Protecting human rights goes hand in hand with the healthy growth of social movements, and ultimately, a more just and equitable world. Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humanos (Network for Social Justice and Human Rights, Rede Social), a dynamic human rights organization, works closely with those in Brazil fighting for justice and liberation in various struggles and locales.

As movement activists and leaders brave challenging and frequently dangerous situations in their efforts for social justice, Rede Social’s work has been key in providing legal assistance and defense, research, trainings, reporting and media campaigns on civil rights abuses. Through research, advocacy and action, Rede Social works to guarantee the economic, social, cultural, civil and political human rights in Brazil and bring their violators to justice.

Rede Social was created at the behest of dozens of non-governmental organizations and social movements in Brazil, including rural workers and indigenous movements, youth and Afro-Brazilian organizations. But as attacks on movements and legal rights have intensified in recent years, Rede Social’s work has become even more important.

Rede Social is a leading voice in exposing land grabs by major financial companies and US universities, especially in the Cerrado area. Its activist-researchers have shown that agrofuels in Brazil and across Latin America are a false solution to climate change — driving land grabs while often producing comparable greenhouse gas emissions as fossil fuels. The organization has also played a key role in exposing human rights violations against rural workers and displaced rural families affected by this industry.

Moving forward, Rede Social will continue to deploy its activist-lawyers and activist-researchers in the service of movements and a more just Brazil. And Grassroots International will continue to provide vital and necessary resources for their work.