Karapatan

Description

Karapatan is a Philippine alliance of individuals, groups and organizations that works to defend and advance human rights across the country. It translates to “rights” in Filipino. It was founded in 1995 by member organizations, when the previous umbrella group no longer served their needs, and its founders had been active in the human rights struggle since the martial law era.

The alliance believes human rights cover all dimensions, civil, political, economic, social and cultural, and that basic rights to life and due process must be preserved at all times. It sees human rights work as tied to the struggles of peasants, workers, women, indigenous peoples, the poor and the youth. It frames its advocacy within the wider struggle for national liberation and social emancipation.

Karapatan works through education and training, campaigning and advocacy, direct services, and documentation and research. It runs Quick Reaction Teams that respond to arrests, abductions, displacement and other violations, and organizes fact-finding missions to investigate cases. It also documents human rights violations, issues urgent action alerts and produces regular analysis of the human rights situation in the country.

It engages with international bodies such as the United Nations and is a member of networks including the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Civicus and the SOS-Torture Network. It also co-convenes the Ecumenical Voice for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines and the Philippine Universal Periodic Review Watch.