Supporting equality defenders

We collaborate in and provide capacityand coalition-building activities with and for those dedicated to combating discrimination

Equality Defender

For us, an equality defender is anyone – civil society representative, lawyer, journalist, government representative, philanthropist – committed to promoting a world in which all can participate on an equal basis.

Assessing Discrimination

In each country where we work, we undertake an assessment of the needs and constraints of civil society organisations involved in combatting discrimination. We assess the knowledge of national and international equality law and practices and we identify obstacles to advocacy and litigation. This analysis helps us to plan the approach we take with civil society and other actors and provides a baseline against which we can assess our progress. 

Providing Expert Training 

Animated image showing the reach of ERT's workWe provide training to civil society actors, parliamentarians, the media, trade unions and others on topics including, international standards and best practice on the rights to equality and non-discrimination, security and organisational development. On average, we conduct 20 - 25 training workshops a year, benefitting around 700 equality advocates and many more victims of discrimination they help. 

We have provided training on a range of issues, including:
Increasing the capacity of journalists in Sudan and South Sudan to identify and challenge hate speech;

Supporting parliamentarians in Myanmar to promote laws prohibiting hate speech and discrimination; and
Training lawyers and civil society activists in Jordan to combat discriminatory torture and ill-treatment. 

Reaching Far and Wide to Build Skills

Our equality movements span throughout countries. In addition to training equality advocates, we establish small-grant schemes to develop the skills and capacity of civil society actors fighting discrimination. 

These schemes involve training and guidance on how to monitor and document cases and patterns of discrimination, how to engage in advocacy and how to develop legal cases.

Amplifying the Call for Change

Equality activists protesting in Sudan We believe that in partnership efforts to combat discrimination and promote equality are strengthened. We support the networks of civil society to make their call for change louder and clearer.

In Central Asia we established a secure platform for journalists and other stakeholders so they can further the dissemination of news on human rights abuses and report in a safe way. 

We have established national Equality Forums in many countries which brings together organisations working on behalf of different groups exposed to discrimination, supporting them to develop and implement strategies for joint advocacy. 

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, we established an Equality Forum with 61 member organisations representing all of the country’s constituent peoples and national minorities. 

In partnership with the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Guyana we established an Equality Forum which has proved highly effective in increasing civil society support for LGBT advocacy.