Improve and manage diversity towards a sustainable, tolerant and socially responsible society
NGO ‘Diversity Development Group’ (DDG), founded in 2012, is a non-profit organisation with an objective to carry out scientific, applied and infrastructural projects in the fields of human rights, education, equal opportunities, diversity, migration and integration. The main aim of organisation is to improve and manage diversity towards a sustainable, tolerant and socially responsible society.
Monitoring of contemporary processes of migration and integration of migrants in order to accumulate, develop and disseminate the theoretical and empirical knowledge about contemporary migration processes in Lithuania
Promotion and consolidation of fundamental rights and freedoms: equal rights for migrants and other vulnerable groups in areas of employment, housing, health care, social services and education; policy analysis and recommendations
The development of equal opportunities for migrants and other vulnerable groups: monitoring of living and working conditions, human rights and social inclusion, social mobility and networks
Preventative actions against xenophobia, racism and intolerance; fighting against human trafficking
Inform and educate the society about various minority groups: dissemination of research results, seminars, conferences, trainings, social actions. Actively participate in shaping public attitudes.
Actively participate in the development and implementation of social policies to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups in the society (including prevention of discrimination, promoting tolerance, improving equality and human rights).
While aiming for a harmonious, tolerant and fully integrated society, to create and develop mechanisms for intersectional cooperation: to include governmental institutions, non-governmental organisations, academia, independent experts and business sector in shaping social policies, political debates and discourse.
Raise awareness about human trafficking in contemporary societies.
DDG team is actively involved in researches and project-based activities on national and international levels. It has been working in the field of migration and human rights for more than five years. Its experience covers qualitative and quantitative research, evaluation of migrant integration indicators and monitoring tools of migration policies. Experts of DDG contributed to the conceptualisation of migrant integration policy model in Lithuania and Lithuanian Migration policy guidelines.
Researcher
Mažvydas Karalius, researcher.
Areas of interest: contemporary migration processes, trafficking in human beings and exploitation, gender–based violence, LGBT equality as well as intersections of these topics.
Mažvydas holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Vilnius University. Previously, he has conducted research and contributed to policy evaluation reports on human trafficking, domestic violence against women, and integration of non–EU nationals in Lithuania.
Project manager
Aurelija Černiakovienė, project manager and training organizer.
Areas of interest: education, migration.
Aurelija holds a master’s degree in Management and Business Administration and has more than 10 years of experience in administration and data management.
Project manager
Austėja Vakarinaitė, project manager.
Areas of interest: contemporary migration, vulnerable groups, social and cultural integration.
Austėja is currently working on her thesis at the IIRPS. Previously, she has contributed to projects of various NGOs that advocate for humanitarian and development cooperation cause.
Researcher
Ugnė Litvinaitė, researcher.
Research interests: inequalities, especially gender inequality, vulnerable groups, migrant integration, social cohesion, social policy.
Ugne holds a bachelor’s degree in political sciences from Vilnius University.
Director
Lina Kisevičienė, director and project manager.
Areas of interest: education, migration, women empowerment.
Lina holds a master’s degree in Management and Business Administration, and has more than 10 years of experience in managing national and international projects.
Education expert
Jogaila Vaitekaitis, sustainable development education expert, educational scientist doing research in the fields of education policy and philosophy.
Areas of scientific interest: educational effectiveness, equity and inclusion, international large scale assessments (ILSA), global competences, curriculum development, STEM education education in the Anthropocene.
Jogaila is a PhD student and lecturer at Vilnius University, Institute of Educational Sciences.
Researcher
Akvilė Kriščiūnaitė, researcher.
Areas of interest: discrimination based on ethnic or national grounds, nationalism, (im)migration policymaking in Lithuania, migration-development nexus.
Akvilė holds an MSc in Migration Studies from the University of Oxford and a BA in Sociology and Quantitative Methods from the University of Warwick. Before joining DDG, Akvilė has interned at the National Centre for Social Research (UK).
Researcher/project manager
Jurga Mataitytė-Diržienė, researcher and project manager.
Areas of interest: equal opportunities, mental health, mass media and its effects.
Jurga holds a PhD in Social sciences and has more than 15 years of experience as a researcher and project manager in national and international projects.
Research Director
Giedrė Blažytė, researcher at Diversity Development Group and Lithuanian Social Research Centre (Institute for Ethnic Studies).
Research interests: contemporary migration processes, family migration, integration of beneficiaries of international protection, trafficking in human beings, equal opportunities.
Giedrė holds a PhD in Social Sciences (Sociology).
Project manager
Indrė Urbonavičiūtė-Valančiauskė, project manager and training organizer.
Areas of interest: migration and social integration, human rights and equal opportunities.
Indrė holds a master’s degree in Social Work and has extensive experience in volunteering at human rights organizations.
Years
Projects
Partners
Countries
Applied and infrastructural projects in fields of human rights, education, equal opportunities, diversity, migration and integration
Do not hesitate to contact us.