Rights and Democracy-Droits et Democratie

Rights and Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development) is a non-partisan organization with an international mandate. It was created by Canada 's Parliament in 1988 to encourage and support the universal values of human rights defined in the United Nations International Bill of Human Rights. Rights and Democracy currently focuses on four themes: democratic development, women's human rights, globalization and human rights, and the rights of indigenous peoples. The organization is in partnership with human rights, indigenous people's and women's rights groups, as well as democratic movements and governments around the world. Created by the Canadian government, it has consultative status with the United Nations as a Category II non-governmental organization (NGO). It is therefore uniquely placed to facilitate dialogue between government officials and non-governmental organizations, one of the very few organizations with the necessary credibility on both sides to play this bridge-building role.