OUR VISION

The work of Rights Action is premised on the understanding that:

• Development, environmental and human rights issues are inseparably intertwined.
  
• A proper understanding of poverty and repression (systemic violations of numerous over-lapping human rights) must include an international and historical perspective that, particularly in the case of indigenous and black peoples, dates back over 500 years.
• Extra attention must be paid to the situation of women, whose rights--particularly those related to poverty and gender violence--are often violated in a multiple fashion.
• CBOs (community based organizations) and NGOs are at the forefront of efforts to construct societies, and indeed a world community, governed by the rule of law and respect for all human rights.
• Sustainable community economic enterprises and development projects must be initiated and implemented from the community level up and must respect the environment.
• All rights (economic, social, cultural, civil, and political) must be promoted, protected and enforced.
• All actors (governmental, inter-governmental and private) are responsible for developing and strengthening the rule of law at the national and international levels and should be held accountable for their actions or omissions that cause or contribute to human rights violations (including the perpetuation of poverty) and environmental destruction.