Equal Rights Trust (ERT)

The Equal Rights Trust was established in 2007, with a mission to combat discrimination and promote equality as a fundamental human right and a principle of social justice. The Trust works in partnership with equality defenders to secure the adoption and implementation of comprehensive equality laws. The Trust defines an equality defender as anyone – civil society representative, lawyer, journalist, government representative, philanthropist – committed to promoting a world in which all can participate on an equal basis. The Trust supports equality defenders through five programmes of work: advocacy, litigation and legal services, research and resources, supporting equality defenders and advisory services. It has three goals for the coming years: (1) greater understanding of equality law and its centrality to rights and development; (2) increased capacity among equality defenders; and (3) a growing international network of equality defenders.