AI Integrated Strategic Plan 2004-2010 Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 september 2003

[globjust5.rtf]


Globalising justice! Amnesty International Integrated Strategic Plan 2004-2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________________




AI Members Only AI Index: POL 50/011/2003
----------------------------
Amnesty International
International Secretariat
Peter Benenson House
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom

To: All sections and structures

From: ISP Project Manager, Marj Byler

Date: 1 September 2003

This is the final version of the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) as agreed at the International Council Meeting in Mexico.

Distribution

This is an internal circular for distribution to all sections and structures.

Recommended Actions

Please circulate this document for information widely within your section or structure and particularly to those who are involved in developing operational plans based on this strategic plan.

AI Members Only AI Index: POL 50/011/2003
----------------------------
Amnesty International
International Secretariat
Peter Benenson House
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom

1 September 2003

Contents

Introduction 5

About us 5
Looking to the future 6
What kind of plan is this? 6

Opportunities and challenges on the road ahead 7
Goal 1. Build mutual respect and fight discrimination 8
Goal 2. demand justice and combat impunity 9
Goal 3. Uphold the physical and mental integrity of all people 10
Goal 4. Defend the rights of people in armed conflict 11
Goal 5. Promote and protect the rights of uprooted people 12
Goal 6. champion the rights of women and girls 13
Goal 7. advance economic, social and cultural rights 14

Opportunities and challenges on the road ahead 15
Goal 8. Guarantee quality research 16
Goal 9. Take effective action 17
Goal 10. Communicate effectively 19
Goal 11. Mobilize people 20
Goal 12. Build a dynamic architecture 21
Goal 13. enhance our public trust 23

Financial strategy: Grow! 23

Goal 14. Grow financially 24
Goal 15. Strengthen our financial management 25

From strategic to operational 26
Monitoring and evaluation 26

On the threshold of a new century, Amnesty International builds on a 40-year history to renew our commitment to universal and indivisible rights for all people. Globalizing justice! is the rallying cry that will guide the movement’s work for the six-year period of the next Integrated Strategic Plan. Amnesty International’s ambition is to further the concept of ethical globalization for the forces of justice - the forces that provide the only hope for large numbers of people whose rights have been abused. We will do this through three integrated strategies aimed at fulfilling our human rights, organizational and financial goals.

In the process of devising these strategies, Amnesty International members around the world have taken part in a debate on how the organization should develop its work in response to worldwide political, economic and social trends and to the growing demands for human rights action in areas new to us.

About us

Who we are

Amnesty International is a worldwide voluntary activist movement working for human rights. We are independent of any government, political persuasion or religious creed. We do not support or oppose any government or political system, nor do we support or oppose the views of the people we work with and for. We are concerned with partnership and advocacy for the protection of human rights for all.

Amnesty International is a democratic, self-governing movement with more than 1.5 million members and supporters in over 140 countries and territories. We are funded largely by our worldwide membership and public donations.

At our 2001 International Council Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, Amnesty International articulated and affirmed the vision, mission and core values that underpin the work and conduct of the whole movement and of this Integrated Strategic Plan.

Vision, mission and core values - the framework for our work

Amnesty International’s proposed Integrated Strategic Plan is consistent with the mission and vision of the organization (AI statute, 2001):

Amnesty International’s vision is of a world in which everyone enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards and laws.

In pursuit of this vision, 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 its work to promote all human rights.

Amnesty International forms a global community of human rights defenders who espouse the principles of international solidarity, of effective action on behalf of individuals, of global coverage, of the universality and indivisibility of human rights, of impartiality and independence, and of democracy and mutual respect.

How our mission has evolved

For 40 years Amnesty International has shone a light on the darkness of human suffering. By speaking out against injustice, our members have stood in solidarity with people all over the world.

The obligation to speak out against injustice has placed new challenges before us. Amnesty International’s early work - focused on prisoners of conscience, fair trials, torture and the death penalty - has evolved over the years. Among issues taken up were political killings and "disappearances", abuses by armed political groups, unlawful killings in armed conflict, the arms trade and the involvement of corporate actors. The political and economic changes that followed the end of the Cold War brought a growing recognition of human rights abuses against people not for reasons of conscience but because of their identity. Increasingly, we have come to understand that abuses are not the exclusive domain of governments and armed political groups but also of non-state actors - private individuals or organizations. Excluded and marginalized people challenged Amnesty International to understand the particular human rights abuses they faced.

At the 2001 International Council Meeting, Amnesty International took a new step towards realizing our long-standing commitment to the interdependence and indivisibility of human rights by expanding the scope of work on economic, social and cultural rights within our mission. We also extended the work that Amnesty International members could undertake to address human rights concerns in our own countries, providing another source of innovative work in these new fields.

Looking to the future

To define the scope of Amnesty International’s work for the first decade of the 21st century, we need to consider some of the challenges that face us and the opportunities we must seize.

Three fundamental concepts guide this venture into the future, externally and internally.

Equity - The struggle for justice is fundamentally a struggle for equal enjoyment of and access to human rights. In Amnesty International, we must reflect diverse and multicultural perspectives to enrich our courses of action and to ensure the relevance of our work.

Accountability - Perpetrators of human rights abuses must know that they will be held accountable in courts of law. Governments and non-state actors must know that international standards will be applied to them. Within Amnesty International, we must value transparency in our internal democracies, demonstrate our accountability to all our stakeholders through the quality of our operating standards and practices, and ensure fairness in our internal operations.

Sustainability - We must make sure that the changes we work for will hold fast under threats of renewed aggression and in the face of new dangers for the international human rights system. Patterns of human rights violations must be replaced by durable systems of fairness and justice. Internally, we must view people and money as resources in which we invest to build capacity, to deliver sustained and effective action, and to provide accountable governance.

