International cooperation and humanitarian aid to promote the right to the future

We firmly believe in international cooperation as a key tool for building a more just and inclusive future. Our approach is based on human rights, valuing the centrality of people and promoting the protagonism of communities, even in contexts of fragility and crisis, where we operate with humanitarian aid interventions.

We promote the right to the future: the right of people and communities present and future to live and grow in a safe, fair and sustainable world, where they can fully express their potential and realise their dreams. To build a fairer tomorrow, where no one is left behind, it is essential to start with what the younger generations have to say. That is why we are committed to giving space to children and adolescents, amplifying their voices and promoting the full development of their potential and their participation in decision-making processes.

How do we do it?

At WeWorld, we work every day alongside people, from the margins to the centre, so that they can be protagonists of their own change. We do this through development cooperation and humanitarian aid programmes guided by three cross-cutting principles:

  • Respect for human rights, which underpins all our actions.
  • The centrality of children's rights, involving children and young people in the processes that affect them.
  • Gender and intersectionality: we address inequalities by recognising how gender, ethnicity, disability and other factors affect people's living conditions and opportunities.

In addition to our projects in the field, we carry out awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns and organise two annual editions of the WeWorld Festival, one in Milan and one in Bologna, to keep the spotlight on human rights, gender equality and social and environmental justice in Italy and around the world.

Our response to global challenges

To respond effectively to global challenges, we are a multi-mandate organisation and work with two approaches:

  • Long-term development approach: we work with local communities to build inclusive, sustainable and long-lasting pathways through international cooperation.
  • Humanitarian and emergency response approach: in emergency contexts – such as conflicts, natural disasters or the environmental impact of the climate crisis – we intervene to ensure safety, dignity and rights, providing targeted humanitarian aid.

Nexus approach: humanitarian, development and peace: we link immediate aid to development and peacebuilding, strengthening resilience and local leadership, with a particular focus on women and children.