— OUR HISTORY —
All good things start from inspiring ideas, cooperation and conversations. This was no different to Righting Society. A conversation amongst colleagues on the role of the economy in reducing intersecting inequalities and eliminating new forms of poverty, led to the creation of a joint policy brief on rights-based economies in 2020.
Soon after, this worked evolved into a larger project including partners from different sectors and eventually led to the publication of a co-edited a volume coordinated by Dr Marianna Leite and Dr Matti Kohonen entitled 'Righting the Economy: Towards People's Recovery from Economic and Environmental Crisis' and launched by Agenda Publishing in January 2024.
Righting Society is inspired by the seed planted by this book project and the many conversations that followed suit.
Since the publication of the book, substantial discussions have been carried out either in academic spaces - such as the annual conference of the Development Studies Association or the International Association for Feminist Economists - or in policy spaces - such as by deepening the understanding of the concept of the Human Rights Economy promoted by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
For instance, together with allies, in this case Amnesty International, the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Financial Transparency Coalition, Human Rights Watch, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Tax Justice Network, we have led the development of a joint working paper describing our shared vision for a Human Rights Economy. This working paper defines what is a human rights economy and how it can be put into practice, and it's available in English, Spanish, Arabic and French.
As Dr. Marianna Leite, Righting Society's Founder, puts it: "Economic policies have failed people and the planet. Yet, many insist on tinkering around the edges rather than fixing the root of the problem. Human rights economies provide precisely the solution we need when it comes to tackling structural inequalities and sustainability issues."
The concept of a human rights economy does not prescribe a particular economic model. There are various possible human rights economies. A human rights economy framing can support policy makers in two ways: it can help to inspire and design new policies to deliver on human rights and a healthy planet; and it can be used to measure the impact of previous and existing laws and policies against human rights.
Are you ready to co-create rights-enabling, life-affirming and caring futures for all?
— LET US SUPPORT YOU IN THIS SHARED JOURNEY —
"A human being has the right to live with dignity, equality and security. There can be no security without a true peace, and peace must be built on the firm foundation of human rights. Most importantly, it is human rights the rights that attach to us all that infuse the rule of law with values, and ensure that we live with the rule of law and not a sterile, dangerous rule by law."
Sérgio Vieira de Mello, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
— OUR TEAM —
We have a small and mighty team that is growing as we take on new projects.
Our team is made up by policy and research experts with a strong track record in shaping evidence-informed policy to influence national, regional and multilateral decision-making. With a strong analytical capacity, we specialise in leading complex policy projects—from ideation to delivery—in order to drive change at the intersection of human rights and praxis. Some of our expertise includes economic policy making and analysis, the realisation of economic and social rights such reproductive health and rights (SRHR), women's rights, intersectionality, gender equality.
Marianna Leite is a lawyer, researcher, and activist with over 20 years of professional experience across the legal, academic and development sectors. She is currently working, through Righting Society SRL, as a contractor Director of Program with the Center for Economic and Social Rights. Prior to joining CESR, she worked as ACT Alliance's Global Advocacy and Development Policy Manager. Previously, she led CONCORD Europe's International Partnerships portfolio focusing on the EU-Africa relations and strategy and worked for ACT Alliance's Gender Justice Programme as a strategic policy consultant. She also worked as Christian Aid's Strategic Adviser - Women's Rights, Power and Poverty where she helped to shaped the intersectional components of the organisational global strategy and helped to mainstream women's rights and gender equality across their programmatic footprint. Marianna holds a post-doctorate certificate in Human Rights and Democracy from the Faculty of Law of University of Coimbra, a PhD in Development Studies from Birkbeck, an LL.M. from Cornell Law School and a LL.B. from University Cândido Mendes.
Carmen Sepúlveda Zelaya, is a Chilean political economist who has a strong track record in shaping evidence-informed policy to influence national and multilateral decision-making. Carmen has a background in producing clear, compelling and actionable policy recommendations and working closely with technical experts. Carmen's work is rooted in collaboration: through trusted relationships with stakeholders and advocacy within high-level forums to contribute to strategic communications that drive policy change. Carmen has managed diverse, cross-functional teams, mentored early-career professionals, and navigated challenging policy environments with strategic insight and organisational agility. Whether shaping advocacy strategies or translating complex information into actionable solutions, she is committed to delivering high-quality outcomes that advance equitable, evidence-based policy. Carmen has a PhD Candidate from the Institute of the Americas, University of London, a Masters in Development Studies from the University of Sussex and Bachelor in Political Science from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Verónica Cadavid González is a Colombian human rights attorney and practitioner with a decade of experience working in nonprofits, the private sector, academy, and international governmental organizations. Verónica's expertise spans both the Global Majority and Global Minority, combining a deep understanding of international law, research, policy advocacy, and community engagement. She specializes in integrating human rights principles into law and policy development, with extensive thematic expertise in gender justice, economic, social, and cultural rights, the human rights economy, and the rights of people in rural areas. Verónica also works in legal advocacy at the United Nations and in regional human rights mechanisms on civic space, gender-based violence and discrimination, and economic, social, and cultural rights in collaboration with local, country, and national organizations. Veronica also has expertise in participatory action research, fact-finding, policy advocacy, and evaluation, as well as collaboration with individuals with lived experience, impacted communities, and human rights defenders in the diaspora. Verónica is an Attorney from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia) and has a Master of Human Rights from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.