These considerations inform our proposals for a human rights strategy for Amnesty International. They move us from the analysis of political, economic, social and technological trends to the delivery of actual, strategic choices in our work. These choices determine the kind of organization we need to build to deliver effective action. These notions also provide us benchmarks against which to strategically evaluate our work.

What kind of plan is this?

According to Amnesty International’s statute, the Integrated Strategic Plan is for the whole of the movement. On a six-year basis it outlines the boundaries of our potential work, it creates the space in which we make choices and it calls on the whole of the movement for implementation. At a practical level it anticipates that, within this strategy, decisions about operational choices will be made as often as possible by the people in the organization who are responsible for implementation, i.e. at the level where the activities will take place.

This Integrated Strategic Plan is developed at a time when the organization is also looking at a 20-year horizon for re-thinking the foundation of our work and our organization. Working with colleagues and other organizations we hope to participate in a process of reflection for the human rights movement. Elements of that discussion inform this plan and will continue to do so as the thinking in that area develops.

Human rights strategy: Globalizing justice!

Opportunities and challenges on the road ahead

The political, economic, social and technological landscape at the turn of the century is framed by the gains achieved through the struggles of human rights defenders in the second half of the 20th century, and by the continued abuses of human rights inflicted by state and non-state actors on great numbers of people around the world.

Seven major themes emerge from an external analysis as the core issues on which Amnesty International should build its human rights strategy.

Discrimination - Whether it is manifested in religious intolerance in Asia or ethnic intolerance in Africa or racial intolerance in Europe, discrimination affects the lives of all of us. In political environments, where considerations of national security drive political agendas, racial profiling is increasing discrimination. Internal conflicts stemming from religious, ethnic, economic or political disputes will continue and may increase in incidence and severity.

Impunity - Perpetrators of human rights violations are not systematically brought to justice, even after they leave power. There are growing threats to the international human rights framework, especially in the context of national security concerns. The International Criminal Court provides new opportunities to fight impunity but itself is under attack. Powerful states use economic muscle to win allies in attacks on UN security and human rights systems.

Physical and mental integrity continues to be threatened by states, armed political groups and non-state actors. Some states seek to justify their actions on the grounds of increased security concerns. The death penalty, torture, prisoners of conscience, attacks on freedom of expression and other abuses will continue, perhaps taking new forms, and will be a compounding factor in many of the human rights challenges that Amnesty International will confront.

Armed conflict - Millions of people’s lives will be affected by conflicts, in which respect for humanitarian law will be at a minimum or non-existent. All too often the institutions that should protect them are too weak to address the requirements of international law, and civil society is not strong enough to demand its own protection.

People on the move - Greater migration is leading to increasingly diverse societies in which the rights of migrants continue to be disregarded. Population movements are sure to intensify in years to come, shaping social and demographic dynamics. Millions of refugees, internally displaced, migrants, smuggled or trafficked people will find their rights disregarded.

Women and girls - While changing perceptions of gender roles have led to a reduction in inequalities between men and women and legal recognition of sexual difference in some parts of the world, in others moves to end discrimination against women have met with strong resistance. Women and girls are targeted in armed conflicts in which abuses such as rape and sexual slavery are used as weapons of war. Violence in the home and community, primarily at the hands of non-state actors, challenges states to provide access to justice and support through non-discriminatory legal, judicial and health systems.

Poverty - The disparity between the developed and developing world is wider than ever before: an estimated 85 per cent of the world’s population has access to only 25 per cent of the world’s resources. Wealth, income, resources and consumption will be concentrated in just a few countries, while the world’s poor - in South and East Asia, Africa and Latin America and growing pockets in the developed world - are denied basic human rights, struggling with widespread poverty, malnutrition, inadequate educational and health-care systems.

The goals and approach of our Human Rights Strategy

These goals set the themes for Amnesty International’s campaigning worldwide:

· Build mutual respect and combat discrimination
· Demand justice and fight impunity
· Uphold the physical and mental integrity of all people
· Defend the rights of people in armed conflict
· Promote and protect the rights of uprooted people
· Champion the rights of women and girls
· Advance economic, social and cultural rights

Amnesty International proposes a six-pronged approach in each of the seven major goals of our human rights strategy. In each goal we will work

· to oppose any threat to the human rights framework
· to end impunity
· to protect freedom of expression
· to ensure that non state actors, particularly corporate and economic ones, uphold standards
of international human rights

· a focus on individuals and their cases
· human rights education

Goal 1. Build mutual respect and fight discrimination

Mounting cultural and religious intolerance results in conflicts and the marginalization of communities, countries and whole regions. Racism is growing in response to the increased movement of people around the world. In many societies, those who are different face discrimination. Economic deprivation and exploitation exacerbate these tensions. Political violence targeting particular groups and communities flourishes in states and regions that suffer from poor governance and weak economies.

States institutionalize discrimination in increasingly repressive measures, often targeted at particular communities or groups. Discriminatory policies by governments and corporations may particularly target any individual or group that does not conform to the societal ‘norm’, because of one or more aspect of their identity - their class, ‘race’, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion/belief or other factor that differentiates them from the dominant societal group. States are increasingly being held to account, not only for human rights violations by their own officials but for failing to prevent or address discriminatory abuses by private individuals and organizations.

Strategic Objective 1.1
Strengthen the legal frameworks for eliminating discrimination and ensuring accountability.

Amnesty International will work to

· strengthen relevant instruments, mechanisms and institutions, ensuring that states cooperate
effectively with them and that human rights defenders have access to them;
· strengthen and promote relevant national legal frameworks;
· promote measures for states to take action against non-state actors responsible for
discrimination.

Curtail violations of freedom from discrimination for specific groups.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples;
· promote and protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people;
· promote and protect freedom of religion and conscience.
· promote and protect the rights of children

Combat racism highlighting the intersections of different forms of discrimination.

