Misplaced Pages

#253746

131-475: Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI ) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights , with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and supporters around the world. The stated mission of the organization is to campaign for "a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in

262-413: A United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (established 1993) and an International Criminal Court (established 2002). Amnesty continued to work on a wide range of issues and world events. For example, South African groups joined in 1992 and hosted a visit by Pierre Sané to meet with the apartheid government to press for an investigation into allegations of police abuse, an end to arms sales to

393-909: A "ploy to divert attention" from their activities which were in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws. Amnesty International received permission only once in Dec 2000, since then it had been denied Foreign Contribution permission under the Foreign Contribution Act by successive Governments. However, in order to circumvent the FCRA regulations, Amnesty UK remitted large amounts of money to four entities registered in India by classifying it as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi , has been criticized by foreign medias for harming civil society in India, specifically by targeting advocacy groups. India has cancelled

524-716: A "toxic culture" of workplace bullying , and found evidence of bullying , harassment , sexism and racism , after being asked to investigate the suicides of 30-year Amnesty veteran Gaetan Mootoo in Paris in May 2018 (who left a note citing work pressures), and 28-year-old intern Rosalind McGregor in Geneva in July 2018. In April 2019, Amnesty International's deputy director for research in Europe, Massimo Moratti, warned that if extradited to

655-403: A December 2018 filing by Saudi dissident Omar Abdulaziz, who claimed NSO's software targeted his phone during a period in which he was in regular contact with murdered journalist Jamal Kashoggi . In September 2019, European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen created the new position of "Vice President for Protecting our European Way of Life ", who will be responsible for upholding

786-493: A Greek temple, with a foundation, steps, four columns, and a pediment . Articles 1 and 2—with their principles of dignity, liberty, equality and brotherhood—served as the foundation blocks. The seven paragraphs of the preamble, setting out the reasons for the Declaration, represent the steps leading up to the temple. The main body of the Declaration forms the four columns. The first column (articles 3–11) constitutes rights of

917-581: A UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt , it was accepted by the General Assembly as Resolution 217 during its third session on 10 December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, France. Of the 58 members of the United Nations at the time, 48 voted in favour, none against, eight abstained , and two did not vote. A foundational text in the history of human and civil rights ,

1048-603: A briefing 26 Nov, during which he discussed other acts of terrorism. In August 2020, Amnesty International expressed concerns about what it called the "widespread torture of peaceful protesters" and treatment of detainees in Belarus. The organization also said that more than 1,100 people were killed by bandits in rural communities in northern Nigeria during the first six months of 2020. Amnesty International investigated what it called "excessive" and "unlawful" killings of teenagers by Angolan police who were enforcing restrictions during

1179-446: A legal status under the international law. They have not legal personality and therefore, no formal rights. INGOs must then operate under state laws. China for instance, only allows foreign NGOs that have Chinese sponsor organizations. International non-governmental organizations emerged as a result of the need for humanitarian aid as global problems increased after World Wars. No single government could solve these problems leading to

1310-473: A prominent representative at the United Nations , had "undeclared private links to men alleged to be key players in a secretive network of global Islamists ", including the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas . The Times also detailed instances where Hussein was alleged to have had inappropriately close relationships with the al-Qazzaz family, members of which were high-ranking government ministers in

1441-734: A response to the Republic of China (Taiwan)'s arrest and prosecution of Chen Yu-hsi, whom the Taiwan Garrison Command had alleged committed sedition by reading communist literature while studying in the United States. In 1976, Amnesty's British Section started a series of fund-raising events that came to be known as The Secret Policeman's Balls series. They were staged in London initially as comedy galas featuring what The Daily Telegraph called "the crème de la crème of

SECTION 10

#1732790473254

1572-797: A specific goal, and operational NGOs , which provide services. Examples of NGO mandates are environmental preservation , human rights promotions or the advancement of women . NGOs are typically not-for-profit, but receive funding from companies or membership fees. Many large INGOs have components of operational projects and advocacy initiatives working together within individual countries. Intergovernmental organizations such as International Labour Organization (ILO) and United Nations are formed when sovereign states form treaties but INGOs are not bound by state treaties when operating internationally. INGOs can either be private philanthropic organizations such as Carnegie, Rockefeller, Gates, and Ford Foundations or as arms of existing internation insitutions like

1703-522: A toast to liberty". Researchers have never traced the alleged newspaper article in question. In 1960, Portugal was ruled by the Estado Novo government of António de Oliveira Salazar . The government was authoritarian in nature and strongly anti-communist , suppressing enemies of the state as anti-Portuguese. In his significant newspaper article " The Forgotten Prisoners ", Benenson later described his reaction as follows: Open your newspaper any day of

1834-568: A treaty in that it generally states aspirations or understandings among the parties, rather than binding obligations. The Declaration was explicitly adopted to reflect and elaborate on the customary international law reflected in the " fundamental freedoms " and "human rights" referenced in the United Nations Charter, which is binding on all member states. For this reason, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1965-499: Is a fundamental constitutive document of the United Nations and, by extension, all 193 parties of the United Nations Charter. Nevertheless, the status of the Declaration as a legally enforceable document varies widely around the world: some countries have incorporated it into their domestic laws, while other countries consider it merely a statement of ideals, with no binding provisions. Many international lawyers believe that

2096-399: Is allowed to practice them unless he/she use them as a source of power. The Declaration's all-encompassing provisions serve as a "yardstick" and point of reference by which countries' commitments to human rights are judged, such as through the treaty bodies and other mechanisms of various human rights treaties that monitor implementation. In international law, a declaration is distinct from

