What we do
Diaspora in Action for Human Rights and Democracy (DAHRD) is a diaspora-led organisation working at the intersection of human rights, democracy, digital rights and inclusive economic and social development, with a particular focus on India and EU–India relations. We connect local civil society perspectives with European and international policy processes, ensuring that the experiences of affected communities inform debates and decision-making at national, EU and international levels.
Our work combines research and documentation, policy analysis, advocacy, capacity building and engagement with institutions and civil society. We work with local organisations, human rights defenders, experts and affected communities to identify structural challenges, document their impact and develop policy recommendations. At the European level, we engage with EU institutions and other stakeholders on issues including democratic participation, digital governance, civic space, equality and the human rights implications of EU–India political, trade and economic relations.
Digital rights form an important part of this work. DAHRD documents online harms, platform governance failures and restrictions affecting civil society actors and marginalised communities, and uses available accountability mechanisms to challenge problematic content-moderation decisions and improve platform responsibility. This includes our engagement with the Appeals Centre Europe, through which we bring forward cases concerning platform content-moderation decisions, identify recurring patterns of harm and contribute evidence on broader systemic risks affecting users, activists and vulnerable groups.
We also contribute to international accountability processes, including through submissions to UN human rights mechanisms, while supporting stronger connections between civil society actors in India, diaspora communities and European decision-makers. Across our programmes, we place particular emphasis on groups whose voices and interests remain underrepresented in public, economic and digital decision-making.