Amnesty International will work to

· develop and implement a plan of action against racism with a focus on the political, cultural,
social and economic spheres;
· work with groups who face discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual identity,
class and other identity;
· raise consciousness against racism through education and awareness building;
· promote interculturalism and multiculturalism in the human rights movement, including within
Amnesty International.

Goal 2. Demand justice and combat impunity

In many countries, in particular the poorest sections of the community are unable to find justice or redress abuses by states, corporations and private individuals. Corruption and organized crime weaken the ability of states to promote the rule of law. Cruel punishments are frequently imposed after unfair trials.

There are growing threats to the international human rights framework, especially in the context of national security concerns and the "war on terrorism". The International Criminal Court provides new opportunities to fight impunity but itself is under attack. Powerful states use economic muscle to win allies in attacks on UN security and human rights systems.

The "war on terrorism" has heightened the challenge to defend fundamental human rights globally as states increasingly cooperate on security issues. People who express opposition will be silenced on grounds of national security by censorship or imprisonment, many of them targeted as members of minority communities.

Strategic Objective 2.1

End impunity for human rights violations.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote national judicial systems in accord with international standards;
· promote litigation as a means to erode impunity;
· enhance cooperation among countries to bring suspected perpetrators to justice through the
exercise of universal jurisdiction;
· promote effective regional human rights mechanisms and treaty monitoring bodies;
· promote ratification of the Rome Statute and effective functioning of the International Criminal
Court;
· promote the incorporation of international human rights and humanitarian law standards in
traditional and transitional justice systems.
· explore the issue of any corruption of law enforcement officials that leads to grave abuses
under the AI mission.

Strengthen the human rights framework and oppose attacks on it.

Amnesty International will work to

· combat security measures that have negative impacts on human rights;
· protect the right to freedom of expression;
· promote the right to fair trial;
· oppose arbitrary detention and deportation;
· work to strengthen the human rights framework at regional and international levels;
· address "counter terrorism" measures that criminalize a broad range of internationally
protected conduct.

Hold non-state actors accountable for human rights abuses.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote the legal responsibilities of corporate actors;
· develop and promote human rights standards and accountability for international financial
institutions;
· develop and promote standards and accountability for other non-state actors.

Goal 3. Uphold the physical and mental integrity of all people

Despite the encouraging worldwide trend towards abolition of the death penalty, it is still carried out in many states. Torture and ill-treatment continue on a massive scale - by private individuals as well as governments. The death penalty, torture and cruel punishments are increasingly justified on cultural and religious grounds. In many countries, the death penalty is carried out on a discriminatory basis - the poor and dispossessed are most often its victims. Extrajudicial executions and "disappearances" continue in many parts of the world.

Minority ethnic and religious communities are most at threat from such abuses. Those who work to improve living conditions for the poor are at risk from states and companies whose economic interests they threaten. Groups particularly targeted for abuses in the home and community include women and people with mental disabilities.

The work proposed in this area strategically focuses the mission of AI for this six-year period.

Strategic Objective 3.1

Oppose the death penalty and all forms of unlawful killings.

Amnesty International will work to

· increase the number of countries, and states within countries, that abolish or suspend the
death penalty;
· promote access to justice of all persons threatened with death penalty;
· oppose extrajudicial executions across the world.

Work for the release of prisoners of conscience and the protection of human rights defenders.

Amnesty International will work to

· free prisoners of conscience;
· champion the rights of human rights defenders ;
· oppose all efforts to undermine freedom of expression.

Oppose all acts of torture and ill treatment perpetrated by state and non-state actors.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote and support investigation and prosecution of cases of torture perpetrated by state,
non-state actors and armed political groups;
· protect individuals including human rights defenders who are threatened by or subject to
torture;
· challenge social and cultural justifications for torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment;
· ensure the prohibition against torture applies for all people in all circumstances;
· promote limitations and human rights safeguards on the transfer and use of military, security
and police (including private security) technology and training by governments and
corporations used for torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

Combat "disappearances".

Amnesty International will work to

· expose and condemn "disappearances";
· act in solidarity with "disappeared" persons;
· promote litigation as a tool against "disappearances";
· promote the establishment of an effective binding international instrument on
"disappearances".

Goal 4. Defend the rights of people in armed conflict

Armed conflicts result in extensive and serious human rights abuses by the forces of states and armed political groups. The majority of the victims are civilians, most of them women, children and the elderly. Enforcement of international standards for the protection of human rights in armed conflict remains weak. In addition, some governments seem increasingly inclined to use force to deal with domestic and international problems. Conflicts are often fuelled by profits from the plunder of natural resources by state or private sector trade networks and massive corruption. The control of resources such as precious minerals, oil or water is likely to provoke further conflict.

State forces and armed groups have easy access to small arms and light weapons. New developments in security and arms technology are subject to minimal control. Peacekeeping or other armed forces that intervene in conflicts frequently lack awareness and appropriate training in human rights standards.

Strategic Objective 4.1

Oppose attacks on human rights and international humanitarian law in armed conflict.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote ratification and observance of human rights standards and international humanitarian
law;
· promote accountability for violations and abuses by all parties to armed conflicts, including
through universal jurisdiction or the International Criminal Court;
· promote accountability of humanitarian and human rights groups working in conflicts;
· promote human rights accountability of all personnel in UN military operations.

Advocate for effective and transparent controls on arms and security transfers and associated resources.

Amnesty International will work to

· increase international recognition of the need to monitor and control the arms, security
transfers and resources that fuel conflicts;
· encourage the development of international standards and accountability frameworks in
relation to the arms and resources trade in armed conflicts;
· urge states and intergovernmental organizations to systematically integrate the collection and
destruction of surplus weapons in peace building processes;
· hold corporate actors accountable for their role during armed conflicts;
· build and contribute to national and international civil society coalitions to campaign on these
issues;
· campaign against the possession and use of anti-personnel landmines and for the prohibition
of other inherently indiscriminate weapons and military technologies;
· oppose the use of nuclear weapons.

