions, and peaceful activities that defend ethnic minorities.
3. Promote democratic solutions to ethnic conflict by working with state institutions, diaspora groups, civil society organisations and other relevant bodies.