Our Work
We don’t litigate in courts. We work on the ground.
We don’t offer legal advice. We build capacity.
We don’t campaign for new laws without implementation. We make existing laws work.
At BIHR we believe that human rights are tools for real-world change. Our mission is to enable positive change and social justice through the practical use of the Human Rights Act, working with people, communities, public bodies, and policymakers across the UK.
Below find out about:
Our Programmes
Our Policy Influencing
Getting Involved
Our Programmes
Our programmes are designed to create sustainable change through learning, development and practical support, ensuring that human rights are at the forefront of everyday life, whether that is a teacher in school, a person accessing healthcare, a grassroots group challenging poor social housing, a care worker, or local council leader.
Our community programmes focus on equipping groups with the knowledge and tools they need to advocate for their rights. Through tailored workshops, resources, and community engagement, we help groups connect social justice issues to human rights law, enabling them to harness the power of the law to advocate for everyday justice:
Range of workshop and learning support: Interactive sessions that educate participants about their rights and how to assert them.
Resources and Tools: Accessible, relevant and action-focused tools to enable, support and sustain action.
Support: Building connections among communities to share experiences and strategies for advocacy.
We run programmes commissioned by public bodies and services to ensure their staff understand the importance of their Human Rights Act duties in their work. Whether that’s a frontline worker, a policy development person, a leader or commissioner, we work collaboratively to ensure that human rights are respected in everyday decisions and policies.
Learning & Practice Support: Comprehensive training and programmes for staff on the Human Rights Act and its application in their work, from basic awareness through to practice leadership.
Resources and Tools: creating tools that support human rights decision-making in practice and policy development and implementation.
Ongoing Development: Continuous engagement to help teams and organisations maintain a human rights-focused approach.
Our Policy Influencing
We take a holistic approach, which brings together our practical expertise in the law with the experiences of those we support in our everyday work with communities and public bodies to influence policy and law changes that protect human rights.
BIHR’s RITES Committee, which stands for Real-life Insights, Tips, Experiences, and Stories, is made up of experts by experience, drawn from our everyday work, who have used the Human Rights Act to bring about positive change in their lives and work. The Committee brings invaluable insights that inform BIHR's influencing work ensuring that law and policy reflects the realities faced by the people impacted, and those who will need to implement changes.
Our influencing work is UK focused, often on the national stage with government and parliament, as well as with devolved administrations and assemblies. We also work with European and international bodies to shine a light on the need for better Human Rights Act implementation in the UK.
Our policy work includes:
National Advocacy, Policy & Campaigning: mobilising communities to advocate for the protection of the Human Rights Act and to use it as a foundation for other laws.
Research and Reports: Conducting research to inform policy discussions and highlight the importance of human rights in public policy, including lived experience and co-produced research.
Networks and collaborations: Working with other organisations to strengthen our impact and reach.
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