Our Mission
Equitas advances equality, social justice, and respect for human dignity through transformative human rights education programs in Canada and around the world.
Since 1967, Equitas has been an influential Canadian human rights organization working with individuals, communities, institutions, and organizations in Canada and around the world to address growing threats to democratic rights and values. Through education, Equitas empowers people to understand, claim, and exercise their rights.
Our vision
- The values of non-discrimination, respect for diversity, gender equality, inclusion, and solidarity are shared and nurture a sense of common humanity.
- Every person is able to defend their rights and those of others.
- Barriers to participation are removed and local leadership is strengthened.
- Oppression, discrimination, and inequality are actively challenged.
Our values
Equality and non-discrimination
We work for equity and inclusion, recognizing multiple forms of discrimination and taking action to reduce them.
Meaningful participation
Community members and our partners are at the heart of change, actively participating in every stage of our projects.
Accountability
We operate with transparency, integrity, and responsibility toward community members and our partners.
Mutual trust and respect
We cultivate open, respectful, and dialogue-based relationships.
Equitable partnerships
We collaborate in a sustainable and respectful manner to co-create tailored solutions.
Innovation
We develop innovative approaches and tools to meet the evolving needs of communities.
Help people learn about and defend human rights for all
OUR HISTORY
Educating and bringing people together for a more just world since 1967.
Equitas was founded in Montreal in 1967 by visionary human rights advocates including John P. Humphrey, Thérèse Casgrain, and Dr. Gustave Gingras. It was created out of a simple, but powerful belief: education is a powerful tool for ensuring that every person can know, claim, and defend their rights to reduce injustice in their community.
Over the decades, the organization has transformed and adapted to the global context to reach millions of people: from launching its first international human rights training program in the 1990s, to carrying out dozens of projects with local partners in communities across Canada and around the world to advance equality and respect for human rights.
For nearly 60 years, our partnership work has reached more than one million children and youth in Canada who now know about human rights and are involved in their communities to ensure they are respected. Around the world, thousands of human rights defenders in more than 145 countries have strengthened the impact of their work through Equitas’ human rights training.
Today, as injustices persist, human rights are being rolled back, and citizen participation is under threat, it is more essential than ever to defend the dignity, justice, and fundamental rights of every person.
