How we enable social change

What makes us different?

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.

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.

Empowering People and Communities

We work directly with grassroots and community organisations to enable them to understand and claim their human rights in everyday situations that matter to us all.

Through workshops, resources, and programmatic support, we equip people and groups with the knowledge and confidence to challenge inequality, hold decision-makers accountable, and advocate for systemic change.

Find out more about our work with communities Find out more about our self advocacy resources Find out more about our human rights training

Accountability in Public Services

We partner with public bodies on the frontline of people’s everyday experiences of power - from the NHS to local authorities, care providers to safeguarding boards, housing teams to ombudsmen - to integrate human rights into decision-making at all levels.

With a focus on accountability and prevention of violations, we provide the support public bodies and their staff need to know and uphold their legal duties to respect, protect, and fulfil, people’s human rights.

Find out more about our work with public bodies Find out more about our training for public bodies Find out more about the human rights duties on public bodies

Photo focused on a smiling woman holding up a speakerphone with one hand. In the background there are other people, smiling, but blurred slightly.

Experience Informed Policy Influencing

We harness evidence from our grassroots work with communities and those making decisions locally to make bottom up change to inform top down policy and practice.

Our unique position means we are able to combine both practical human rights legal analysis and the reality of what proposals mean for people in ways that are too often missing from national and systems change work. We engage with lawmakers, government bodies, and institutions to ensure that human rights remain a central part of UK law, policy and systems.

Find out more about our policy work Find out more about our lived experience RITES Committee Get updates in our news & blogs

The change we make, together

From enabling people with learning disabilities to challenge blanket Do Not Resuscitate notices, families to pushback on poor provision of special educational needs support, to emboldening healthcare staff to call out and change inappropriate restraint in mental healthcare and social workers to secure safe housing for survivors of domestic abuse, to empowering migrant women to speak out against discriminatory policies, and building the capacity of lawmakers to uphold human rights, BIHR helps turn rights from abstract concepts into powerful tools for dignity, safety, equality and everyday justice.

We believe human rights are for everyone, every day.