2227-482: Is generally considered to be a milestone document for its universalist language, which makes no reference to a particular culture, political system, or religion. It directly inspired the development of international human rights law , and was the first step in the formulation of the International Bill of Human Rights , which was completed in 1966 and came into force in 1976. Although not legally binding ,

2358-439: Is linked to economic development . As of 2007, aid (partly contributed to by INGOs) over the past thirty years is estimated to have increased the annual growth rate of the bottom billion by one percent. Given they are usually supported by donations, a popular concern about INGOs is where the money goes and whether it is spent efficiently. High administrative costs can be an indication of inefficiency, enrichment of employees at

2489-407: Is paramount. To this point, INGOs must prepare regions for when they leave by providing the tools and guidance necessary to support their citizens. More research must be done on the impacts of INGO support from the perspective of the recipient country or region, as much of currently published research has been completed from the lens of a Westernized donor or INGO. Another criticism is that many of

2620-616: Is responsible for promoting human rights, created the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)—a standing body within the United Nations that was tasked with preparing what was initially conceived as an International Bill of Rights . It had 18 members from various national, religious, and political backgrounds, so as to be representative of humanity. In February 1947, the Commission established a special Universal Declaration of Human Rights Drafting Committee , chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt of

2751-563: The Guinness Book of Records described the Declaration as the world's "Most Translated Document", with 298 translations; the record was once again certified a decade later when the text reached 370 different languages and dialects. The UDHR achieved a milestone of over 500 translations in 2016, and as of 2024, has been translated into 562 languages, remaining the most translated document. In its preamble, governments commit themselves and their people to progressive measures that secure

SECTION 20

#1732790473254

2882-568: The African Great Lakes region and the abolition of the death penalty. In particular, Amnesty International brought attention to violations committed on specific groups, including refugees , racial/ethnic/religious minorities, women and those executed or on Death Row . In 1995, when AI wanted to promote how Shell Oil Company was involved with the execution of an environmental and human-rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria, it

3013-558: The Christian Democracy movement ; Malik, a Christian theologian, was known for appealing across religious lines, and cited the Summa Theologica , and studied the different Christian sects. Chang urged removing all references to religion to make the document more universal, and used aspects of Confucianism to settle stalemates in negotiations. Hernán Santa Cruz of Chile, an educator and judge, strongly supported

3144-607: The European Journal of International Relations criticized the impact of INGOs on government decision-making, claiming they are slowing integration of developing countries into the global economy. Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights ( UDHR ) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings . Drafted by

3275-666: The ICCPR and ICESCR , which, together with the UDHR, form the International Bill of Rights. Pakistani diplomat Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah influenced the drafting of the Declaration, especially with respect to women's rights , and played a role in the preparation of the 1951 Genocide Convention. In 1982, the Iranian diplomat to the United Nations, who represented the country's newly installed Islamic republic , stated that

3406-875: The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination , the International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women , the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child , the United Nations Convention Against Torture , and many more. The Declaration continues to be widely cited by governments, academics, advocates, and constitutional courts, and by individuals who appeal to its principles for

3537-620: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights came into force, giving a legal status to most of the Declaration. The 48 countries that voted in favour of the Declaration are: Eight countries abstained: Two countries did not vote: Current UN member states , particularly in Africa gained sovereignty later, or in Europe and the Pacific were under administration due to the recently concluded World War II , joining

3668-660: The Islamic law ( sharīʿa ). Pakistan , officially an Islamic state , signed the declaration and critiqued the Saudi position, strongly arguing in favour of including freedom of religion as a fundamental human right of the UDHR. Moreover, some Muslim diplomats would later help draft other United Nations human rights treaties. For example, Iraq 's representative to the United Nations, Bedia Afnan 's insistence on wording that recognized gender equality resulted in Article 3 within

3799-566: The Metropolitan Police . Lord Hoffman had an indirect connection with Amnesty International, and this led to an important test for the appearance of bias in legal proceedings in UK law. There was a suit against the decision to release Senator Pinochet, taken by the then British Home Secretary Jack Straw, before that decision had actually been taken, in an attempt to prevent the release of Senator Pinochet. The English High Court refused

3930-452: The Union of International Associations (UIA) were the first to suggest that a "super-national" status be given to international organizations with diplomatic intentions without governmental influence. The International Law Association (ILA) modified this, adding that this "super-national" organizational status may be adopted for associations formed for no profit. One of the oldest INGO is Save

4061-432: The United Nations . Decadal commemorations are often accompanied by campaigns to promote awareness of the Declaration and of human rights in general. 2008 marked the 60th anniversary of the Declaration, and was accompanied by year-long activities around the theme "Dignity and justice for all of us". Likewise, the 70th anniversary in 2018 was marked by the global #StandUpForHumanRights campaign, which targeted youth. At

Amnesty International - Misplaced Pages Continue

4192-525: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments ." The organization has played a notable role on human rights issues due to its frequent citation in media and by world leaders. AI was founded in London in 1961 by the lawyer Peter Benenson . In what he called "The Forgotten Prisoners" and "An Appeal for Amnesty", which appeared on the front page of

4323-487: The right of citizens to leave their countries . Other observers pin the Soviet bloc's opposition to the Declaration's " negative rights ", such as provisions calling on governments not to violate certain civil and political rights. The British delegation, while voting in favour of the Declaration, expressed frustration that the proposed document had moral obligations but lacked legal force; it would not be until 1976 that

