Thirdway Human Rights & Development

Description

Thirdway is an international volunteer-driven organisation that is committed to the universality and indivisibility of human rights. It strives to satisfy those rights through active, hands-on programs. With a focus on Africa, particularly Ghana, we develop projects that promote self-sustainability in education, micro-credit and human rights competency. We employ highly interactive programs requiring strong commitment at the local level to create foundations that facilitate movement beyond dependence on perpetual aid. As with many other human rights groups, our actions are based upon two firm beliefs: that all people, simply by virtue of our common humanity, have certain fundamental rights, which are indivisible and universal; and, that the totality of all human rights are closely intertwined with efforts at development and the creation of open societies. Therefore, our work revolves around the idea that the realization of civil and political rights cannot occur so long as social and economic rights are not both recognized and protected. The mother of a family may have the right to freely cast her ballot in fair elections and participate in government, but she can’t fully exercise that right if she is beset by concerns of how she will afford the school fees for her children’s education or how she will provide tonight’s dinner. Ultimately our goal is to increase independence from the bottom up thus significantly decreasing the need for international aid organizations such as ours.