AdvoCard is fully committed to a human rights-based approach and has recently assessed its adherence to the PANEL principles. The self-assessment involved input from staff, managers, and Board members.
Participation:
AdvoCard strives to enhance accessibility by making information available through leaflets, the website, and direct communication. We offer advocacy through various channels, including telephone, video calls, and face-to-face interactions. We are also actively working on expanding our outreach service to reach more people in their communities.
Accountability:
The focus is on monitoring human rights in people’s lives. Advocacy workers adhere to SIAA principles, challenge practices that infringe rights, and ensure clarity on human rights in all work. AdvoCard is an accountable employer with fair employment policies and opportunities for staff development. We are committed to continuous improvement in all our practices.
Non-discrimination and Equality:
AdvoCard actively challenges discriminatory practices and addresses gaps in service provision to ensure equity. We are working on collecting comprehensive data related to advocacy partners, including protected characteristics, to identify and address gaps. The new outreach service aims to remove barriers that may have prevented people from using our service.
Empowerment:
Advocacy partners are involved in developing and shaping services, and AdvoCard is working to establish a diverse Advisory Group with lived experience. We use our resources to empower rights holders, providing support for them to claim their rights. we also advocate for the inclusion of experts by experience in decision-making processes.
Legality:
AdvoCard ensures compliance with human rights legislation and good practices. Policies and procedures are aligned with human rights, and staff receive information on human rights as part of their induction. We aim to provide up-to-date information on international and domestic human rights law and principles to advocacy partners.
