Escr-Net
ESCR-Net is a non-profit member-led global network founded in 2003 that connects approximately 300 social movement, human rights, Indigenous, and feminist organizations across 80 countries to advance economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights through collective advocacy and solidarity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Escr-Net does
ESCR-Net (International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) is a non-profit member-led global network founded in 2003 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and headquartered in New York City at 370 Lexington Avenue. The organization connects approximately 300 member organizations across 80 countries, including social movements, human rights NGOs, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, feminist organizations, and independent unions, to advance economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. ESCR-Net operates through a member-led governance model with a seven-person Board elected every three years based on principles of regional and gender balance, supported by a secretariat of 11-50 staff working from multiple global regions. Funding comes from institutional donors including Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, American Jewish World Service (AJWS), Women's Global Facility, Protect Defenders, and WP Fund.
The network's core offerings include eight thematic working groups (Corporate Accountability, Women and ESCR, Strategic Litigation, Economic Policy, Social Movements, Community-Led Research Hub, Environment and ESCR, and System of Solidarity), a Caselaw Database on ESCER jurisprudence, the System of Solidarity mechanism for protecting human rights defenders under threat, and the Corporate Capture Comic Series as a political education tool. Foundational policy documents include the Common Charter for Collective Struggle and the Strategic Plan 2025-2029. The network maintains a multilingual digital presence in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic, and facilitates member engagement at international forums including the UN Human Rights Council and UNFCCC climate negotiations.
As a non-profit, ESCR-Net does not sell commercial products or services. Membership is free for qualifying organizations aligned with the network's mission. Revenue is generated through grants and donations from institutional funders; specific financial figures are not publicly disclosed. The organization's go-to-motion is member-led coordination, collective advocacy, and knowledge sharing rather than commercial distribution, with outreach conducted via website content, newsletters, social media, annual reports, global strategy meetings, press releases, and resource publications.
Escr-Net firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Escr-Net
- Legal name
- International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Website
- https://escr-net.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ESCR-Net is a non-profit member-led global network founded in 2003 that connects approximately 300 social movement, human rights, Indigenous, and feminist organizations across 80 countries to advance economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights through collective advocacy and solidarity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Escr-Net industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Human Rights Advocacy Network
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications (MPAAADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ESG/Sustainability Reputation & Purpose Communications (MPAAAOAN)
Keywords
Where Escr-Net is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Escr-Net business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Escr-Net product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ESCR-Net is a member-led global network of approximately 300 organizations across 80 countries that advances economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights (ESCER) through coordinated advocacy, strategic litigation, solidarity campaigns, and knowledge sharing. It convenes eight thematic working groups, maintains a jurisprudence caselaw database, publishes policy briefs and educational tools, and facilitates collective action through the System of Solidarity to protect human rights defenders. The network is funded by institutional donors and operates a multilingual platform serving social movements, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, NGOs, feminist groups, and independent unions worldwide.
Product overview
ESCR-Net operates as a member-led network rather than a traditional product company, functioning as a collaborative platform for human rights advocacy. The core offerings include the Caselaw Database (a searchable jurisprudence resource), the System of Solidarity (a mechanism for protecting human rights defenders), the Corporate Capture Comic Series (an educational tool), the Treaty to Regulate Corporate Power Initiative (advocacy for binding UN frameworks), the Social Pact on Care (a feminist economic framework), and Community-Led Research initiatives. Supporting foundational documents include the Common Charter for Collective Struggle, Global Call to Action in Response to COVID-19, and Strategic Plan 2025-2029. The network also facilitates eight working groups focused on specific themes: Corporate Accountability, Women and ESCR, Strategic Litigation, Economic Policy, Social Movements, Community-Led Research Hub, Environment and ESCR, and System of Solidarity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Caselaw Database
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 members participated in the 2024 Global Strategy Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Escr-Net
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Escr-Net technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Escr-Net partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
Escr-Net competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a much larger and well-resourced global human rights organization with millions of members across nearly every country. It is a broad incumbent operating across the full human rights spectrum rather than specializing in ESCER, but it overlaps in corporate accountability advocacy, strategic litigation, and UN engagement.
- Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch is a large, well-funded international organization conducting research and advocacy on a broad range of human rights. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping work on corporate accountability, economic and social rights, and UN engagement, though it is not a membership-based network model.
Direct peers
- FIAN International: FIAN International is a Germany-based human rights organization focused on the right to adequate food and nutrition, with members in over 50 countries, and FIAN representatives sit on ESCR-Net's board. It is one of the most direct peers given overlapping ESCR mandate, member-network model, and engagement with UN human rights mechanisms.
- FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights): FIDH is a Paris-based federation of 192 human rights organizations operating across more than 100 countries. It shares ESCR-Net's member-led network model, international litigation and advocacy focus, and engagement with UN mechanisms, making it a structural peer even though its mandate spans all human rights rather than ESCER specifically.
- IBON International: IBON International is a Philippines-headquartered network of development NGOs and social movements working on economic, social, and ecological justice. It closely mirrors ESCR-Net's member-network model, focus on ESCER, and engagement with UN and global governance processes from a Global South perspective.
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR): ISHR supports human rights defenders and organizations to effectively use UN human rights systems, with a strong focus on advocacy at the HRC and treaty bodies. It parallels ESCR-Net's work facilitating member access to international advocacy spaces and supporting strategic engagement with UN mechanisms.
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation: CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists with members in more than 190 countries, focused on protecting civic space and citizen participation. It shares ESCR-Net's membership-network model, focus on shrinking civic space, and engagement with UN human rights mechanisms.
- Front Line Defenders: Front Line Defenders is an Ireland-based international organization specifically focused on the protection of human rights defenders at risk, directly paralleling ESCR-Net's System of Solidarity work. Both organizations mobilize urgent international response and provide protective accompaniment for activists facing threats.
- Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR): CESR is a New York-headquartered international organization that works specifically on economic and social rights through research, advocacy, and monitoring, making it the closest direct peer to ESCR-Net's mandate. Both organizations focus on ESCER jurisprudence, UN engagement, and holding states and corporations accountable for economic and social rights obligations.
Emerging players
- Social Watch: Social Watch is an international coalition of civil society organizations monitoring the eradication of poverty and gender equality, with a long history of producing citizens' reports on economic and social rights. It overlaps with ESCR-Net's ESCER monitoring and reporting work but operates as a smaller, more narrowly focused coalition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Escr-Net social profiles
Digital presenceEscr-Net financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Escr-Net leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Escr-Net funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Escr-Net M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Escr-Net
What does Escr-Net do?
ESCR-Net is a member-led global network of approximately 300 organizations across 80 countries that advances economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights (ESCER) through coordinated advocacy, strategic litigation, solidarity campaigns, and knowledge sharing. It convenes eight thematic working groups, maintains a jurisprudence caselaw database, publishes policy briefs and educational tools, and facilitates collective action through the System of Solidarity to protect human rights defenders. The network is funded by institutional donors and operates a multilingual platform serving social movements, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, NGOs, feminist groups, and independent unions worldwide.
Is Escr-Net a public or private company?
Escr-Net is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Escr-Net founded?
Escr-Net was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Escr-Net based?
Escr-Net is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Escr-Net's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Direct peers are FIAN International, FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), IBON International, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Front Line Defenders and Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR). Social Watch is listed as an emerging player.
Does Escr-Net have an API?
No public API is recorded for Escr-Net.
What industry is Escr-Net in?
Escr-Net's product category is International Human Rights Advocacy Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAADAL, Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications, with a secondary code of MPAAAOAN, ESG/Sustainability Reputation & Purpose Communications. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8600.