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Human Rights Education Curbs Polarization: MAKE A DONATION TODAY!
L'éducation aux droits humains freine la polarisation : FAITES UN DON AUJOURD’HUI!
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Our Approach

Equitas applies an human rights-based approach, gender-based analysis and an intersectional approach to deliver human rights education activities that address systemic discrimination, exclusion and other forms of human rights violations.
educate. We provide opportunities for people to build knowledge and skills, and develop attitudes and behaviours conducive to inclusion and advancing human rights. empower. We inspire people to claim their rights, hold decision-makers accountable, and take action to ensure the respect, protection, and fulfillment of human rights. change. We strengthen people’s leadership to develop collaborative solutions aimed at building a more inclusive and equitable world for all.

Human rights education

For Equitas, human rights education is a process of transformation that begins with the individual and branches out to encompass the society at large. Ultimately, human rights education inspires people to take control of their own lives and the decisions that affect them. More on Equitas’ approach to human rights education for social change. 

Gender equality, intersectionality and a human rights-based approach 

At Equitas, we recognize that gender equality and respect for human rights are bound together, and work to address the multiple ways that marginalized identities can intersect with gender identity to disproportionately affect women and girls. We also recognize that the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, gender and sexual orientation, as they apply to a given individual or group, create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination, and consider this in our work.   

Our human rights education is guided by a human rights-based approach (HRBA), a conceptual framework based on international human rights standards that sets the achievement of all human rights as the objective of social actions. It emphasizes participation and inclusion, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment and a link to human rights. 

Meaningful partnership

To advance equality, social justice and respect for human dignity, we work closely with our partners in Canada and around the world by providing knowledge, skills and tools to support the empowerment of groups that are subject to discrimination, exclusion and other forms of human rights violations, particularly women, children and youth. Through our human rights education programs, we build local leadership capacity and contribute towards a more enabling environment for local leaders to connect with other like-minded leaders to take action locally, nationally and internationally to advance human rights.

The work with our partners is based on principles of collaboration and equitable partnership. For us, equitable partnerships are based on a shared vision and priorities, and are sustainable and mutually beneficial. Throughout our collaboration, we recognize the knowledge and experience of our partners. We see our partners as the main experts on their local realities and we continuously learn from each other.  

Equitas does not have offices in the countries where we work, so that the projects may be implemented by the people who know the communities and their needs best. We are also aware of existing power dynamics and maintain an open dialogue at all times to minimize its impact. 

Equitas’ overall approach is outlined in more detail in :