All communities have groups of people - often hidden - who are unable to enjoy the general benefits that are accessible to mainstream society. Such people may be neglected, marginalized or excluded for many reasons such as social or economic disadvantage, their employment status, a lack of access to information, knowledge or modern communication tools, or perhaps due to public attitudes that stigmatize or discriminate against them. Such disadvantaged groups include women and girls who are at risk because of their gender, older people, those with HIV or certain diseases and disabilities, children and young people in difficulty such as orphans, child labourers or those on the street, people who have been trafficked or displaced, refugees and other migrants, people of particular sexual orientation, members of minority groups, those subjected to harmful cultural practices, and countless others deprived of their human rights. Many of them may live in circumstances where they are subjected to violence, abuse and exploitation.
