The European Union's framework is comprised of seven main institutions. Created by Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty, collectively they form an integrated system that carries out the EU’s decision-making process and provides inter-institutional oversight.

What is advocacy work? What types of advocacy are there? What duties does it include? Why is it important?

Civil rights guarantee equal treatment under the law, regardless of a persons characteristics. Although the scope of these rights have become more inclusive over time, the majority of countries actively deny civil rights to some minority group.

Racism is a problem for society as a whole that affects millions of people worldwide in different ways. It is embedded and perpetuated through our social systems, as well as on an individual level. So what should we do about it?

What makes a democracy a democracy? Here are the 14 basic principles that define and support a democratic society.

Sometimes we human rights folk get knocked for being so negative about everything that governments do and then not suggesting some sensible alternatives of our own. So here goes.

Ethnic profiling isn't just racist, it's bad, counterproductive policing that helps terrorists. The good news: with proper training, security services can target people on the basis of evidence, not colour, and do a better job of keeping us safe.

Research shows mass surveillance is causing a decline in free speech over the internet. Read the latest episode of our series to learn more about the 'spiral of silence'.

Since Snowden's revelations, journalists and writers have been self-censoring on a wide range of issues - and this is just one of the 'chilling effects' of mass surveillance.

During this series we've learnt about mass surveillance, privacy and democracy. But how do they all fit together?