Amnesty International

In 1961, when Amnesty International was born, the Berlin Wall separating the East and West was erected. Today, that divide is no longer. And today, the walls that shield governments from international scrutiny have also been torn down brick by brick. As a result of the tireless work of our members for more than 40 years, we can proudly say that there is now a global demand for a single standard for human rights. In recognition of our contribution to "securing the ground for freedom, for justice, and thereby also for peace in the world," Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.

With more than 1,100,000 members in over 160 countries and territories, Amnesty International is the only organization able to generate massive grassroots action to promote and defend the rights of all people, everywhere. Our mandate is based upon the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and other international instruments, many of which we helped establish. Amnesty International's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression and freedom from discrimination, within the context of our work to promote all human rights.

With more than 300,000 members, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is the largest of all Amnesty national chapters and a potent force for human rights both here and around the world. AIUSA has established programs to focus our members' actions on specific human rights issues. These programs include: the Women's Human Rights Program, the Just Earth! Human Rights and the Environment Program, the Human Rights Education Program; Refugee/Asylum Seekers Program; Children's Human Rights Program; and the OUTFront Program for LGBT Human Rights.

Our members insist that all governments uphold the rights of their citizens by writing letters, staging demonstrations and actively campaigning on behalf of individuals in danger and in opposition to systemic patterns of abuse. In addition to these traditional action strategies, over the past several years, we at AIUSA have greatly expanded our use of electronic campaigning to generate immediate and massive public pressure to protect men, women and children in imminent danger of torture and to advocate for important human rights policies and legislation here in the United States.

There is simply no other human rights organization with the international scope, research capacity and grassroots membership of Amnesty International. Our work over the last forty years has transformed both individual lives and the global community.

For more information about Amnesty International visit: www.aiusa.org