About Amnesty
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights to be respected and protected for everyone.
We believe human rights abuses anywhere are the concern of people everywhere.
So, outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world, we work to improve people’s lives through campaigning and international solidarity.
Our mission is 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.
Our members and supporters exert influence on governments, political bodies, companies and intergovernmental groups.
Activists take up human rights issues by mobilizing public pressure through mass demonstrations, vigils and direct lobbying as well as online and offline campaigning.
Amnesty International's Vision and Mission
Amnesty International’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments. In pursuit of this vision, Amnesty International’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of these rights.
The Core Values
Amnesty International forms a global community of human rights defenders based on the principles of; international solidarity, effective action for the individual victim, global coverage, the universality and indivisibility of human rights, impartiality and independence, and democracy and mutual respect.
Members
Amnesty International has a varied network of members and supporters around the world. At the latest count, there were more than 3.2 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. Although they come from many different backgrounds and have widely different political and religious beliefs, they are united by a determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.
Activities
Activities range from public demonstrations to letter-writing, from human rights education to fundraising concerts, from individual appeals on a particular case to global campaigns on a particular issue.
The European Institutions Office
Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office in Brussels coordinates and promotes lobbying of the European institutions. Our office aims to ensure that the European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) put human rights at the heart of all their policies.
Amnesty International‘s specialists provide comment, background and analysis on the human rights implications of EU and CoE decisions, and monitor the institutions’ performance.
The European Institutions Office is at the heart of a wide-reaching advocacy network which includes the national branches of Amnesty International in EU and CoE member states and in countries which have applied to join these bodies.
To ensure its independence, Amnesty International does not seek or accept money from governments or political parties for its advocacy work. The Brussels office is funded by national Amnesty International branches across Europe.
The European Institutions Office is in regular contact with key EU policy-makers at the European Commission, the European Council, Permanent Representations of EU countries, and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). In parallel with national sections across Europe lobbying their governments, our office engages with representatives of member states, including rotating EU presidencies, to influence EU agendas and outcomes. Similarly, at the Council of Europe, we have regular contact with policy-makers including the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, and the European Court of Human Rights
The European Institutions Office works in partnership with other NGOs, and has an active media programme, issuing press releases and briefing the Brussels and Strasbourg press corps.
We focus on a range of European policies including:
• Human rights in EU and CoE member states and accession countries
• Human rights in EU foreign policy
• Security and human rights
• Asylum and refugee protection
• Migration policy
• Judicial and police cooperation
• Human rights and the arms trade
• Economic, cultural and social rights
• Corporate accountability
If you would like to know more about the work of the European Institutions Office, please e-mail amnestyint@amnesty.eu. Further information on the international movement can be found at: www.amnesty.org.