Description
Equitas was established as a non-profit, non-governmental organization in 1967 by a group of leading Canadian scholars, jurists and human rights advocates with a mandate to advance democracy, human development, peace and social justice through educational programs.
Equitas has become a global leader in human rights education. Equitas' capacity-building programs in Canada and abroad have assisted civil society organizations and government institutions to participate effectively in human rights debates, to challenge discriminatory attitudes and practices and to advance important policy and legislative reforms to enhance human rights protection and fulfillment.
In 1980, Equitas launched the International Human Rights Training program (IHRTP) which continues annually in Canada. Initially targeting young Canadian students, the IHRTP has evolved into an international program which attracts over 100 participants from approximately 60 countries every year. The success of the IHRTP has helped Equitas develop an international reputation. Our training programs are widely recognized for their innovation and quality.
Equitas' current work with human rights educators and activists focuses considerable effort on shaping people's values and attitudes in addition to building knowledge and skills. Equitas believes that HRE will succeed only when participants are engaged in all the aspects of the process and are challenged to consider whether their values and attitudes truly reflect the underlying principles of human rights: universality, indivisibility, interdependence, equality, human dignity, respect, non-discrimination and social progress. Consequently, all of our education activities make use of participatory methods and emphasize the necessity to engage all stakeholders in needs assessment, program design, delivery, evaluation and, just as importantly, in the planning of follow-up initiatives.
As the reputation of Equitas and IHRTP has grown, there was a concurrent increase in the number of requests from former participants to develop joint programs responding to specialized issues outside Canada. These pilot initiatives were a springboard to develop full-fledged programs in Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia in partnership with organizations that had attended the IHRTP. Equitas' partners include: international, regional and national level NGOs and public officials in Canada, Africa, Asia and Central Europe as well as the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and members of the international donor community.
Equitas' regional human rights education programs currently focus on developing knowledge, strengthening skills and promoting action around the following themes:
Training for NGO Trainers
Human Rights Education in the School System
Training in Human Rights Advocacy and Monitoring
The Protection of particular groups in society, including: Women, Migrant Workers, Children and Minorities
The Creation and Strengthening of Independent National Human Rights Institutions
The Promotion and Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The initial focus of the organization was on raising awareness of and sensitizing Canadians to international human rights standards. This was at a time before the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Provincial human rights charters or codes, or the federal, provincial and territorial human rights commissions. Activities during these early years included reviewing human rights legislation; working in the school system to introduce teaching of human rights; and research and conferences on diverse themes such as Freedom of Information, Race Relations and the Rights of the Aged.
In 1980, Equitas launched the International Human Rights Training program (IHRTP) which continues annually in Canada. The early sessions of the IHRTP took place in Prince Edward Island. Since 1994, it has taken place annually at John Abbott College in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue (on the outskirts of Montreal).
The IHRTP paved the way for the growth of Equitas' international programming in the nineties. Following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the wave of democratization which swept the world, the number of international participants in the IHRTP steadily increased so that, by 1993, they made up more than one half of the participants. Today international participants total almost 95% of all people attending the program, representing, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.
The founders of the CHRF include:
The Hon. Harry Batshaw
Ms. Beatrice Bazar
Senator Thérèse Casgrain
Prof. Maxwell Cohen
Prof. Paul Crépeau
H.E. Jules Deschênes
Mr. Jacques Gagnon
Dr. Gustave Gingras
Dr. John P. Humphrey
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