4454-648: The third session of the United Nations General Assembly , held 81 meetings concerning the draft Declaration, including debating and resolving 168 proposals for amendments by United Nations member states. On its 178th meeting on 6 December, the Third Committee adopted the Declaration with 29 votes in favour, none opposed and seven abstentions. The document was subsequently submitted to the wider General Assembly for its consideration on 9 and 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration

4585-412: The "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and September 1962 the organization had been known simply as "Amnesty". By the mid-1960s, Amnesty International's global presence was growing and an International Secretariat and International Executive Committee were established to manage Amnesty International's national organizations, called "Sections", which had appeared in several countries. They were secretly supported by

4716-563: The "most ambitious feature". The Declaration was officially adopted as a French document, with official translations in English , Chinese , Russian and Spanish , all of which are official working languages of the UN . Due to its inherently universalist nature, the United Nations has made a concerted effort to translate the document into as many languages as possible, in collaboration with private and public entities and individuals. In 1999,

4847-772: The ALA Universal Right to Free Expression and the Library Bill of Rights . The Declaration formed the basis of the ALA's claim that censorship , invasion of privacy , and interference of opinions are human rights violations. During the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the Soviet Union criticized not prioritizing social rights over individual rights and positive rights over negative rights enough according to Marxism–Leninism . Most Muslim-majority countries that were then members of

4978-543: The British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament as well as becoming head of Quaker Peace and Social Witness . In his memoirs, Benenson described him as "a partner in the launching of the project". In consultation with other writers, academics and lawyers and, in particular, Alec Digges, they wrote via Louis Blom-Cooper to David Astor , editor of The Observer newspaper, who, on 28 May 1961, published Benenson's article "The Forgotten Prisoners". The article brought

5109-604: The British comedy world" including members of comedy troupe Monty Python , and later expanded to also include performances by leading rock musicians. The series was created and developed by Monty Python alumnus John Cleese and entertainment industry executive Martin Lewis working closely with Amnesty staff members Peter Luff (assistant director of Amnesty 1974–1978) and subsequently with Peter Walker (Amnesty Fund-Raising Officer 1978–1982). Cleese, Lewis and Luff worked together on

5240-726: The British government at the time. The international movement was starting to agree on its core principles and techniques. For example, the issue of whether or not to adopt prisoners who had advocated violence, like Nelson Mandela , brought unanimous agreement that it could not give the name of "Prisoner of Conscience" to such prisoners. Aside from the work of the library and groups, Amnesty International's activities were expanding to helping prisoners' families, sending observers to trials, making representations to governments, and finding asylum or overseas employment for prisoners. Its activity and influence were also increasing within intergovernmental organizations; it would be awarded consultative status by

5371-516: The British newspaper The Observer , Benenson wrote about two students who toasted to freedom in Portugal and four other people who had been jailed in other nations because of their beliefs. AI's original focus was prisoners of conscience , with its remit widening in the 1970s, under the leadership of Seán MacBride and Martin Ennals , to include miscarriages of justice and torture . In 1977, it

Amnesty International - Misplaced Pages Continue

5502-586: The Catholic Church. After World War II , INGOs began to increase due to the need for economic development or humanitarian needs. Such INGOs include SOS Children's Villages , Oxfam , Catholic Relief Services , Care International , and Lutheran World Relief . However, the influence of INGOs started to extended heavily in the 1980s. Except for incorporation under national laws, no current formal legal status exists for INGOs, which can lead to complications in international law. INGOs have been trying to get

5633-522: The Children-UK that was founded in 1919. Since then, INGOs have been operating under their founding principles to provide different community welfare models. The main focus of INGOs is to provide relief and developmental aid to developing countries. Health-related projects such as HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment, clean water, and malaria prevention—and education-related projects such as schools for girls and providing books—help to provide

5764-477: The Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Niger, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Somalia, Spain, Togo, and Yemen. Moreover, the constitutions of Portugal , Romania , São Tomé and Príncipe, and Spain compel their courts to "interpret" constitutional norms consistently with the Universal Declaration. Judicial and political figures in many nations have directly invoked

5895-439: The Declaration "constitutes an obligation for the members of the international community" to all persons. The Declaration has served as the foundation for two binding United Nations human rights covenants: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights . The principles of the Declaration are elaborated in other binding international treaties such as

6026-404: The Declaration "does not of its own force impose obligations as a matter of international law", and that the political branches of the U.S. federal government can "scrutinize" the nation's obligations to international instruments and their enforceability. However, U.S. courts and legislatures may still use the Declaration to inform or interpret laws concerned with human rights, a position shared by

6157-573: The Declaration by the United States Supreme Court; sixteen references by federal courts of appeal ; twenty-four references by federal district courts ; one reference by a bankruptcy court ; and several references by five state courts. Likewise, research conducted in 1994 identified 94 references to the Declaration by federal and state courts across the U.S. In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain that

6288-540: The Declaration consists of 30 articles detailing an individual's "basic rights and fundamental freedoms" and affirming their universal character as inherent, inalienable, and applicable to all human beings. Adopted as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", the UDHR commits nations to recognize all humans as being "born free and equal in dignity and rights" regardless of "nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status". The Declaration

6419-559: The Declaration forms part of customary international law and is a powerful tool in applying diplomatic and moral pressure to governments that violate its articles. One prominent international jurist described the UDHR as being "universally regarded as expounding generally accepted norms". Other legal scholars have further argued that the Declaration constitutes jus cogens , fundamental principles of international law from which no state may deviate or derogate . The 1968 United Nations International Conference on Human Rights advised that

