About Us

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) was established by participants during the international conference titled “Towards the Complete Elimination of Colonialism,” held in Baku on July 6, 2023, within the framework of the ministerial meeting of the Coordination Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, chaired by the Republic of Azerbaijan for the period 2019–2023. 

BIG is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting the struggle of peoples suffering from colonialism and neocolonialism, freedom, independence, and equal rights including the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities suppressed by governing authorities in accordance with norms and principles of international law. Through research, advocacy, and international engagement, BIG seeks to amplify the voices of those communities and promote policies that ensure their dignity, representation, and long-term development, under international law. 

The organization’s activities primarily cover the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean region, South America, the African continent, and the surrounding areas. The BIG operates in these regions in the following areas:

• Exposing and documenting colonial and neocolonial policies, rights of indigenous people and ethnic minorities suppressed by authorities;
• organizing solidarity initiatives with countries affected by colonial policies;
• preparing relevant reports on human rights violations occurring in countries subjected to colonial policies and submitting them to international institutions;
• raising global awareness through international conferences, forums, and information campaigns;
• supporting the struggle for independence and the right to self-determination in accordance with the norms and principles of international law;
• developing recommendations and proposals to ensure justice, equality, and human rights in post-colonial societies.