Demand the protection of civilians (including all children) before, during and after armed conflicts.

Amnesty International will work to

· campaign against the use of child soldiers and the exploitation of children in armed conflicts
and post-conflict situations;
· promote international human rights mechanisms to protect women, children, the elderly, the
internally displaced and returning refugees during armed conflicts and in pre- and post-conflict
situations.
· prevent armed conflict from provoking human rights violations against civilians

Strategic Objective 4.4

Strengthen the protection of women and girls in armed conflict and support women’s contributions to peace building.

Goal 5. Promote and protect the rights of uprooted people

The movement of people across the world is growing as a result of persecution and armed conflict, social and demographic pressures, labour demands and ease of travel. Victimization of new immigrants and refugees will increase social tensions and conflict on the basis of ethnic, caste, religious and other distinctions.

States are often reluctant to grant asylum and have introduced legal and other measures which impact adversely on international refugee instruments. International cooperation on border controls threatens and restricts the rights of refugees and migrants. In turn, restrictive immigration policies are likely to contribute to increased criminal involvement in human trafficking.

Migrants risk abuse in particular because of the absence of mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing international human rights standards that provide protection. There is often a lack of political will to include safeguards in national legislation or to respond to the needs and rights of non-nationals.

Strategic Objective 5.1

Advocate for the protection of the human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons.

Amnesty International will work to

· defend and strengthen international legal instruments and mechanisms for protection of
refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons;
· promote human rights compliance and accountability of states, international governmental
organizations and non-state actors;
· build support for the fight against discrimination, racism and xenophobia affecting refugees,
asylum seekers and displaced persons.

Strengthen the protection of migrants, including those who are undocumented.

Amnesty International will work to

· develop new standards and norms to strengthen protection of migrants;
· promote the protection of all migrants who have been the victims of trafficking or other
exploitative human rights abuses;
· demand accountability of private individuals, organizations and companies in relation to their
treatment of migrants;
· raise public awareness of and combat the discrimination, racism and xenophobia affecting
migrants;
· build strategic alliances within civil society - for example with trade unions and labour
organizations - to strengthen the enjoyment of rights of migrant workers.

Goal 6. Champion the rights of women and girls

In many societies, although gender relations are increasingly egalitarian and attitudes to human sexuality have been transformed, structural inequalities remain. In other parts of the world, efforts to eradicate discrimination against women and sexual minorities have met with resistance from conservative forces. Discrimination and violence are still passionately defended in the name of tradition or culture.

Women and girls continue to be exposed to serious violence in their homes and communities. Women and girls are vulnerable to human rights abuses during armed conflicts; (genocide, ethnic cleansing and sexual violence) will continue to have the greatest impact on them. Rape and sexual slavery are used as weapons of war to torture women and to persecute their whole community. Violations by non-state actors, such as the practice of female genital mutilation, will remain largely unchecked. Most refugees and internally displaced persons continue to be women and girls.

There are growing demands for women who have suffered violence in the home to have more access to justice and rehabilitative support, and to be included in post-conflict peace building initiatives and reconciliation processes. The trend to reduce the role of government and public services will increase the need to protect the economic, social and cultural rights of women. The number of women’s organizations at local, regional and international levels will continue to grow. New or unrecognized human rights claims brought by the women’s movement will continue to confront bias and preconceptions within the human rights community.

Strategic Objective 6.1

Strengthen protection of women and girls in international, regional and national law.

Amnesty International will work to

· achieve ratification of international treaties and regional agreements;
· secure national legislation for the protection of the human rights of women, and ensure its
enforcement;
· establish that states have responsibility to exercise "due diligence" to punish perpetrators,
and prevent women from violence at international and national levels.

Demand accountability of states regarding respect, protection and fulfilment of rights for women and girls.

Amnesty International will work to

· promote the accountability of states to national and international human rights standards;
· promote successful litigation in landmark cases.

Demand accountability of non-state actors regarding the rights of women and girls.

· press for enforcement and development of standards to end impunity of non-state actors as
perpetrators of violence against women;
· promote the accountability of corporate and economic actors, with particular attention to
economic, social and cultural rights;
· actively support the development of mechanisms that ensure human rights compliance and
accountability of the non-governmental organization (NGO) sector.

Work in alliance with the women’s movement to increase awareness and human rights education towards the eradication of violence against women and girls.

Amnesty International will work to

· strengthen alliances with women human rights defenders and women’s organizations;
· work in solidarity with women prisoners of conscience and women’s rights defenders;
· incorporate the rights of women and girls in all human rights education projects;
· develop communications strategies to promote the rights of women to the broader public.

Goal 7. Advance economic, social and cultural rights

Social and economic insecurity continues to increase for the vast majority of the world’s population, who are either deprived of or denied access to economic, social and cultural rights. The plunder of natural resources by governments and companies deprive populations of their rightful benefits. Such abuses frequently go hand in hand with grave abuses of civil and political rights. Uneven growth, declining investment and unfair trade policies have deepened the poverty of the poorest countries. There is decreasing aid and increasing debt. Labour and environmental standards will decline as countries hungry for investment increase incentives and reduce taxes to create jobs and as multinational corporations seek out countries where wages are low.

Social exclusion of marginalized groups is often linked to the denial of civil and political rights. The poor are the most common victims of the death penalty or extrajudicial executions, torture or high levels of criminality and organized criminal networks.

At its 2001 International Council Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, Amnesty International resolved to work equally on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. An International Executive Committee working group has recommended that in keeping with the agreed mission, work should focus on the most grave abuses, particularly where rights are denied because of discrimination or marginalization.

Strategic Objective 7.1

Promote economic, social and cultural rights, including recognition of these rights as enforceable and justiciable, in accordance with AI’s vision and mission.

