Our five-year country strategy, ''Rights First'', sets ambitious priorities to guide our staff and partners, based on our deepening understanding of the causes of poverty and injustice.

It provides clear direction for governing ActionAid, including development of a national board of trustees and participation in decision making of ActionAid''s growing international network.

Equally importantly, it sets out how we will make ourselves more accountable, both to the poor and marginalised communities with whom we work and to our supporters and funders.

The unacceptable truth is that poverty and injustice remain deeply entrenched in many parts of the country. As India becomes wealthier, the gap between rich and poor communities is not closing, but widening.

Our goal is to facilitate an alliance of marginalised communities that will empower the poor and excluded to claim their rights as Indian and global citizens; the Right to food, the Right to education, the Right to health, the Right to shelter, the Right to human security.

To acheive this goal our strategy is guided by the following key objectives:

1. Building an Alliance of the Marginalised
Support empowerment of poor and excluded people by enabling them to understand the root causes of their poverty and exclusion.
Facilitate formation of an alliance of marginalised groups to collectively challenge laws, policies, institutions and social practices that are perpetuating inequity and injustice.

2. Facilitating Just and Democratic Governance
Contribute to amplifying voices, power and influence of poor and excluded people, within institutions and decision making, to achieve social justice.
Build capacity of civil society to monitor the state and its institutions for just, transparent and accountable governance.

3. Promoting Rights of Women and Girls
Build understanding of how patriarchal power structures are oppressing women and girls, at home and in public life.
Work to change laws, policies, institutions and social practices that are preventing women and girls from enjoying their human rights.

4. Addressing Immediate Poverty Needs
Respond to immediate needs while strengthening community-based systems to cope with emergencies and demand state accountability for timely relief and reconstruction.
Promote coping strategies of women and girls.

5. Diversifying Resource Base
Diversifying our financial and human resource base for rights and justice work by mobilising ethical funding, and support in kind, from individuals, institutional donors and businesses.