Who We Are
Our Values & Approach
Our values grew out of years of human rights work, civic campaigns and reflection on democracy, security, war and peace.
They are practical commitments rather than abstract slogans. They shape how Our House understands rights, social responsibility and nonviolent change — and how we evaluate our own work.
Our framework
Nine principles
These principles guide how we make decisions, define priorities and assess the consequences of our work.
Democracy & rights
Democracy Is Always Democracy for Everyone
We believe democracy cannot be reserved for a particular group. Social and political processes are interconnected, and exclusion at the margins can weaken rights and accountability more broadly.
Peace & security
We Must Prepare for Peace, Not for War
Our House believes civil society and human rights organisations should think beyond the conflict itself: rebuilding trust, addressing trauma, restoring communities and developing security arrangements that reduce the likelihood of renewed violence.
Peace & security
Normalizing Nuclear and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction Is Unacceptable
We oppose treating threats involving nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction as routine political language. For Our House, protecting peace also means resisting the normalization of such threats.
Democracy & rights
Protecting Human Rights Means Protecting Those We Do Not Like
Human rights matter most when they protect people who lack public sympathy or political influence. If rights depend on approval, they cease to be universal.
Democracy & rights
Protecting Minorities Means Protecting Ourselves
Any person can find themselves in a minority or vulnerable position because of age, health, economic circumstances, beliefs, identity or other factors. Minority rights therefore form part of a system of mutual protection.
Democracy & rights
Every Human Life Has Equal Value
Our House rejects the idea that the value of a person’s life should depend on nationality, political position, social status or a role assigned during conflict. Human dignity is not conditional.
Peace & security
Double Standards Are a Threat to Peace
Rules lose legitimacy when they are presented as universal but applied selectively. We therefore favour standards that can be defended consistently, both in domestic institutions and in international affairs.
Public culture
There Must Be No Taboo Topics
Collective trauma and difficult social questions do not disappear when they are excluded from public discussion. Our House seeks to create space in which painful issues can be examined without humiliation, intimidation or enforced silence.
Public culture
Equality, Not Privilege
We see access to education, social opportunity and the possibility of a meaningful civilian future as part of long-term security. A stable society should not depend on privilege or on leaving particular groups without realistic prospects.