6550-541: The Declaration has been incorporated into or influenced most national constitutions since 1948. It has also served as the foundation for a growing number of national laws, international laws, and treaties, as well as for a growing number of regional, subnational, and national institutions protecting and promoting human rights. These kinds of measures focus on some principles that regard every culture/community especially when martial status take place or inheritance. In other words, every culture has its own norms and every individual

6681-731: The Declaration was "a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition" that could not be implemented by Muslims without conflict with sharīʿa law. On 30 June 2000, member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , which represents most of the Muslim world, officially resolved to support the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam , an alternative document that says people have "freedom and right to

SECTION 50

#1732790473254

6812-427: The Declaration's articles: Article 18 , which states that everyone has the right "to change his religion or belief", and Article 16, on equal marriage rights. The abstentions by the six communist nations were explained by their claim that the Declaration did not go far enough in condemning fascism and national-socialism. However, Eleanor Roosevelt felt that the reason for the abstentions was Article 13, which provided

6943-668: The Declaration, as well as the Covenant, to the Economic and Social Council for its review and approval during its seventh session in July and August 1948. The Council adopted Resolution 151(VII) of 26 August 1948, transmitting the draft International Declaration of Human Rights to the UN General Assembly. The Third Committee of the General Assembly , which convened from 30 September to 7 December 1948 during

7074-542: The Declaration. Upon the session's conclusion on 21 May 1948, the Committee submitted to the Commission on Human Rights a redrafted text of the "International Declaration of Human Rights" and the "International Covenant of Human Rights," which together would form an International Bill of Rights. The redrafted Declaration was further examined and discussed by the Commission on Human Rights in its third session in Geneva 21 May through 18 June 1948. The so-called "Geneva text"

7205-518: The Declaration—stated that it "may well become the international Magna Carta of all men everywhere". At the 1993 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights , one of the largest international gatherings on human rights, diplomats and officials representing 100 nations reaffirmed their governments' "commitment to the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations and

7336-492: The Enforcement Directorate has said the investigation could take three months to complete. On 30 October 2018, Amnesty called for the arrest and prosecution of Nigerian security forces claiming that they used excessive force against Shi'a protesters during a peaceful religious procession around Abuja, Nigeria. At least 45 were killed and 122 were injured during the event. In November 2018, Amnesty reported

7467-501: The OLF in the village of Gawa Qanqa, Ethiopia. In April 2021, Amnesty International distanced itself from a tweet by Agnès Callamard , its newly appointed Secretary General, asserting that Israel had killed Yasser Arafat ; Callamard herself has not deleted the tweet. International non-governmental organization NGOs are independent of governments and can be seen as two types: advocacy NGOs , which aim to influence governments with

7598-547: The South American-based American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man , the world's first general international human rights instrument . Delegates and consultants from several United Nations bodies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations also attended and submitted suggestions. It was also hoped that an International Bill of Human Rights with legal force could be drafted and submitted for adoption alongside

7729-670: The Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom , in addition to the inaugural members from China , France , Lebanon , and the United States . Humphrey is credited with devising the "blueprint" for the Declaration, while Cassin composed the first draft. Both received considerable input from other members, each of whom reflected different professional and ideological backgrounds. The Declaration's pro-family phrases allegedly derived from Cassin and Malik, who were influenced by

7860-555: The Treatment of Prisoners and of existing humanitarian conventions; to secure ratifications of the two UN Covenants on Human Rights in 1976, and was instrumental in obtaining additional instruments and provisions forbidding the practice of maltreatment. Consultative status was granted at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 1972. Amnesty International established its Japan chapter in 1970, in part

7991-669: The U.N. Human Rights Council is at stake. Since joining the council, Saudi Arabia's dire human rights record at home has continued to deteriorate and the coalition it leads has unlawfully killed and injured thousands of civilians in the conflict in Yemen ." In December 2016, Amnesty International revealed that Voiceless Victims , a fake non-profit organization which claims to raise awareness for migrant workers who are victims of human rights abuses in Qatar , had been trying to spy on their staff. In October 2018, an Amnesty International researcher

SECTION 60

#1732790473254

8122-509: The UDHR are incorporated or otherwise reflected in national law. The right to health or to protection of health is found in the constitutions of Belgium, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Peru , Thailand , and Togo; constitutional obligations on the government to provide health services exist in Armenia , Cambodia , Ethiopia , Finland , South Korea , Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Thailand, and Yemen. A survey of U.S. cases through 1988 found five references to

8253-545: The UDHR as an influence or inspiration on their courts, constitutions, or legal codes. Indian courts have ruled the Indian Constitution "[embodies] most of the articles contained in the Declaration". Nations as diverse as Antigua, Chad, Chile, Kazakhstan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zimbabwe have derived constitutional and legal provisions from the Declaration. In some cases, specific provisions of

8384-754: The UDHR. Some organizations, such as the Quaker United Nations Office and the American Friends Service Committee have developed curriculum or programmes to educate young people on the UDHR. Specific provisions of the UDHR are cited or elaborated by interest groups in relation to their specific area of focus. In 1997, the council of the American Library Association (ALA) endorsed Articles 18 through 20 concerning freedoms of thought, opinion, and expression, which were codified in

8515-1046: The UN to act promptly to implement the mission's recommendations. In February 2010, Amnesty suspended Gita Sahgal , its gender unit head, after she criticized Amnesty for its links with Moazzam Begg , director of Cageprisoners . She said it was "a gross error of judgment" to work with "Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban". Amnesty responded that Sahgal was not suspended "for raising these issues internally... [Begg] speaks about his own views ..., not Amnesty International's". Among those who spoke up for Sahgal were Salman Rushdie , Member of Parliament Denis MacShane , Joan Smith , Christopher Hitchens , Martin Bright , Melanie Phillips , and Nick Cohen . In July 2011, Amnesty International celebrated its 50 years with an animated short film directed by Carlos Lascano , produced by Eallin Motion Art and Dreamlife Studio, with music by Academy Award-winner Hans Zimmer and nominee Lorne Balfe. In August 2012, Amnesty International's chief executive in India sought an impartial investigation, led by

