Who We Are

We envision a society that advances social and economic justice for all.

The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) is a not-for-profit human right non–governmental organization (NGO). ISER was founded and registered in 2012 to ensure full recognition, accountability and realization of social and economic rights (SERs) primarily in Uganda but also within the African region.

ISER’s programmatic interventions are guided by the following five strategic objectives: to strengthen the legal, policy and institutional frameworks for the realization of SERs; to advance a body of knowledge critical to the realization of SERs; to empower communities to monitor and demand for the realization of social and economic rights, to promote access to remedies for violation of SERs; and to build a well-resourced organization capable of delivering on its strategic mandate.

Our Vision

We envision a society that advances social and economic justice for all.

Our Mission

Our strategies are geared towards enhancing realization of Social and Economic Rights through innovative approaches to research, capacity building, social mobilization and advocacy.

Our Goal

Ultimately our goal is to catalyze equitable distribution of resources and accountability for the realization of Social and Economic Rights.

Our Values

Transparency

Over the years, we discovered that this has helped us attract and retain our staff, partners and donors. As a result, the organization has enjoyed a great measure of success. Openness is endemic to our organization. Complete clarity and transparency are some of the things that we try to drive across the board, irrespective of hierarchy.

Equality & Non-Discrimination:

At ISER, people are equal, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic or national background, beliefs, sexual orientation or any other reason related to their person. When it comes to our responsibilities regarding diversity, equality and non-discrimination, we have zero tolerance to any form of discrimination both within the organization and externally with partners, communities and other stakeholders.

Independence

A culture of independence has been central to our advocacy interventions. Our independence has not only strengthened our relationship with partners but also yielded staff retention. We have inculcated this culture within our staff guiding them to care about learning and enjoyment, to be proactive and driven by their own interpretation of our intended purpose.

Accountability

We not only hold our stakeholders and partners accountable but we strive to hold ourselves accountable first. We have in place mechanisms and a culture of honesty, openness, ethics and professionalism, respecting the trust placed in us by the communities we serve, our partners, and those who fund and support our work.

Equity

For us equity means “levelling the playing field,” and giving every employee the resources they need access to opportunities. We have created a safe environment that allows for open discussion and understanding.