The overlapping crises facing our global community are the result of generations of political decisions. And while we must collectively uproot oppressive ideologies and institutions, President Joe Biden and the 117th Congress have an obligation to make the political decisions that will mitigate harm, alter material conditions, and move us closer to the society we deserve.

With a Rights-Based Vision for the First 100 Days and Shifting Power to the People, we join our movement partners and those struggling for a just and equitable world by offering necessary demands as an alternative to the “good enough” approach of progressive politics that leaves the most vulnerable members of our community without the public resources and support they deserve and need to thrive. In defining actionable, rights-based measures for the federal government, we are guided not by what is practical, but by what is necessary, just, life-giving, and liberatory.

In designing rights-based, people-centered policies, we must ensure that those most impacted are defining the solutions and charting the future vision of our society. We, the people, must demand the transformation of oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, and economic inequity, and we must demand accountability for all forms of state-sanctioned violence and abandonment. While many of these policy demands are narrowly defined, they adhere to principles of self-determination, equity, and dignity, and point toward a broader political agenda that is responsive to human needs and reparative of harms.

A Rights-Based Vision for the First 100 Days

On International Human Rights Day 2020, the Center for Constitutional Rights issued a rights-based vision for the first 100 days of the Biden administration, identifying necessary steps President Biden and the 117th Congress must take immediately to begin shifting power back to the people. The demands are rooted in human rights and international law and aim to challenge systemic discrimination and the unjust distribution of power and resources. You can read the Rights-Based Vision for the First 100 Days here.

Shifting Power to the People: A Rights-Based Vision for Biden & the 117th Congress
Building on our demands for the first 100 days, this policy agenda provides a roadmap to President Biden and congressional leaders through November 2022 for enacting bold, rights-based, transformative policies that meet the urgent moment of today. You can read Shifting Power to the People here.