Become a Member

We are a member-led organization uniting 300 social movements, Indigenous Peoples, human rights organizations, feminist and environmental organizations, independent unions, and advocates across 80 countries. For over twenty years, the Network has facilitated spaces for members to build solidarity and connect their struggles across regions to tackle deep-rooted challenges that erode human rights, mobilizing collective action to transform unjust economic, social, and political structures.

ESCR-Net is guided by core principles, including the centrality of social movements and resisting communities, regional and gender balance in leadership, feminist intersectional analysis in practice, and member-led collective action to advance all human rights.

Organizational membership is available for social movements and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Organizations eligible for membership in ESCR-Net must be formed to represent civil society for the public good, make use of human rights to advance social justice goals, be committed to contributing to collective ESCR-Net work and meet defined Membership criteria outlined below.

Individual membership is open to human rights activists, practitioners, or academics committed to contributing to collective ESCR-Net work, who meet defined Membership criteria but are not affiliated with an Organizational Member. ESCR-Net accepts membership applications from organizations and individuals biannually.

To be eligible for membership in the ESCR-Net, organizations or individuals must demonstrate:

Relevant experience in promoting economic, social and cultural rights in their country or region;
Independence from government agencies;
Commitment to the objectives and principles of ESCR-Net.

Rights and responsibilities of membership

Organizational members have the right to vote on all General Assembly matters, including shaping the network’s overall priorities and political positions. They also have the right to vote and run for the Board. All members have the right to participate in ESCR-Net’s working groups and projects, present proposals for collective action, and take part in the decision-making processes within working groups and projects.

A key responsibility of membership is active participation: sharing and exchanging information that advances ESCR, supporting solidarity actions on behalf of fellow members, exercising voting rights, and contributing to collective advocacy and campaigning via working groups or Network-wide projects.

ESCR-Net does not collect dues from members; while the ESCR-Net Secretariat fundraises to support collective actions prioritized by members, ESCR-Net does not provide funding to members.

Membership process

If invited to apply to membership, any and all prospective members will undergo our application process which requires the completion of a new member application form, along with the inclusion of at least one reference, ideally from within our current membership base. Applications are then reviewed by the ESCR-Net Board and Full Membership for approval on a biannual basis. Currently ESCR-Net is prioritizing applications from Social Movements and Grassroots Organizations.

If you are interested in learning more about joining ESCR-net, please write to: membership@escr-net.org

* Please note that due to a high volume of inquiries, we may not be able to respond to all requests.