The Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Project (ProDESC) is a non-governmental organization founded in Mexico in 2005. Their primary objective is to defend and promote economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) in order to contribute toward their relevance, justiciability (the possibility of demanding observance of these rights in the law courts) and enforceability, in our efforts to create a more just and equitable society.

ProDESC was founded by Alejandra Ancheita Pagaza, a lawyer and human rights defender who received the 2014 Martin Ennals Award (known as the Nobel Prize for Human Rights) for her work defending agrarian and indigenous collectives as well as groups of workers in cases filed against multinational companies.

Since 2007, ProDESC has been accompanying agrarian communities to help them defend their right to land, and also defending the right to freedom to join trade unions and collective contracts for workers in the state of Durango in cases involving the mining industry, as well as supporting Zapotec indigenous communities in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, in the defense of their land, territory and natural resources in response to wind farm projects that have disregarded their right to free, prior and informed consultation. Since 2011, the organization has accompanied and advised the Coalition of Temporary Sinaloan Migrant Workers in the defense of their human rights, and since 2013 it has supported and accompanied the National Office for Women Labor Rights Defenders (CNDDHL, for its initials in Spanish).

Mission

To defend and promote, from an integral perspective, the economic, social and cultural rights of collectives that are at a disadvantage with respect to the full enjoyment of their rights.

Vision 

For communities of workers to enjoy a dignified life based on collective organization and an understanding and exercise of their human rights, specifically their economic, social and cultural rights.

Objectives

To defend and support, fully and with respect for gender perspective and diversity, test cases of ESCR violations through strategic litigation, legal analysis, the strengthening of organizational processes, research and political lobbying, in order to ensure that people can lead dignified lives.
To build up and strengthen partnerships with human rights organizations, international bodies, unions and the media at a community, state, national and international level.