Amnesty International is a worldwide organization that works to protect human rights. It does not support or oppose any political part, government or religion, making it independent and impartial.
It mainly works to help people who are unfairly detained for their beliefs, skin color, ethnicity or religion – as long as they have not used or promoted violence. These people are called ”prisoners of conscience,”
When and Where Amnesty International Founded?
Amnesty International was started in 1961 by a British lawyer named Peter Benenson in London, United Kingdom.
In 1963, the organization expanded globally with the creation of its International Secretariat.
Where is the Headquarters of Amnesty International Located?
The headquarters of Amnesty International is located in London, United Kingdom. From here, the International Secretariat manages research, campaigns and administrative work for all its offices worldwide.
Key Objectives of Amnesty International
The main goals of Amnesty International are:
- Investigate and Expose Human Rights Abuses: Wherever human rights are violated, AI gathers facts and shares them with the world.
- Influence Governments and Big Organizations: Push them to respect human rights laws.
- Train and Support People: Teach people how to defend their own rights.
Special Goals
- Abolish the death penalty.
- Stop torture, disappearance and extrajudicial killings.
- Ensure fair trials for prisoners.
- Protect refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.
- Promote religious tolerance and defend human rights defenders.
- Ban child soldier recruitment and ensure free education.
- Work for women’s rights and decriminalize abortion and prostitution.
Core Principles of Amnesty International
- International Solidarity: People worldwide united for human rights.
- Impartiality: No political or religious bias.
- Universal Human Rights: Rights apply to everyone, everywhere.
- Opposition to the Death Penalty: Supports only those who have not used or promoted violence.
Vision and Mission
- Vision: A world where everyone enjoys the rights given in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Mission: Build a global network of human rights defenders who research and act to stop serious abuses.
Structure of Amnesty International
- International Board: Also called the International Executive Council, made up of 8 elected members.
- Secretary-General: Leads the International Secretariat
- National and Regional Sections: Work in local countries on fundraising, campaigns and research.
Main Areas of Work
Amnesty International works in six main areas:
- Rights of children, minorities, indigenous people and women.
- Stopping torture.
- Ending the death penalty.
- Protecting refugees.
- Supporting prisoners of conscience.
- Preserving human dignity.
Amnesty International in India
Amnesty International started work in India in 1966 but stopped operations in September 2020. The Indian government froze its bank accounts, accusing it of breaking foreign funding laws. Amnesty says it was targeted for speaking out against human rights abuses.
Achievements and Recognition
- Nobel Peace Prize: 1977 for defending human dignity against torture.
- United Nations Human Rights Prize: 1978.


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