Amnesty International will work to

· hold multiple actors responsible for respecting, protecting and fulfilling economic, social and
cultural rights;
· remove discrimination in the access to economic, social and cultural rights;
· enhance recognition of these rights as enforceable and justiciable.

Strategic Objective 7.2

Focus on excluded or marginalized people who suffer grave abuse of economic, social and cultural rights.

Amnesty International will work to

· ensure access to formal institutions to assert or claim rights;
· address extreme poverty;
· combat arbitrary exercise of state power;
· fight against exclusion and abuses that arise from discriminatory practices;
· develop capacity to address human rights violations that cause extreme poverty.

Develop AI’s policies and strategies and take action on economic, social and cultural rights that supports the key commitment to indivisibility.

Amnesty International will work to

· develop effective research methodologies on economic, social and cultural rights issues;
· develop and implement a campaign on economic, social and cultural rights;
· build strategic alliances with people and NGOs in excluded communities;
· develop a strategy towards intergovernmental organizations in this area;
· adapt existing human rights education tools;
· develop and implement a capacity building strategy for all Amnesty International members
and staff;
· develop appropriate strategies and policies to ensure integration between AI’s policies on
ESC rights and its work for refugees and asylum seekers.

Organisational strategy: Releasing energy!

Opportunities and challenges on the road ahead

While the analysis of political, economic, social and technological trends provides the basis for Amnesty International’s human rights strategy, it is the assessment of our strengths and weaknesses and a consideration of the core competencies needed to deliver the plan that provide the impetus for our organizational strategy. We have assessed these in countless opportunities at regular intervals through the reviews and studies of our work.

As identified in the Introduction, the concepts of equity, accountability and sustainability have a parallel meaning in the organizational strategy to their concepts in the human rights one.

The linchpin of the Organizational Strategy is action. It is imperative for Amnesty International to develop a critical standard for effective action. It is the assumption of this Integrated Strategic Plan that the measure of effectiveness will create greater latitude for all parts of the organization and increased responsibility and demands for communication and mutual accountability. The obligation to act effectively is a strategic necessity: sometimes it will be absolutely critical that the whole movement speak with one message and one voice; at other times it will be necessary for contextual analysis to instruct how different parts of the movement express a particular message or even break down the message in different ways. Action is the range of ways in which we bring about change, so research and communications are both equally actions and tools for action. In all cases, standards for quality need to be rigorously applied.

The goals and approach of our Organizational Strategy

In order to accomplish its Human Rights Strategy, in the period of 2004 to 2010 Amnesty International will focus its energy and resources to

· guarantee quality research;
· take effective action;
· communicate effectively;
· mobilize people;
· build a dynamic architecture;
· enhance our public trust.

In working towards these goals the following notions will provide us with a systematic approach for our operational decisions

· releasing energy and creativity in the organization;
· capacity building and information;
· internal architecture and delivery;
· partnerships and alliances (internal and external);
· growth;
· evaluation and accountability;
· "brand" management;
· a focus on youth and action.

Goal 8. Guarantee quality research

Amnesty International’s research strengths have been our balanced coverage, our accuracy, impartiality and independence. The policy of "minimum adequate coverage" sought to ensure that a minimum level of research and action was undertaken in response to human rights violations that met certain criteria of gravity and magnitude. Amnesty International’s clear focus and consistent approach has enabled our work to be well understood by members and the public.

Weaknesses have lain in insufficient resources on some countries and human rights crises. There has not been enough on-the-ground research and media work, sometimes because of financial constraints. Research strategies have not always been fulfilled. Sections are rarely involved in research. Reports are not always timely or newsworthy. Some do not provide sufficient information to justify the conclusions they reach.

Strategic, excellent quality, timely and creative research is needed for effective action and campaigning. In many human rights situations, particularly crises, such research is needed to establish our presence and message. Policies to address new human rights issues are built on the basis of our research and the validity of our campaigns are dependant on its quality. To sustain the confidence of stakeholders, quality and the ethical standards of our research and advocacy (accuracy, impartiality, independence) must be maintained and strengthened.

Strategic Objective 8.1

Develop a strategic approach to research to ensure maximum effectiveness of the organization’s action.

Amnesty International will

· ensure that research is geared at delivering effective action on our human rights strategy;
· replace the working practice of "minimum adequate" coverage with one of strategic coverage,
while maintaining timely monitoring of countries not considered strategic, in order to ensure we
can respond in time to potential human rights crises;
· develop "work on own country" guidelines and section-level country expertise to increase
local relevance, giving particular importance to those whose human and financial resources
are limited, in order to increase our local relevance;
· develop a more strategic approach to country work;
· establish a research protocol between the IS and sections setting out their mutual
expectations, rights and duties, together with a mutual procedure for communication and
consultation on country research.

Adopt a research management strategy to enable effective utilization of credible research originating from other sources as well as within AI.

Amnesty International will

· strengthen capacity for research coordination, management and quality control;
· streamline the approvals system to support high quality for research outputs;
· identify and develop alliances for research work within and outside Amnesty International;
· provide training on monitoring and information gathering to human rights defenders.

Maintain content and quality in human rights research as the hallmark of the organization.

Amnesty International will ensure that all research utilized by AI

· has a clear identified purpose;
· be of the highest quality;
· be timely in its delivery;
· be aimed at and tailored to the needs of specific target groups and end-users;
· be presented in a language, style and format relevant to the purpose and target group;
· be flexible in order to address the needs of multiple end-users insofar as possible.

[The Integrated Strategic Plan recommends that evaluation of each goal in the Organizational Strategy include

· the measure of our work against the notions of equity, accountability and sustainability;
· an assessment of the effectiveness of real activists doing real work.

Goal 9. Take effective action

Amnesty International’s campaigning strengths lie in our experience and capacity for grassroots action on a global scale. Our campaigning strategies are balanced, clearly focused and based on sound research. Focused actions involve professional specialists, such as medical professionals, or groups of members with country or regional expertise.

