International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) is an independent, non-governmental organization founded in 2008. Based in Brussels, IPHR works closely together with civil society groups from different countries to raise human rights concerns at the international level and promote respect for the rights of vulnerable communities.
Our mission
IPHR is committed to promoting human rights worldwide. It acts to empower local civil society groups who are working to advance the protection of human rights in their respective countries and assists them with raising human rights concerns at the international level. In cooperation with partner organizations, IPHR advocates on behalf of individuals and communities who are among those most vulnerable to discrimination, injustice and human rights violations.
Our core values
Partnership: Building partnerships is a cornerstone of our work. In our cooperation with local human rights groups, we always strive to establish partnerships that are based on equality and mutual respect.
Responsiveness: We are responsive to the needs of our local partner organizations and work to support them to address pressing human rights concerns and reach out to the international community.
Commitment: We are driven by a strong commitment to promoting human rights and advancing the mission of our organization, to the benefit of individuals and communities in our target countries.
Integrity: We carry out our mandate in an independent and impartial way, take responsibility for our work, and demonstrate accountability to our donors, partners and others with whom we cooperate.
The starting point of our work
The starting point of IPHR’s work is the recognition that human rights protection is always a matter of international concern and that the international community has a crucial role to play in supporting the efforts of local civil society groups to hold their governments accountable to international human rights standards. This is in particular the case with respect to civil society groups operating in repressive environments.
The development of our organization
Since its foundation in 2008, IPHR has gradually grown, expanding its activities and establishing new partnerships. The IPHR team is now made up of about ten staff members and regularly contributing consultants, who all share a strong commitment to advancing the mission of the organization. IPHR is governed by a board of directors, who oversee the strategic direction and operations of the organization. A strategic planning exercise carried out under the leadership of the board in 2015 resulted in the adoption of a new IPHR strategic plan for the 2016-2026 period (the plan is available upon request).
See our statutes for more information about the purpose, structure and management of IPHR.
For a detailed overview of the work of IPHR and partners in 2016, check out our report Together for Human Rights: 2016: A Year in Review