The New York City Human Rights Initiative (NYCHRI) is a citywide coalition of community-based organizations, service providers, advocacy groups, policymakers, labor unions and human rights activists and educators working to strengthen human rights standards in the United States, particularly in New York City. We are part of a growing national movement seeking to advance awareness of, and respect for, human rights in all aspects of civil, political, economic, social and cultural life.

The NYCHRI was formed in mid-2002 after a number of local organizations working for social justice came together, embracing the vision and utilizing the tools of the human rights system, to tackle systemic problems of inequality in New York City. The NYCHRI now has over 100 coalition members, and continues to grow. The coordinating organizations of the NYCHRI include the Women of Color Policy Network, the Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center, the New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Momentum, Amnesty International USA and the American Civil Liberties Union.  The Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center is the lead coordinating organization of the NYCHRI.

The NYCHRI has proposed ground-breaking legislation that draws from broad human rights principles of non-discrimination, participation, accountability and transparency, as well as from the two key international treaties addressing gender and race discrimination -- CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and CERD (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), respectively. Together, these principles and treaties provide a foundation for ensuring comprehensive protection against, and pro-active measures to prevent, all forms of unlawful discrimination including discrimination against groups protected by New York City's Human Rights Law. New York City's Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination is employment, housing, and public accomodations because of actual or perceived differences, including those based on race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, whether children are, may be or would be residing with a person or conviction or arrest record.

Entitled the Human Rights in Government Operations Audit Law or Human Rights GOAL, the NYCHRI's proposed legislation expands on the current law, and emphasizes the centrality of good governance to ensuring human rights for all New Yorkers. Human Rights GOAL will equip our City government with the practical tools it needs to accurately assess its policies' impacts upon different populations of New Yorkers; promote equality by enabling the City to stop discrimination before it happens; and give residents a greater say in solving the problems facing their communities. When we put universal human rights standards to work to address the problems facing the most vulnerable members of our local communities, we help to build a human rights culture from which we all ultimately benefit.

Like the vision that birthed the human rights system, the NYCHRI is propelled by the belief that a better world is possible. We are working to bring that world into being right here in New York City. We welcome you to join us!