Amnesty International’s campaigns are not always effective in ending abuses or achieving targets. More consultation is needed with the membership on strategies and tactics. Contextual information and multicultural analyses of the human rights situation are not always provided. It takes too long to organize campaigning around some issues. Not enough attention is given to culturally diverse action opportunities. Some campaigns are too predictable, lacking surprise or creativity.

Amnesty International needs to work more closely with local and international NGOs that have specialist and complementary expertise. New methods of action and campaigning are needed to confront abuses by private individuals and organizations.

Strategic Objective 9.1

Develop campaigns under the seven themes of the human rights strategy.

The themes of Amnesty International’s campaigns will be

· Build mutual respect and combat discrimination
· Demand justice and fight impunity
· Uphold the physical and mental integrity of all people
· Defend the rights of people in armed conflict
· Promote the rights of uprooted people
· Champion the rights of women and girls
· Advance economic, social and cultural rights

Develop and implement worldwide campaigns in strategic alliance with a wide range of actors and targeting identifiable impacts.

Strengthen our campaigning methodology to support

Act in partnership with and for individuals at risk so as to contribute to systemic change.

Amnesty International will

· adapt action forms to address the campaigning needs of membership work on the cases of
individuals;
· direct action towards positive impact on the situation of individuals;
· motivate members and the public through our actions on behalf of individuals;
· develop effective and impact oriented strategies that direct AI’s regional and country specific
activity to achieve consistency with the human rights strategy.

Develop and implement strategies for effective use of legal expertise, tools and mechanisms.

Amnesty International will

Undertake human rights education as a means of effective action delivering identifiable impacts .

Amnesty International will

· promote and conduct human rights education as a tool for effective discernable social
change;
· strategically target human rights education at key groups with the aim of developing attitudes,
knowledge and skills to support effective human rights activism;
· explore innovative methods for enhancing people’s effectiveness in campaigning;
· creatively use new technologies, including websites;
· ensure that resources for effective human rights activism are available in the relevant
languages.

Respond rapidly, flexibly and creatively to human rights crises.

Amnesty International will

· reorganize internally as needed to respond to the crisis;
· factor crisis preparedness into regional and country work where relevant;
· develop movement capacity for crises response;
· respond to crises through diverse mass communications media;
· identify and participate in the coalitions needed to maximize impact;
· develop a strategy for ongoing work after crisis.

Communication is central to action and is itself a strategic priority. This plan signals a conceptual change from perceiving communication not only as a tool for action but also as an action in itself. We must take the message to where people are and centralize awareness in the movement of the overarching priority of communicating our message effectively. We need to ensure that timeliness, accuracy and effectiveness determine all our communications strategies.

The globalization of new technology has led to the concentration of control of the media, and increased regulation and surveillance. Multi-channels and interactive programming on television, the Internet and other media provide more opportunities for communication. Although the "digital divide" has narrowed in some parts of the world, some communities are still excluded by the lack of new technology or by reason of language and poverty.

Growing numbers of human rights organizations compete for supporters’ time and commitment. Technological advances give greater access to new supporters but also allow people more effectively to filter targeted approaches and avoid information overload. Sales, marketing, the licensing of materials and global "branding" have all gained in importance.

Strategic Objective 10.1

Commit to innovative and responsive communication.

Amnesty International will

· harness the talents of the movement’s communicators in an integrated manner;
· partner with external groups to increase the capacity and effectiveness of our own
communications resources;
· use new technology to deliver messages with greater precision and effectiveness;
· overcome language and political barriers to accessing Amnesty International’s
communication materials.

Strategic Objective 10.2

Target internal as well as external audiences.

Amnesty International will

· promote the solidarity of the movement by open internal communications;
· keep the movement informed on issues and therefore capable of championing and defending
human rights;
· empower the movement to take action by making widely available information on campaign
initiatives, and communication training, tools and capabilities.

Strategic Objective 10.3

Strengthen global recognition of our international identity.

Amnesty International will

· instigate a brand management program to protect and enhance the integrity of the Amnesty
International name so that it endures;
· leverage brand recognition and values to improve the impact and effectiveness of all
communications.

Strategic Objective 10.4

Prioritise cultural diversity in all communications strategies.

· include cultural diversity in all creative briefs for internal and external communication.

Goal 11. Mobilize people

In more than 100 countries around the world, Amnesty International is currently estimated to have 1.5 million members and supporters. Among our strengths in attracting members are clear core messages, name recognition and widespread respect for our action and research. Our fundraising policy ensures continuing independence. A multicultural organization, we have an effective international headquarters and offices around the world.

However, the movement is dominated by its membership in the North. Membership growth in the last decade has been slow. While some countries have seen support increase, there has been no growth in Africa and little in Asia and Latin America. There is no shared understanding of the needs for growth across the movement. Unequal distribution of resources within the movement has hampered growth in some regions, and many offices are seriously under-resourced. The complex structure of the organization hampers swift action and response. The core messages are not always sufficiently flexible to allow new directions to be followed.

New campaigning movements on the environment, on sexual and reproductive rights, on indigenous people’s rights and in opposition to "globalization" now form the heart of civil society in many countries. Traditional forms of political participation through political parties or trade unions are declining in some parts of the world. Amnesty International needs to increase its learning from NGOs with specialist expertise and share its worldwide campaigning capacity. Capacity building of members and staff worldwide is needed on campaigning on economic, social and cultural rights at the local and international level. Consciousness rising on the importance and legitimacy of these rights could strengthen activism by Amnesty International structures within the human rights movement in our countries.

Strategic Objective 11.1

Strategically diversify, strengthen and mobilize our activists.

Amnesty International will

· develop and implement plans for sustainable and multicultural growth;
· strengthen our activist base through innovative membership development techniques;
· empower activists to make decisions and develop action plans;
· mobilize by ensuring that actions are relevant and integrated;
· support local and community based activism;
· promote effective use of new technology for activism;
· develop work with young people in support of activist growth and development.