8646-583: The US government's detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba , to a Soviet Gulag . During the first half of the new decade, Amnesty International turned its attention to violence against women , controls on the world arms trade , concerns surrounding the effectiveness of the UN, and ending torture. With its membership close to two million by 2005, Amnesty continued to work for prisoners of conscience. In 2007, AI's executive committee decided to support access to abortion "within reasonable gestational limits...for women in cases of rape, incest or violence, or where

8777-414: The United Nations signed the Declaration in 1948, including the kingdoms of Afghanistan , Egypt , and Iraq , Pahlavi Iran , and the First Syrian Republic ; the Republic of Turkey , which had an overwhelmingly Muslim population but an officially secular government , also voted in favour. Saudi Arabia was the sole abstainer on the Declaration among Muslim-majority countries, claiming that it violated

8908-468: The United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), played a series of concerts on five continents over six weeks. Both tours featured some of the most famous musicians and bands of the day. Throughout the 1990s, Amnesty continued to grow, to a membership of over seven million in over 150 countries and territories, led by Senegalese Secretary General Pierre Sané . At the intergovernmental level, Amnesty International argued in favour of creating

9039-405: The United Nations, the Council of Europe and UNESCO before the decade ended. In 1966, Benenson suspected that the British government in collusion with some Amnesty employees had suppressed a report on British atrocities in Aden. He began to suspect that many of his colleagues were part of a British intelligence conspiracy to subvert Amnesty, but he could not convince anybody else at AI. Later in

9170-547: The United Nations, to render justice to those affected by war crimes in Sri Lanka. On 18 August 2014, in the wake of demonstrations sparked by people protesting about the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown , an unarmed 18-year-old who assaulted a police officer and then resisted arrest, and subsequent acquittal of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot him, Amnesty International sent a 13-person contingent of human rights activists to seek meetings with officials as well as to train local activists in non-violent protest methods. This

9301-662: The United States, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange would face the "risk of serious human rights violations, namely detention conditions, which could violate the prohibition of torture". On 14 May 2019, Amnesty International filed a petition with the District Court of Tel Aviv, Israel, seeking a revocation of the export licence of surveillance technology firm NSO Group . The filing states that "staff of Amnesty International have an ongoing and well-founded fear they may continue to be targeted and ultimately surveilled" by NSO technology. Other lawsuits have also been filed against NSO in Israeli courts over alleged human-rights abuses, including

9432-541: The United States, to write the articles of the Declaration. Roosevelt, in her position, was key to the U.S. effort to encourage the General Assembly's adoption of a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Committee met in two sessions over the course of two years . Canadian John Peters Humphrey , the newly appointed Director of the Division of Human Rights within the United Nations Secretariat,

9563-416: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and emphasized that the Declaration as "the source of inspiration and has been the basis for the United Nations in making advances in standard setting as contained in the existing international human rights instruments". In a speech on 5 October 1995, Pope John Paul II called the Declaration "one of the highest expressions of the human conscience of our time", despite

9694-469: The Universal Declaration was influenced by the Code Napoléon , including a preamble and introductory general principles. Its final structure took form in the second draft prepared by French jurist René Cassin , who worked on the initial draft prepared by Canadian legal scholar John Peters Humphrey . The Declaration consists of the following: Cassin compared the Declaration to the portico of

9825-451: The Universal Declaration, are at least inspired by it". At least 20 African nations that attained independence in the decades immediately following 1948 explicitly referenced the UDHR in their constitutions. As of 2014, the constitutions that still directly cite the Declaration are those of Afghanistan, Benin, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of

9956-602: The Vatican never adopting it. In a statement on 10 December 2003 on behalf of the European Union , Marcello Spatafora said that the Declaration "placed human rights at the centre of the framework of principles and obligations shaping relations within the international community". As a pillar of international human rights, the UDHR enjoys widespread support among international and nongovernmental organizations. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), one of

10087-448: The activities are compared to other charities or potential activities. Moreover, multiple organizations often exist to solve the same problem. Rather than collaborating to address a given situation, organizations frequently interact as competitors, which creates bottlenecks of treatment and supplies. Conflicts typically require organizations to quickly provide aid to regions with conflict. As such, ensuring immediate and future care quality

10218-577: The administration of Mohammed Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood leaders at the time. Ms Hussein denied supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and told Amnesty that "any connections are purely circumstantial". In June 2016, Amnesty International called on the United Nations General Assembly to "immediately suspend" Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council . Richard Bennett, head of Amnesty's UN Office, said: "The credibility of

10349-538: The application, and Senator Pinochet was released and returned to Chile. After 2000, Amnesty International's primary focus turned to the challenges arising from globalization and the reaction to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States. The issue of globalization provoked a major shift in Amnesty International policy, as the scope of its work was widened to include economic, social and cultural rights, an area that it had declined to work on in

10480-450: The approval of the General Assembly by formal vote of its members, and to serve as a common standard of achievement for all peoples of all nations. The UDHR is considered groundbreaking for providing a comprehensive and universal set of principles in a secular, apolitical document that explicitly transcends cultures, religions, legal systems, and political ideologies. Its claim to universality has been described as "boundlessly idealistic" and

