Fighting for Human Rights world wide
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all.
This lens gives information on human rights and recent Amnesty campaigns.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty and AI) is an international secular non-governmental organisation which defines its mission as "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated." Founded in London in 1961, AI draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international laws and standards. It works to mobilise public opinion to exert pressure on governments who perpetrate abuses. The organisation was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its "campaign against torture" and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.
In the field of international human rights organizations (of which there were 300 in 1996),James Ronand, Howard Ramos, Kathleen Rodgers (2005), "Transnational Information Politics: NGO Human Rights Reporting, 1986?2000", International Studies Quarterly (2005) 49, 557?587 Amnesty has the longest history and broadest name recognition, and "is believed by many to set standards for the movement as a whole."
The 2008 Amnesty Report
60 years of human rights failure - Governments must apologize and act now
Amnesty International today challenged world leaders to apologize for six decades of human rights failure and re-commit themselves to deliver concrete improvements.
"The human rights flashpoints in Darfur, Zimbabwe, Gaza, Iraq and Myanmar demand immediate action," said Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, launching AI Report 2008: State of the World's Human Rights.
"Injustice, inequality and impunity are the hallmarks of our world today. Governments must act now to close the yawning gap between promise and performance."
Amnesty International's Report 2008, shows that sixty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, people are still tortured or ill-treated in at least 81 countries, face unfair trials in at least 54 countries and are not allowed to speak freely in at least 77 countries.
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* China must live up to the human rights promises it made around the Olympic Games and allow free speech and freedom of the press and end "re-education through labour".
* The USA must close Guantánamo detention camp and secret detention centres, prosecute the detainees under fair trial standards or release them, and unequivocally reject the use of torture and ill-treatment.
* Russia must show greater tolerance for political dissent, and none for impunity on human rights abuses in Chechnya.
* The EU must investigate the complicity of its member states in "renditions" of terrorist suspects and set the same bar on human rights for its own members as it does for other countries.
UN no longer a voice FOR human rights!
In a vote on Freedom of Expression the Human Rights Council killed that freedom on March 28th 2008. Canada, The European Union, the United Kingdom (speaking for Australia and the United States), India, Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala and Switzerland all withdrew their sponsorship of the main resolution when the amendment was passed. In total, more than 20 of the original 53 co-sponsors of the resolution withdrew their support.
http://www.iheu.org/node/3123
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
The rest of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
"We believe human rights abuses anywhere are the concern of people everywhere."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. The Guinness Book of Records d...
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Letter Writing
Amnesty International is most famous for writing letters to political prisoners.
1 Political prisoners are generally isolated. They are in jail because they openly disagree with the government. Their imprisonment is itself a statement of an anti-democratic attitude of the government in question.
The revolutionary thing Amnesty started doing years ago was to send these prisoners letters. Members of Amnesty International write letters themselves, or copy out letters Amnesty associates have already set up, and send them to these prisoners.
2 Amnesty also writes letters to the governments in question - usually to specific members of that government. Imagine their offices swamped in letters about those political prisoners they really don't want to think about - much more effective than sending e-mail. This is a really powerful way to get the attention of officials on a subject.
Here's my favorite link:
Culturally independent? what do you think?
The Human Rights manifesto, despite having been signed by a lot of countries, has been accused of being partial to western culture.
There is also the issue of whether one can expect countries with significant poverty, lacking in health care and proper education for all citizens to abide by these rules.
Is the declaration of Human Rights culturally independent?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, every one has been created equal and should have equal rights, whatever country they are in.
chicandsavvy says:
Poignant lens without the feel of melodrama. Activistic options and open-ended resources. 5*'s and favorited. As always, you inspire me.
Posted June 09, 2009
René Lebel says:
Should be, but as long that it is seen as a nice wish instead of a most urgent world wide project thing will remain as his, patch work.
This could be heaven for everyone!
"Heaven for everyone" Queen, 1995
Posted January 22, 2009
anna_michaels says:
Of course it is culturally independent. If someone thinks that their culture doesn't support it, then they think their culture doesn't support Human Rights. What kind of a culture would that be?
Posted January 06, 2009
tonyab says:
Yes! Absolutely. These are "human rights" not "cultural rights". Every individual should have each and every one of them and not have to worry about whether or not they will be violated.
That is one of my personal goals - to see a world where honest people have these rights intact.
Posted May 20, 2008
spirituality says:
I have a hard time believing that a poor country that puts much energy in prosecuting dissidents can grow rich faster than a poor country that gives its citizens equal rights.
I wonder about the culture thing: is it really cultural to prosecute those you disagree with?
Posted May 08, 2008
No, In some countries human rights aren't on the agenda because things like proper education and economic development are a priority: who can blame them?
Amnesty International Products
Show your support of human rights
Anti-Torture Organic Cotton Tee
Torture doesn't work, and it's a crime against humanity. Why is Bush so determined to be allowed to torture any way he likes?
Amnesty International Reading List
Stay up to date with books on human rights
1
Keepers of the Flame: Understanding Amnesty International by Stephen Hopgood
If one organization is synonymous with keeping hop more...1 point
3
Diplomacy of Conscience: Amnesty International and Changing Human Rights Norms by Ann Marie Clark
A small group founded Amnesty International in 196 more...1 point
4
The Marketing of Rebellion: Insurgents, Media, and International Activism (Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics) by Clifford Bob
How do a few Third World political movements becom more...0 points
5
The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Life in the Balance (Open Media Pamphlet Series)
Mumia Abu-Jamal, a black man, was convicted and se more...0 points
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The Abolition of Modern Day Slavery
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Most people today are unaware of the crisis we face. Some think the slave trade was put to an end years ago, this is unfortunately not true. As unimaginable as it seems, 27 Million People Are In Slavery Today. Even in America, slavery is a thriving m...
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Should we ABOLISH the DEATH PENALTY?
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The death penalty should be abolished... The death penalty is barbaric and belongs in the past. There is no evidence of the death penalty having any deterrent effect, life imprisonment without parole is just as effective a means of preventing re-offe...
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The Death Penalty
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Everything you need to know about the death penalty - for and against. The facts, the views, the books, the news - and links for those wanting to find out more. And for a bit of light relief - try the animated hangman game, Hang Monkey.
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Lynn Hunt on Human Rights
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"Human rights have been defined as 'basic moral guarantees' that people in all countries and cultures allegedly have simply because they are people. Calling these guarantees "rights" suggests that they attach to particular individuals who can invoke...
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Stop This Crime of Female Circumcision !
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This picture of a woman undergoing female circumcision from the Difficult Images Blog says it all.The pain and agony that woman must have experienced is unbelievable.This surely is a case of Human Rights Abuse and Torture. Female Genital Mutilat...
Proceeds from this lens
So if any Amnesty official reads this, please sign up at: Get donations at squidoo with minimal effort
Instead I'm donating the proceeds from this lens to Earth Justice which fights environmental problems through the courts.
Reader Feedback about this Amnesty information
Do you have a lens on a Human Rights issue? Please give me the link below, I'll make sure to add it to my featured lenses.
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Reply
- anna_michaels anna_michaels Jan 6, 2009 @ 4:16 am
- Your lens is great, very interesting and very communicative. This is one of the most vital issues for us to address.
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Reply
- CrypticFragments CrypticFragments Aug 22, 2008 @ 11:33 am
- Great lens on a great organization. 5* for sharing it! My "mission" involves participating in a CCS volunteer project in Morocco for women's empowerment...
http://www.squidoo.com/MoroccoVolunteers
also visit Candles for a Cause, Clean for a Cause and all the sister lenses
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Reply
- BarefootFife BarefootFife Aug 2, 2008 @ 2:24 am
- Hi,
LOVE your lens. It has given me loads of ideas for mine, which is similar but is from a UK perspective.
Helen
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Reply
- Squidster Squidster Jul 31, 2008 @ 6:24 pm
- You're right, it would be nice if they'd make it easier for us to donate our lenses' proceeds. Have been wondering why they're not on the list. Hopefully they'll read your lens and wake up. Thanks!
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Reply
- The_Homeopath The_Homeopath Jul 12, 2008 @ 1:19 am
- Beautiful work Spirituality, as always. Maybe lensmasters should take a page from AI's own book and start sending them letters - "to **, Hello - please let us give you money". Seriously, you could post names and addys here!
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