Equitas-International Centre For Human Rights Education

Equitas is Canada’s oldest and most active human rights education organization. We work for the advancement of equality, social justice and respect for human dignity through transformative education programs. Equitas was founded in Montreal in 1967 by a group of eminent Canadian scholars and social activists, including the co-drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, John P. Humphrey, women’s rights activist Thérèse Casgrain and the “ambassador of persons with disabilities”, Dr. Gustave Gingras. The co-founders strongly believed that education in the field of human rights would lead to more social justice. With the help of our partners, generous funders, Board of Directors and volunteers, our team achieved many successes: – More than 1,000 trainings realized, helping people and communities be empowered to come together and build peaceful environments free of discrimination. – More than 920,000 children and youth reached in 52 Canadian communities, ensuring our schools and communities are more inclusive, more welcoming and safer. – More than 6,300 human rights defenders trained from over 140 countries, making the Equitas network one of the largest global communities of human rights leaders. – Over 4 million people worldwide sensitized about human rights norms and values, laying a foundation for building more equitable societies and ensuring more inclusive governance.