10611-618: The arrest of 19 or more rights activists and lawyers in Egypt . The arrests were made by the Egyptian authorities as part of the regime's ongoing crackdown on dissent. One of the arrested was Hoda Abdel-Monaim, a 60-year-old human rights lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights. Amnesty reported that following the arrests Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) decided to suspend its activities due to

10742-536: The authority and capabilities of government leaders. Aakar Patel, the executive director of the Indian branch claimed, "The Enforcement Directorate's raid on our office today shows how the authorities are now treating human rights organizations like criminal enterprises, using heavy-handed methods. On Sep 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Amnesty International using "glossy statements" about humanitarian work etc. as

10873-578: The collapse of the Twin Towers in New York." In the years following the attacks, some believe that the gains made by human rights organizations over previous decades had possibly been eroded. Amnesty International argued that human rights were the basis for the security of all, not a barrier to it. Criticism came directly from the Bush administration and The Washington Post , when Khan, in 2005, likened

11004-745: The comments and suggestions of member states and international bodies, principally the United Nations Conference on Freedom of Information, which took place the prior March and April; the Commission on the Status of Women, a body within ECOSOC that reported on the state of women's rights worldwide; and the Ninth International Conference of American States, held in Bogota, Colombia from March to May 1948, which adopted

11135-408: The contents of the UDHR have been elaborated and incorporated into subsequent international treaties , regional human rights instruments, and national constitutions and legal codes. All 193 member states of the United Nations have ratified at least one of the nine binding treaties influenced by the Declaration, with the vast majority ratifying four or more. While there is a wide consensus that

11266-439: The coronavirus pandemic. In May 2020, the organization raised concerns about security flaws in a COVID-19 contact tracing app mandated in Qatar . In September 2020, Amnesty shut down its India operations after the government froze its bank accounts due to alleged financial irregularities. On 2 November 2020, Amnesty International reported that 54 people – mostly Amhara women and children and elderly people – were killed by

11397-467: The courts of Belgium, the Netherlands, India, and Sri Lanka. The Universal Declaration has received praise from a number of notable activists, jurists, and political leaders. Lebanese philosopher and diplomat Charles Malik called it "an international document of the first order of importance", while Eleanor Roosevelt —first chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that helped draft

11528-544: The deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. The 117-page Amnesty report charged Israeli forces with killing hundreds of civilians and wanton destruction of thousands of homes. Amnesty found evidence of Israeli soldiers using Palestinian civilians as human shields. A subsequent United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict was carried out; Amnesty stated that its findings were consistent with those of Amnesty's own field investigation, and called on

11659-573: The debates and discussions that informed the UDHR, describing one such exchange during the Drafting Committee's first session in June 1947: Dr. Chang was a pluralist and held forth in charming fashion on the proposition that there is more than one kind of ultimate reality. The Declaration, he said, should reflect more than simply Western ideas and Dr. Humphrey would have to be eclectic in his approach. His remark, though addressed to Dr. Humphrey,

11790-486: The declaration itself is non-binding and not part of customary international law , there is also a consensus in most countries that many of its provisions are part of customary law , although courts in some nations have been more restrictive on its legal effect. Nevertheless, the UDHR has influenced legal, political, and social developments on both the global and national levels, with its significance partly evidenced by its 530 translations. The underlying structure of

11921-424: The director of Amnesty, said, "Social media re-energises the idea of the global citizen". James M. Russell notes how the drive for profit from private media sources conflicts with the stories that AI wants to be heard. Amnesty International became involved in the legal battle over Augusto Pinochet , former Chilean dictator, who sought to avoid extradition to Spain to face charges after his arrest in London in 1998 by

12052-467: The expense of beneficiaries, embezzlement or misdirection of funds to corrupt local officials or dictatorship. Numerous attempts have been made to remedy the accountability of INGOs surrounding where and for what their money is being used. Websites like Charity Navigator and GiveWell attempt to provide transparency as to how much goes to administrative costs, what activities money is spent on, whether more donations would be helpful, and how cost-effective

12183-550: The first two shows (1976 and 1977). Cleese, Lewis and Walker worked together on the 1979 and 1981 shows, the first to carry what The Daily Telegraph described as the "rather brilliantly re-christened" Secret Policeman's Ball title. The organization was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its "defence of human dignity against torture " and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978. During

12314-435: The formation of INGOs. Governments began offering greater support to private, international organizations and NGOs in the 1980s as a way of allowing more time and resources to be spent on national projects. Often, a humanitarian aid organization would clash with a government's approach to tackle a situation. In such cases, INGOs have sought out autonomy to extend help regardless of political or ethnic affiliation. In 1910,

12445-487: The grounds that it was bugged and infiltrated by the secret services, and said that he could no longer live in a country where such activities were tolerated. (See Relationship with the British Government ) Amnesty International's membership increased from 15,000 in 1969 to 200,000 by 1979. At the intergovernmental level Amnesty International pressed for the application of the UN's Standard Minimum Rules for

12576-493: The hostile environment towards civil society in the country. On 5 December 2018, Amnesty International strongly condemned the execution of the leaders of the " black realtors " gang Ihar Hershankou and Siamion Berazhnoy in Belarus . They were shot despite UN Human Rights Committee request for a delay. In February 2019, Amnesty International's management team offered to resign after an independent report found what it called

12707-419: The inclusion of socioeconomic rights, which had been opposed by some Western nations. The members agreed that the philosophical debate centered between the opposing opinions of Chang and Malik, with Malik later singling out Chang when thanking the members, saying that there were too many to mention, but Chang's ideas impacted his own opinions in the making of the draft. In her memoirs, Roosevelt commented on