Generate sustainable growth across the movement, with particular emphasis on the global South and East.

Amnesty International will

· implement and assess flexible approaches for sustainable growth based on rigorous
contextual analysis;
· selectively target countries and sub-regions on the basis of strategic analysis;
· establish support for sustainable growth that is based in regions and countries;
· recognize and assist the work of small and established sections financially and
organizationally, so that they can develop to their full potential;
· set growth targets in creative and dynamic ways, most especially in the South and East;
· discontinue the minimum infrastructure and operational requirement (MIOR) model and
develop a system for funding from the international budget that provides incentives for growth;
· develop the required local managerial and activist competence so that sections and
structures can increase their sustainability.

Grow new activists, supporters and donors, for a total figure of 600,000 by 2010, by developing a range of creative recruitment methods.

Amnesty International will

· develop recruitment plans that include specific multicultural growth targets;
· ensure coherence with these targets across recruitment, campaigning and fundraising plans;
· devise methods and measures for improved membership retention;
· establish incentives and targets for growth;
· focus on recruitment of young people.

Increase and improve our participation in the human rights movement.

Amnesty International will

· develop partnerships and coalitions that are in line with our core values and human rights
strategy;
· join other NGOs in re-examining the challenges to the human rights framework;
· partner with others to organize locally and globally for people’s increased participation.

Goal 12. Build a dynamic architecture

Amnesty International’s internal democracy and search for consensus are among its strengths in the field of governance. Sections participate in decision-making processes and strong leadership is given by the International Executive Committee and its standing committees.

However, consensus is not appropriate or possible on all issues. Decision-making is not always transparent. Some membership structures see decision-making systems as dominated by "insiders" or "experts". The membership has sometimes not received enough or appropriate information to make movement-wide decisions. In other cases, decision-making processes are too slow.

We want to strengthen accountability within a system that is less rule-based and provides more opportunity and flexibility for action and growth. We have strengthened the fora in which the chairs and directors of membership structures meet, and need to ensure that they function effectively in taking on a leadership role. We need to make Amnesty International not just an international organization but a truly multicultural movement. Competent and quality leadership must be developed and maintained, with strengthened management systems. This challenges the organization to develop a dynamic architecture -- structural reform as well as organizational culture and behaviour change.

Strategic Objective 12.1

Build a dynamic architecture to ensure the delivery of our human rights strategy.

Amnesty International will

· continue to develop an organizational design that responds to the requirements of action set
out in the human rights strategy;
· develop creative leadership at country, regional and international levels;
· encourage "tough trust" (i.e. minimum rules and maximum accountability);
· promote transparency and accountability;
· address the question of section exclusivity within country boundaries.

Develop sound practices of creative leadership (governance, management and membership).

Amnesty International will

· commit to nurturing leaders among the grassroots membership;
· promote an outcome-oriented approach to our work;
· encourage the leadership to be more forward-looking, opportunity-driven and flexible;
· move authority outwards from the centre to the places where opportunities exist;
· promote participation and inclusion in the development of new leadership;
· become a learning organization;
· build capacity for planning;
· implement fair human resources practices in the development of a competent and motivated
work force;
· strengthen volunteer management skills at the leadership level.

Develop a "tough trust" approach to governance and management.

Amnesty International will

· review rules and guidelines to ensure maximum latitude for action and impact on our human
rights and organizational strategies;
· establish strong and clear mechanisms for accountability for all parts of the movement;
· establish mechanisms for dispute and conflict resolutions;
· establish clear consequences for failure to comply.

Strengthen accountability to all parts of the movement and the Integrated Strategic Plan.

Amnesty International will

· improve the internal communications mechanisms of the organization;
· set in place quality control mechanisms for AI’s work;
· establish effective evaluation, review, reflection and learning practices for all of our work;
· develop clear and simple mechanisms for monitoring, rewarding and sanctioning entities
within the organization;
· develop greater accountability to the Chairs Forum, the International Executive Committee and
governance structures such as the International Council and section boards, and establish
clear decision-making roles;
· develop operational plans in accordance with the Integrated Strategic Plan.

Promote an outcome oriented approach, effective monitoring, evaluation and learning in relation to our work.

Strategic Objective 12.6

Promote women’s rights and involvement inside AI as well as the commitment of all its members and professionals to these rights.

Goal 13. Enhance our public trust

Non-profit sector networks will continue to expand, and their expertise, advocacy potential, role as partners in development, aid and humanitarian work will increase their power and ability to influence policy. As private individuals and organizations are increasingly held to account for their responsibility for human rights abuses, demand will grow for NGOs to be more transparent and accountable in the conduct of their work.

Amnesty International will ensure the highest levels of accountability for all our activities to all stakeholders, including members, donors, people whose rights we seek to defend and the public, and will ensure high standards of probity and transparency, especially for our finances and the outcomes of our activities.

Strategic Objective 13.1

Ensure that all fiduciary responsibilities are carried out and that the highest standards are set for financial and operational accountability.

Amnesty International will

· implement a global financial reporting system that clearly shows where our finances come
from and how we use them, and that complies with international standards.

Ensure that all our activities meet best practices for dealing with individuals and organizations within and outside AI.

Amnesty International will

· develop systems of reporting on how we implement ethical approaches to our transactions
with businesses and governments.

Hold ourselves to best practice in conducting all internal and external business.

Amnesty International will

· ensure we meet standards of reporting that match the reporting requirements we ask of others;
· demonstrate fair and reasonable treatment of staff, volunteers, members, donors, suppliers
and victims and in the impact on these groups of our actions.

Financial strategy: Grow!

To deliver the Integrated Strategic Plan in the period 2004 to 2010, Amnesty International will increase its financial resources and support membership activism by

· grow financially;
· strengthening our financial management.

