VIDEA is committed to ending global poverty and creating a more just and equitable world.

VIDEA is a human rights focused, feminist organisation. We work with gender and human rights organisations and Indigenous communities in Canada and overseas to improve youth and community understanding of gender and human rights and to build organisational and community capacity to address human rights violations, to implement climate change adaptation activities, and to work towards reconciliation.

VIDEA is a current and founding member of the BC Council for International Development and a current member of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation.

Our mission:

VIDEA works to engage youth and communities in critical development issues, build links with overseas partners, and provide solidarity and support to address human rights violations.

Our activities are focused on the following program areas:

• Public engagement. We work across BC helping stakeholders and community members to better understand global issues and to develop strategies to become engaged global citizens.
• Indigenous knowledge programme. We focus on building youth and community capacity and alliances to facilitate the sharing of Indigenous knowledge, including through an International Indigenous Youth Internship Programme and to support reconciliation activities. 
• International program. VIDEA takes a human rights-based approach to development. Our International programme focuses on standing in solidarity with gender-focused organisations in south and east Africa. We work as equal partners with overseas organisations that are helping youth and communities to better understand and claim their gender, children's, and human rights.
• Youth and schools. VIDEA helps Indigenous, non-Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQIA2, and under-represented youth in Canada to better understand global issues, the sustainable development goals, and reconciliation, and to figure out the roles that they can play in bringing about change at a local level in Canada and globally.

Our Values

• We have applied a human rights-based approach across our work since 1978.
•  VIDEA is a feminist organisation. We believe that gender equality is central to international and Canadian community development. We believe that men and women should be equal partners in development.
•  We develop long-term relationships with partners in Canada and overseas that are based on solidarity and friendship. We consider our overseas partners to be our equal partners in development.
•  We believe that youth are the leaders of today and are critical agents of change. We work to ensure that youth from diverse backgrounds are represented at all levels of our organisation.
•  We believe in the value of diversity and rights for all. We believe that women’s rights, disability rights, LGBTQI2 rights, and Indigenous rights, are human rights.
•  We believe in every person’s equal right to: food, clean water, shelter, healthcare, a sustainable livelihood and education.  We align our work with the sustainable development goals.
•  We believe in every person’s right to religious freedom. We are a non-religious organisation.
•  We believe in the right of all women to make their own decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. We are a pro-choice organisation. 
•  We support the rights of Indigenous Peoples to control their own land and governance systems. We are committed to collaborating and consulting Indigenous people on our work. We work to ensure that Indigenous people are represented at all levels of our organisation, and support reconciliation activities in Canada.
• We integrate environmental stewardship, including environmental analysis, across our work. We work to prevent climate change, to protect biodiversity, and to honour the sanctity of our land, forests, oceans, air, and fresh water. 
• We believe that the pursuance of peace, disarmament and non-violence are key in addressing global issues.
• We believe in the right of all workers to organise to protect their wages, working conditions, and work environment. We believe that women and men deserve an equal chance to earn a livable and competitive wage for their work, this includes workers in the not for profit sector and our own employees.
• We believe that global trade should be fair and sustainable.
• We believe in transparency and accountability. Our policies, financial statements, reports and governance documents are freely available on our website.
•  We value our independent voice and protect our financial autonomy from political or corporate interests.