The objects for which the CJHR is established are:

(a) Act as a collaboration space on human rights advocacy, both individual and systemic, and use the tools of human rights to demand accountability.

(b) Act as a learning and sharing network for knowledge and experience that supports capacity building in advocacy.

(c) Act as a space to share our resources and lend support to each other.

(d) Act as an information gathering space and facilitate community based research that supports advocacy efforts.

The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights is an organization seeking to embed peace, justice, and accountability for everyone. We work to build an independent advocacy and education network in order to strengthen this effort for justice and accountability on human rights.

In so doing, as an organization, and as individuals within the organization, we commit ourselves to the following values:

• We recognize that everyone is a product of their own experience. Trauma manifests in all people in different ways. We commit to recognizing the uniqueness of our trauma and experience and practise love, respect and reciprocity in the work with each other and the community.

• We strive to be trauma informed and commit to an ongoing journey of learning and growth.

• We recognize that while each individual advocacy case is important, as advocates, we must keep in mind the bigger picture and issue that is behind the case and centre on supporting people at a level they are comfortable with.

• Accountability and transparency are a fundamental piece of our work which we will promote both internally and externally.

• As an independent organization, we will act as a bridge between community and relevant stakeholders.

• We will prioritize informing community members we work with of their rights

• We seek to operate with a rights based lens to the work and organization. We recognize the history of this stolen land and the manifestations this has for people in our community, but also within the systems where we advocate. We commit ourselves to an ongoing journey of decolonization and to maintaining equity and ensuring that we are rooted in anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-classism, anti-sexism and anti-ableism.

• We will prioritize the rights of people with disability and centre on advancing these rights

• Our ultimate goal is towards the abolition of oppressive systems while realizing we need to work with the systems in order to address the needs of community members today.

• We strive for action and movement, to influence and shift. We commit to being strong and courageous while raising profile and awareness of the systemic challenges that impact community.

The Coalition began as a group of advocates and workers in non-profit organizations started coming together in 2014 out of a growing need for community based advocacy supports in Edmonton. A commitment was made on International Human Rights Day in 2017 to establish the group as a formal non-profit to be able to better support the community.