The International Human Rights Network is a non-governmental organisation supporting others in applying Human Rights Based Approaches in their work since 1996. Support is provided to states, inter-governmental organisations such as UN agencies and regional organisations, NGOs and other civil society organisations as well as the private sector.

With offices in Ireland and East Africa, Network members (practitioners, academics and policy-makers) apply this in a range of interrelated contexts, including:

• Development
• Conflict prevention, mitigation, resolution
• Democratisation
• Humanitarian response
• Human rights fieldwork
• Corporate responsibility

In these areas, the Network creates, applies and learns from, Human Rights Based Approaches through:

• Own-initiative projects: of Network members
  
• Consultancy: as independent advisor it tailors multi-disciplinary teams to provide support at all stages of the management cycle from problem analysis through to evaluation.
  
• Learning: pooling experience through a cycle of participatory activities including training, research and consultation
  
• Pro bono support: for other not-for-profit organisations which share the Network’s core principles. Central to this activity is the mentoring of young human rights advocates in developing countries
  
• Advocacy: the Network acts as an advocate of change, independently and in coalition with others

Distilled from its experience, and its policy positions, the Network has developed a number of core principles which it applies in its work