At the Heart of Our Mission Lies the Pursuit of Social Justice!
Who is HCSR?
The Human and the City for Social Research (HCSR) is an independent Egyptian civil society organization, registered under Egyptian law as a consulting, research, and training company. HCSR interests itself in the intersections between social justice, urban policies, environmental and climate justice, gender, as well as heritage protection and support for the arts and culture. It pays significant attention to the impact of these issues on individuals within a broader framework, highlighting how they affect citizens’ lives and futures.
Our work relies on mechanisms of research, advocacy, monitoring, documentation, training, research-based art production, and strategic litigation; targeting diverse groups including scholars, university students, journalists, creatives, policymakers as well as the public at large.
Our Vision
To contribute to building community awareness about the human right to live a high-quality life, engaging with various communities and social classes to foster this awareness. Our aim is to implement values of social, environmental, and climate justice, and to produce advanced intellectual content, believing in the importance of culture as a fundamental right for every individual. We strive to promote tolerance and non-discrimination, and contribute to citizen participation in shaping public policies, their right to access information, and their involvement in devising fair development plans.
Our Objectives
- To provide scientific content that covers topics at the intersection of humanities and social sciences with public policies, development, environment and climate, heritage preservation, gender, and the impact these fields have on individuals in areas outside the highly-focused-on Egyptian capital.
- To support young researchers and artists by facilitating opportunities for learning and development in terms of skills, knowledge, and experience.
- To merge artistic creativity and awareness in exploring pathways of social, environmental, and climate justice through artistic and cultural projects based on research principles aimed at highlighting and giving voice to the most marginalized and affected groups.
Our Areas of Work
Social justice forms the central axis of our work, given its profound importance and crucial role in building balanced and equitable societies.
Hence, we aim to produce knowledge covering various aspects of social justice, including social protection policies and their intersections with other relevant areas. We also strive to propose alternative and innovative policies to ensure the highest possible levels of social justice.
Urban Policies
We believe that the right to the city is a right for every resident, considering the responsibility towards the city as a collective one to achieve social justice. Thus, we aim to provide content that simplifies the understanding of urban policy issues, especially in regions outside the capital. We strive to raise awareness about the urban implications for citizens and actively involve them in developing more just and sustainable urban policies, which in turn ensure their rights in the city and its preservation.
Environmental and Climate Justice
The concepts of environmental, climate, and social justice form an interconnected foundation that directly contributes to creating a fairer and more sustainable present and future for all. In this context, HCSR aims to raise awareness of these concepts by providing specialized scientific content, organizing educational events, as well as conducting awareness and advocacy campaigns, covering relevant local and international events, and offering consultations and participating in environmental and climate-related projects. Emphasis is placed on the importance of linking these issues to various aspects of daily human life, such as employment, housing, transportation, pollution, infrastructure, and water and food security, recognizing that every moment without effective action increases the risks threatening the lives of millions now and for future generations.
![Workers between Climate Change and Decent Work [Webinar]](https://www.hcsr-eg.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ندوة-العمالة-بين-التغيير-المناخي-والعمل-اللائق-للويب.jpg)
Heritage Protection
HCSR emphasizes the importance of the right to access and enjoy cultural heritage as a central element in the identity and history of the community, serving as a bridge between the past, present, and future. Heritage, whether tangible or intangible, expresses inherited values and identities that are essential for the development of our cultural awareness today and for ensuring its transmission to future generations. Given Egypt’s rich and diverse material heritage, protecting this heritage intersects with rapid urban development, necessitating protection mechanisms that ensure heritage is not exploited for narrow present interests. Therefore, we are committed to producing scientific content, organizing events, and launching campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of various heritage sites and the best ways to preserve them, affirming that the responsibility for protecting heritage extends to include individuals and the entire community in collaborative efforts.
Gender
We place special emphasis on integrating the gender perspective in studying and addressing the various themes we handle. There is a particular focus on empowering women and highlighting the unique challenges they face, especially in contexts related to social justice and community engagement. We also aim to explore the impacts of climate change specifically on women, considering them, along with children and the elderly, the frontline community groups in the face of climate change. Our efforts extend to investigating their roles and positions within the urban fabric of the city and the resulting implications through research, advocacy campaigns, and various activities.
Support for Culture and the Art
HCSR recognizes the significant roles that culture and the art play in shaping social norms. By integrating cultural and artistic elements into our programs, we aim to foster a broader understanding and greater respect for diversity, stimulate critical thinking, and inspire innovative solutions to challenges. Highlighting art and culture effectively challenges and reshapes prevailing narratives, promoting social change and contributing to the building of more just and sustainable societies. Through organizing exhibitions, artistic collaborations, and cultural events, we aim to create spaces for discussion, reflection, and connection, which contribute to enhancing democracy, community dialogue, and cohesion among individuals.
Our Activities
Providing Scientific Content
HCSR is committed to enhancing Arabic-language knowledge production by publishing research, fact sheets, scientific articles, and producing interactive maps, infographics and other audio-visual material, alongside providing policy papers and implementing online campaigns. HCSR encourages community participation through holding various activities, emphasizing the importance of knowledge exchange and dissemination.
Capacity Building
We strengthen this approach through a comprehensive training program, "City Scholars," aimed at supporting and developing the skills of young researchers and artists in research fields, academic writing and creative expression. This program also teaches them how to collect data, access and verify accurate information sources, understand local and international legislation, and prepare advocacy campaigns.
Producing Artistic and Cultural Projects
HCSR strives to enhance and disseminate culture and art based on scientific research foundations by organizing artistic events, and producing visual content including videos, photographs, and maps. Our aim is to enrich the cultural and artistic landscape with content that combines aesthetics and scientific knowledge, expanding the horizons of the audience and deepening their understanding of various topics.
Providing Consultations
In our strategy for providing project consultations, we ensure the formation of a team of specialists with diverse experiences and disciplines to achieve multidisciplinary cooperation, ensuring that all aspects of the project are handled with precision and comprehensiveness. We place utmost importance on maintaining reliable and continuous communication with the community, emphasizing the significance of effective and constructive interaction at all stages of our work
