Poverty deprives fundamental right to civil and political participation

Poverty is not only a material problem resulting from the distribution of wealth it means also being deprived of the fundamental right to civil and political participation .

"RD foundations welcome and support this real, tangible approach of taking the views and experience of people who know about poverty as a starting point to develop a position. Bringing people together in this way helps create a more inclusive and democratic society"

Lasting social change depends upon the ability of people to help shape the policies that affect their lives. Yet for some, such as racial minorities, immigrants and the working poor, barriers to meaningful participation in civic and political life persist.

WHAT WE'RE DOING

Our work focuses on increasing the participation of poor and marginalized groups by strengthening organizations and networks that build and mobilize the grassroots base for social change. We also support leadership development initiatives and alliances that unite diverse constituencies and issues to achieve greater impact.