The Empowerment and Rights Institute (ERI) (仁之泉工作室 in Simplified Chinese) is a Chinese non-governmental organization (NGO). The organization has worked with Human Rights issues in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 2003. The organization works to strengthen respect for Human Rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Chinese Constitution.[1]
Contents |
The organization was one of the first established NGOs focusing exclusively on human rights protection and strengthening in China. The organization's aim to provide and increase networking and grassroots leadership as well as to empower marginalized groups through training in protection of their basic rights. Its stated aims also include working within the areas of legal aid, rights awareness and training, community and group empowerment, political participation and due process at village elections. One of the expressed goals is to facilitate an increased sustainability in the movement to strengthen protection of human rights in China.
The organization has outlined three fundamental principles: to advocate for basic human rights in the protection of ordinary citizens, to promote rule of law through upholding constitutionalism, and to empower vulnerable groups socially, economically and politically. Work includes grassroots organizing, networking as well as research and information dissemination.
The organization's work has received the attention of news outlets such as the New York Times, The Standard, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the South China Morning Post[2] [3] [4][5]