Dismantling discrimination, inequality and marginalisation

The NHRF prioritizes work aimed at combating and dismantling discrimination, inequality and marginalisation.

The fight against discrimination and marginalisation of vulnerable individuals and groups is at the heart of NHRF’s mission. Our work prioritises projects where marginalised communities take the lead in advocating for their own rights. These groups often face overlapping forms of discrimination rooted in social and economic factors such as gender, ethnicity, employment, income, and social status.

Challenging entrenched social, political, and economic hierarchies requires persistence, bravery, and long-term commitment. Over nearly three decades of supporting human rights defenders, the NHRF has witnessed that sustainable, positive change is possible. Local human rights defenders have proven that they can make a tangible difference in their communities.

Many workers, including migrant workers, at the lower end of supply chains are trapped in insecure and often unsafe jobs with poverty wages, long hours, informal work, forced overtime. The NHRF support the improvement of labour rights and working conditions of vulnerable workers, both in the formal and informal sector, thus contributing to work against exploitation, discrimination and persecution of organised workers, including combating contemporary forms of slavery.

The NHRF prioritises support to women-led organisations and projects. Gender discrimination is pervasive and a key impediment to achieving true equality in our societies— from the family to the workplace to the government. The NHRF is committed to achieving gender equality and thus supports those who resist and dismantle destructive gender norms and fight for recognition and equality for all.

Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time and the links between land/territory, indigenous peoples’ rights and the environment are inextricable. The NHRF supports communities and local grassroots organisations working to gain territorial rights, protect biodiversity and ecosystems, and recognizes them as stewards of rich environments that are critical to all of us. We especially recognize the interconnectedness between the issues and struggles for environmental and land rights and business and human rights.

By providing the necessary support, we help amplify the voices of marginalised individuals and communities, empowering them to claim the rights they deserve and creating real pathways to equality and justice.

For Grantseekers

The NHRF approaches its work on this thematic area through direct project support, strategic alliances, capacity development, and focused communication and advocacy efforts. The NHRF’s support projects to dismantle discrimination, inequality and marginalisation in our priority countries.

Our grantee partners supported under this strategy work to end discrimination and secure a future of equality for marginalised and vulnerable groups on local, national and international levels. Some of them work with particular areas of discrimination for vulnerable groups, such as the protection of land and environmental rights for indigenous peoples, afro descendant population or labour rights and the rights of women at work.

Other grantee partners focus on women’s and other marginalised groups’ participation in decision-making processes on local, national and international levels. While doing so, they apply a perspective of intersectional discrimination. Variations on the struggle for gender equality that the NHRF support include, but are not limited to: tackling violence against women and girls; discrimination in the workplace and at home; digital security for women; WHRDs, and gender diverse people; equal access to and opportunity in the social, political, and economic spheres of society; advancing feminist agendas.

NHRF grantees work by using innovative, thoughtful, and adaptable methods. The work of our grantees demonstrates the range of methods that can be used to tackle discrimination and teaches us that there is not one right way to promote and protect human rights. Some of the strategies and working methods of our grantee partners include advocacy work, campaigns to raise awareness, competence building, activities for mobilisation, legal aid and other types of individual support.

Stories from the ground

Story

Dismantling discrimination, inequality and marginalisation

For Grantseekers

Stories from the ground

Women at Work Seminar 2024

Women who inspire: Voices of resilience from the ground

Defending and Protecting life, Territories, Nature and Human Rights as a response to the Climate Crisis