Message from the Chairperson and Executive Director in our 2014-2015 Annual Report
In a world where extremists increasingly grab headlines, Equitas and its partners work both at the front lines and behind the scene to promote the practice of equality, social justice and respect for human dignity. We build collaboration to build social change in Canada and countries around the world. Equitas equips local individuals and organizations to champion important changes that result in safer, more equitable and inclusive communities. We establish spaces in Haiti for communities to take charge of cholera prevention efforts; convene community leaders in Senegal to provide birth registration so children can attend secondary school; and create opportunities for young people in the Middle East, North Africa and across Canada to be leaders in their communities;. These efforts would not have been possible without the strong support of many of you and we take this opportunity to thank all our partners in the private and public sector, donors, volunteers and friends who have helped us to support change. As the issues shaping our world and Canada shift, so do our responses. We are sharpening our focus on making gender equality a reality and prioritizing the creation of environments that support meaningful child and youth participation across our programming. In Canada, we are piloting new partnerships and approaches within the school system, and developing national and local partnerships to support work in Aboriginal communities. As we edge towards celebrating our 50 years of experience as the hub of an expanding network of human rights educators in Canada and around the globe, we are more active than ever sharing lessons learned and good practices. Our knowledge agenda encourages the adoption of human rights based approaches, strategies to reinforce gender equality, participatory education approaches and effective evaluation methodologies that are shaping the global human rights education movement. We were delighted to see our work in Canada recognized by Quebec’s Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse who presented Equitas with their Prix Droits et Libertés on November 20, 2014 to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Equitas impacts people in Canada and around the world. We invite you to discover some of these impacts in the following pages and encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media. We are building a global culture of human rights. Join us! Melissa Sonberg Chairperson Ian Hamilton Executive Director READ THE 2014-2015 ANNUAL REPORT (PDF) > 