12838-424: The individual, such as the right to life and the prohibition of slavery. The second column (articles 12–17) constitutes the rights of the individual in civil and political society. The third column (articles 18–21) is concerned with spiritual, public, and political freedoms, such as freedom of religion and freedom of association. The fourth column (articles 22–27) sets out social, economic, and cultural rights. Finally,

12969-523: The last three articles provide the pediment which binds the structure together, as they emphasize the mutual duties of every individual to one another and to society. During World War II , the Allies —known formally as the United Nations —adopted as their basic war aims the Four Freedoms : freedom of speech , freedom of religion , freedom from fear , and freedom from want . Towards the end of

13100-674: The launch of "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961", the aim of which was to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, whom Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience". The "Appeal for Amnesty" was reprinted by a large number of international newspapers. In the same year, Benenson had a book published, Persecution 1961 , which detailed the cases of nine prisoners of conscience investigated and compiled by Benenson and Baker (Maurice Audin, Ashton Jones , Agostinho Neto , Patrick Duncan , Olga Ivinskaya , Luis Taruc , Constantin Noica , Antonio Amat and Hu Feng ). In July 1961,

13231-601: The leadership had decided that the appeal would form the basis of a permanent organization, Amnesty, with the first meeting taking place in London. Benenson ensured that all three major political parties were represented, enlisting members of parliament from the Labour Party , the Conservative Party , and the Liberal Party . On 30 September 1962, it was officially named "Amnesty International". Between

13362-457: The mid-to-late-1980s, Amnesty organized two major musical events took place to increase awareness of Amnesty and of human rights. The 1986 Conspiracy of Hope tour, which played five concerts in the US, and culminated in a daylong show, featuring some thirty-odd acts at Giants Stadium, and the 1988 Human Rights Now! world tour. Human Rights Now!, which was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of

13493-459: The oldest human rights organizations, has as its core mandate the promotion of the respect for all rights set out in the Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights . Amnesty International , the third oldest international human rights organization, has regularly observed Human Rights Day and organized worldwide events to bring awareness and support of

13624-424: The organization later, which accounts for the comparatively smaller number of states who participated in the historic vote. 10 December, the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration, is celebrated annually as World Human Rights Day or International Human Rights Day. The commemoration is observed by individuals, community and religious groups, human rights organizations, parliaments, governments, and

13755-492: The past. Amnesty International felt this shift was important, not just to give credence to its principle of the indivisibility of rights, but because of what it saw as the growing power of companies and the undermining of many nation-states as a result of globalization. In the aftermath of 11 September attacks, the new Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan , reported that a senior government official had said to Amnesty International delegates: "Your role collapsed with

13886-421: The people benefiting from INGOs have no way to influence those activities and hold the organizations accountable. (for example by threatening to withhold donations). Some charitable organizations solicit the participation of local communities to avoid problems related to intercultural competence , and avoid unintended consequences due to lack of buy-in or lack of knowledge about local conditions. In March 2015,

14017-734: The pregnancy jeopardizes a mother's life or health". Amnesty International reported, concerning the Iraq War , on 17 March 2008, that despite claims the security situation in Iraq has improved in recent months, the human rights situation is disastrous, after the start of the war five years earlier in 2003. In 2009, Amnesty International accused Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement of committing war crimes during Israel's January offensive in Gaza, called Operation Cast Lead , that resulted in

14148-408: The protection of their recognized human rights. According to a 2022 study, the UDHR "significantly accelerated the adoption of a particular set of [national] constitutional rights". One scholar estimates that at least 90 national constitutions drafted since the Declaration's adoption in 1948 "contain statements of fundamental rights which, where they do not faithfully reproduce the provisions of

14279-482: The reader's attention to those "imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government" or, put another way, to violations, by governments, of articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The article described these violations occurring, on a global scale, in the context of restrictions to press freedom, to political oppositions, to timely public trial before impartial courts, and to asylum. It marked

14410-546: The registration of about 15,000 nongovernmental organizations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA); the U.N. has issued statements against the policies that allow these cancellations to occur. Though nothing was found to confirm these accusations, the government plans on continuing the investigation and has frozen the bank accounts of all the offices in India . A spokesperson for

14541-495: The rule-of-law, internal security and migration. Amnesty International accused the European Union of "using the framing of the far right" by linking migration with security. On 24 November 2019, Anil Raj , a former Amnesty International board member, was killed by a car bomb while working with the United Nations Development Project. U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced Raj's death at

14672-399: The same year, there were further allegations, when the US government reported that Seán MacBride , the former Irish foreign minister and Amnesty's first chairman, had been involved with a Central Intelligence Agency funding operation. MacBride denied knowledge of the funding, but Benenson became convinced that MacBride was a member of a CIA network. Benenson resigned as Amnesty's president on

14803-750: The social services that the country's government does not provide. International non-governmental organizations are some of the first responders to natural disasters, like hurricanes and floods, or crises that need emergency relief. Other organizations, like the International Justice Mission , are working to make judicial systems more effective and legitimate. Still others, such as those promoting micro-finance and education, directly impact citizens and communities by developing skills and human capital while encouraging citizen empowerment and community involvement. NGOs, in general, account for over 15% of total international development aid, which

14934-468: The time of the Declaration's adoption by the General Assembly in 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt said: In giving our approval to the declaration today, it is of primary importance that we keep clearly in mind the basic character of the document. It is not a treaty; it is not an international agreement. It is not and does not purport to be a statement of law or of legal obligation. It is a declaration of basic principles of human rights and freedoms, to be stamped with