Goal 14. Grow financially

Income projections for the whole movement suggest that a target of total movement gross income of £200 million by 2010 could be supported. During the period 1996 to 2001, total income in the 20 largest sections rose by 9.5% per annum compound. This compares with an average projected compound growth of a little over 5%. If actual growth rates of 9.5% per annum are repeated in the period of the next operational plan, gross income in these sections would exceed £200 million per annum in 2010.

In addition, we are developing a fundraising strategy that should make income in some countries grow at a faster rate than this. This is based on analysis that suggests that we fail to attract funding and members as well as comparable NGOs in many countries. In addition, if we can reduce the rate of turnover of members and supporters, this will make significant increases in our income. For example, an increase of 100,000 supporters per annum contributing £3 per month would increase gross income by £18 million by 2010, after attrition rates we currently expect on this type of income generation, in addition to increasing our "membership" base by 500,000. Additional income is also possible by increasing funding from Trusts and Foundations for specific targeted program activities.

This proposal assumes that we can increase our income to match more closely the financial performance of other NGOs, utilizing AI’s excellent reputation to increase our overall share of charitable giving.

Amnesty International can achieve a substantial growth in its global gross income by 2010, to 200 million pounds Sterling by analysing fundraising performance on a country by country basis and identifying and exploiting all income generation possibilities.

Strategic Objective 14.1

Increase our potential for income generation.

Amnesty International will

· produce a regular assessment of the potential for building global income from a section by
section review of local opportunities, benchmarked against comparable NGOs;
· agree commitments to fundraising targets for each section based on analysis of fundraising
potential that is agreed by sections;
· implement innovative, flexible and creative fundraising strategies in support of section growth
and aimed at exploiting the fundraising potential identified by individual section reviews;
· develop and implement a sustainable growth strategy applicable to different parts of the
movement;
· take major steps towards self-sufficiency in those sections funded by the international budget
that have proven market potential;
· develop growth strategies that reflect income generation potential in all currently self- sufficient
sections;
· develop and implement growth strategies that increase income generation in all the major
movement-funding sections.

Increase and secure income to the movement by developing a range of income generation methods.

Amnesty International will

· develop financial support from trusts and foundations, Internet fundraising, major donors,
legacies and cooperative efforts such as key international events or sponsorship
arrangements;
· establish policies on corporate funding, sponsorship and similar issues;
· develop a comprehensive marketing strategy.

[The Integrated Strategic Plan recommends that evaluation of each goal in the Financial Strategy include

· the measure of our work against the notions of equity, accountability and sustainability;
· our actual income in comparison to growth in income of other relevant NGO’s the overall
market for giving.

Specific evaluation statements will need to be clearly articulated in operational plans.]

Goal 15. Strengthen our financial management

Amnesty International will achieve a system of global operational planning and reporting which improves efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of our human rights and organizational strategies, and will improve internal and external accountability and transparency.

Strategic Objective 15.1

Improve processes for international financial management and accountability of financial resources.

Amnesty International will

· improve global financial management within the movement;
· review decision making, reporting and leadership on financial management;
· improve utilization of global resources - for example, assessment, funds, investment funding
and international budget grants - through transfer of funds within the movement;
· develop a mechanism to transfer the movement’s available cash to the places where it can
be invested to best effect;
· improve financial systems to support the information requirements of donors and supporters
and to ensure the identification of activities with potential for specific financial support.

Increase leadership capacity for dealing with financial management at national and international levels.

Amnesty International will

· develop and implement a plan to build leadership capacity on financial issues;
· improve risk assessment and management.

Strategic Objective 15.3

Develop tools to improve financial management at national and international levels.

Amnesty International will

· improve financial information to support decision making at both management and
governance levels;
· improve utilization of resources by developing a system of integrated operational planning
between sections and the International Secretariat.

From strategic to operational

In order to develop operational plans in sections, the International Secretariat and other structures, committees and bodies, the organization will need to create an process for operational planning that allows common commitments to parts of the plan to be spelled out. Prior to the ICM the Secretary General is working with the International Management Task Force in order to take a proposal to the Directors’ and Chairs’ Forums in March 2003. By the time the ICM approves a final ISP, the leadership of the organization will know by what process we will take those decisions and make them operational.

Common commitments will be essential in the areas of action and campaigning, organizational development, revenue generation and accountability. Multilateral discussions will be necessary to establish the commitments to the plan made by the different parts of the movement. It is also crucial that we begin to build our capacity to plan in this way through the development of an international calendar, a common planning model, and other tools and training as required.

The 2003 International Council Meeting identified three major areas of common commitment for the whole organization’s focus during the period of this strategic plan. These are:

· global campaigns (the Stop Violence against Women campaign in the 2004-2006 cycle);
· growth (in activism, membership, diversity, financial resources);
· strengthening accountability.
It is important to note that we do not envision a master operational plan for the whole movement. After agreeing on common commitments different parts of the movement will incorporate into their own plans the activities and areas of responsibility that have been agreed.

As this is the first time that the movement is embarking on a planning undertaking of this magnitude, we will need to monitor the progress of this activity carefully. If adjustments are called for, we should be able to make them so as to ensure the most strategic and effective use of our resources.

Monitoring and evaluation

In tandem with developing the mechanisms for moving from strategic to operational plans, we need to develop monitoring and evaluation plans. All parts of the movement will need to report to the International Council Meeting on the implementation of the Integrated Strategic Plan on a two-year cycle. We will need to refine the indicators for success - such as presence, activism, organizational stability and growth - that we will use in the monitoring process. Current tools, such as the Standard Financial Report, will be modified so that there is only one tool for reporting for the whole organization.

Evaluations of our major actions or priority areas of work will need to be carried out by internal or external parties. This evaluation process will need to be developed as part of the operational plans based on the standards set out in each strategy of the Integrated Strategic Plan. ********

Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom