Amnesty International UA Chapter it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
What is Amnesty ? • With over 2.8 million members, Amnesty International is the largest grassroots human rights organization in the world • Independent from government, corporate or national interests • Amnesty’s goal is to protect human rights defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and according to other international human rights standards • Amnesty International is the recipient of the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize
How do we achieve our goals? • Research – Monitor, document and report human rights violations – Sponsor research missions to study possible violations – Collaborate with other organizations, such as Physicians for Human Rights, to ensure impartiality and accuracy of reports
• Action – Letter writing campaigns – Protests and Rallies – Education
Achievements • Since 1961 thousands of prisoners have been released from jails around the world – Most recently : Aung San Suu Kyii of Myanmar Femi Peters, campaign manager of the United Democratic Party was freed on Friday, December 10, almost four months before his expected release in March 2011. Femi Peters' daughter Regina Moore told Amnesty International: "On behalf of myself and Femi Peters' families in the UK and Gambia, I want to thank Amnesty International for their concern, inputs and efforts geared towards the release of my dad. Your efforts are appreciated for bringing freedom to the one that deserves it."
Achievements • Abolition of the death penalty – Following intense campaigning by Amnesty International and its partners, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution L29 calling for a global moratorium on executions. (2007)
• Minority rights protected – The United Nations General Assembly (GA) adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (2007)
Activities • Letter writing campaigns • Raising awareness on campus: • Informational tables on the mall • Sponsoring speakers • Demos and exhibitions
• Participation in Tucson and National events • Peace Fair • Annual General Meeting and Western Regional Meeting
Info Weekly Meeting Location: Time: Contact Ted Elhourani
[email protected] Prof. Joseph Watkins
[email protected] Website http://clubs.asua.arizona.edu/~amnesty/
