Working for human rights around the world.

• Author: Mah, Connie L.
• Position: Special Report on International Organizations of Justice - Company overview

Among the many international organizations for justice, there are groups that focus on advocating universal human rights.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International is one of the most prominent international human rights organizations. It has about 1.8 million members and supporters from more than 150 countries.

Amnesty International was established in 1961, after British lawyer Peter Benenson wrote to the British newspaper, The Observer, to instigate an international publicity campaign called Appeal for Amnesty 1961. This campaign protested the imprisonment of people for their political or religious beliefs (called prisoners of conscience) after two Portuguese students were imprisoned for raising a toast to freedom. Due to its widespread appeal, this campaign quickly developed into a permanent movement that is today known as Amnesty International.

Organizational Structure

Amnesty International is a democratic, self-governing international movement. The organization's structure includes an International Council comprised of representatives from national sections that determines policy decisions such as strategy, setting the organization's vision, and establishing systems and bodies of governance (elected bodies) for implementing its objectives.

Amnesty International promotes human rights on an international scale by undertaking research and investigating violations of human rights, by campaigning against human rights violations, and by promoting the education of internationally recognized standards of human rights.

Undertaking Research and Investigating Violations of Human Rights

Amnesty International monitors media outlets (newspapers, websites, and so forth) and various sources of information throughout the world. Its contacts include professionals such as lawyers, journalists, and diplomats. Other contacts include religious bodies and community workers as well as humanitarian agencies and human rights organizations.

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Once advised of a violation of human rights, Amnesty International undertakes research by sending experts on fact-finding missions to interview victims and their families, local human rights activists, and officials. Its experts comprise various specialties including experts in international law. Its researchers work in teams that focus on particular countries. Amnesty International investigates both individual cases and allegations of systemic human rights violations. To ensure accuracy, researchers cross-reference and locate corroborating information from various sources. Amnesty International's research is generally recognized by governments and news media as reliable.

Once research is completed, Amnesty International publishes the results in its reports. It understands that it deals with allegations, and generally calls for...