15065-484: The universal and effective recognition and observance of the human rights set out in the Declaration. Eleanor Roosevelt supported the adoption of the text as a declaration, rather than as a treaty, because she believed that it would have the same kind of influence on global society as the United States Declaration of Independence had within the United States. Even though it is not legally binding,

15196-506: The war, the United Nations Charter was debated, drafted, and ratified to reaffirm "faith in fundamental human rights , and dignity and worth of the human person" and commit all member states to promote "universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion." When the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany became fully apparent after

15327-484: The war, the consensus within the world community was that the UN Charter did not sufficiently define the rights to which it referred. It was deemed necessary to create a universal declaration that specified the rights of individuals so as to give effect to the Charter's provisions on human rights . In June 1946, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)—a principal organ of the newly founded United Nations that

15458-528: The week and you will find a story from somewhere of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government... The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done. Benenson worked with his friend Eric Baker – a member of the Religious Society of Friends who had been involved in funding

15589-399: The world, owing to her ability to appeal to different and often opposing political blocs. The meeting record provides firsthand insight into the debate on the Declaration's adoption. South Africa 's position can be seen as an attempt to protect its system of apartheid , which clearly violated several articles in the Declaration. Saudi Arabia 's abstention was prompted primarily by two of

15720-463: Was Smuts who inserted the word dignity as a human right into the charter. Despite te Water's efforts, the word dignity was included in the declaration as a human right. With a vote of 12 in favour, none opposed, and four abstaining, the CHR approved the proposed Declaration, though was unable to examine the contents and implementation of the proposed Covenant. The Commission forwarded the approved text of

15851-617: Was abducted and beaten while observing demonstrations in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, Russia. On 25 October, federal officers raided the Bengaluru office for 10 hours on a suspicion that the organization had violated foreign direct investment guidelines on the orders of the Enforcement Directorate . Employees and supporters of Amnesty International say this is an act to intimidate organizations and people who question

15982-444: Was adopted by the General Assembly as UN Resolution A/RES/217(III)[A] on 10 December 1948 in the Palais de Chaillot , Paris. Of the 58 United Nations members at the time, 48 voted in favour, none against, eight abstained , and Honduras and Yemen failed to vote or abstain. Eleanor Roosevelt is credited with having been instrumental in mustering support for the Declaration's adoption, both in her native U.S. and across

16113-490: Was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize . In the 1980s, its secretary general was Thomas Hammarberg , succeeded in the 1990s by Pierre Sané . In the 2000s, it was led by Irene Khan . Amnesty draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international laws and standards. It works to mobilize public opinion to generate pressure on governments where abuse takes place. Amnesty International

16244-562: Was called upon by the UN Secretary-General to work on the project, becoming the Declaration's principal drafter. Other prominent members of the Drafting Committee included Vice-Chairman P.C. Chang of the Republic of China , René Cassin of France; and its Committee Rapporteur Charles Malik of Lebanon . A month after its creation, the Drafting Committee was expanded to include representatives of Australia, Chile, France,

16375-457: Was circulated among member states and subject to several proposed amendments; for example, Hansa Mehta of India notably suggested that the Declaration assert that "all human beings are created equal," instead of "all men are created equal," to better reflect gender equality. Charles Theodore Te Water of South Africa fought very hard to have the word dignity removed from the declaration, saying that "dignity had no universal standard and that it

16506-578: Was founded in London in July 1961 by English barrister Peter Benenson , who had previously been a founding member of the UK law reform organization JUSTICE. Benenson was influenced by his friend Louis Blom-Cooper , who led a political prisoners' campaign. According to Benenson's own account, he was travelling on the London Underground on 19 November 1960 when he read that two Portuguese students from Coimbra had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Portugal for allegedly "having drunk

16637-402: Was not a 'right'." Te Water believed—correctly, as it turned out—that listing human dignity as a human right would lead to criticism of the apartheid system that had just been introduced by the new National Party government of South Africa. Malik in response stated that Prime Minister Jan Smuts of South Africa had played an important role in drafting the United Nations Charter in 1945, and it

16768-460: Was over the issue of whether it would be appropriate for an anti-racism campaign with a "single focus". The Jewish Chronicle noted that Amnesty International had previously published a report on discrimination against Muslims in Europe. In August 2015, The Times reported that Yasmin Hussein, then Amnesty's director of faith and human rights and previously its head of international advocacy and

16899-525: Was really directed at Dr. Malik, from whom it drew a prompt retort as he expounded at some length the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas . Dr. Humphrey joined enthusiastically in the discussion, and I remember that at one point Dr. Chang suggested that the Secretariat might well spend a few months studying the fundamentals of Confucianism! In May 1948, roughly a year after its creation, the Drafting Committee held its second and final session, where it considered

17030-422: Was stopped. Newspapers and advertising companies refused to run AI's ads because Shell Oil was a customer of theirs as well. Shell's main argument was that it was drilling oil in a country that already violated human rights and had no way to enforce human-rights policies. To combat the buzz that AI was trying to create, it immediately publicized how Shell was helping to improve overall life in Nigeria. Salil Shetty ,

17161-422: Was the first time that the organization has deployed such a team to the United States. In the 2015 annual Amnesty International UK conference, delegates narrowly voted (468 votes to 461) against a motion proposing a campaign against antisemitism in the UK. The debate on the motion formed a consensus that Amnesty should fight "discrimination against all ethnic and religious groups", but the division among delegates

#253746