Decisions of the 2005 Amnesty International Council Meeting Morelos, México (Revised document) Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 september 2005

Summary

This is a revised version of the circular containing all of the decisions adopted in Morelos, Mé xico at the 27 ^th International Council Meeting, 14 – 20 August 2005.

This document overwrites that sent in the week following the ICM.

Distribution

This is an internal circular which is being sent to all sections and structures.

Recommended Actions

Please circulate this document widely in your section/structure. Please disregard ORG 52/002/2005.

D ECISION 1 F ROM V ISION TO A CTION

Preamble

The 2005 ICM met in the context of implementing the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP), a visionary plan for the entire Amnesty International (AI) movement. The movement therefore,

REAFFIRMS the ISP and resolves to continue moving from vision to action.

Delivering Impact for Human Rights

At the heart of the action of Amnesty International and its members are individuals who suffer human rights abuses. Given the reality of a changing world, this Council

RECOGNIZES thatAmnesty International must work in a flexible manner to ensurethat it delivers maximum impact on the human rights agenda.

One Global Amnesty

The 2005 ICM

STRONGLY REAFFIRMS the global nature of Amnesty International and is committed to global partnerships and new ways of organizing to fulfilAI’s mission. It applauds the energy that has been released and the excitement generated by the work that the movement, united, has undertaken around a number of global campaigns.

The 2005 ICM

RECOGNIZES the enormous opportunities in globalizing the financial resources of Amnesty International and using the entire resources of the movement in the most effective way to achieve all of AI’s goals.

Growth and Accountability – From Vision to Action

Growth in people, money, activism and diversity in every part of the world remains essential. All of the movement must take concrete steps to make this vision a reality by setting innovative strategies and targets which must be evaluated. The Council

RESOLVES to return to the 2007 ICM, having taken specific steps to achieve these mutual commitments.

The 2005 ICM

RECOGNIZES that the implementation of the decisions of this ICM and AI’s increasing work on economic, social and cultural rights are crucial for this growth agenda ;

RESOLVES to strengthen Amnesty International’s accountability to its external and internal stakeholders. The movement is committed to strengthening its financial reporting and management and to evaluating all aspects of its work.

The 2005 ICM

REAFFIRMS the democratic nature of the movement and commits itself to improving its processes for consultation and decision-making.

The International Council,

recognizing that the peaceful resolution of conflicts is a prerequisite for the realization of human rights, and that armed conflicts inevitably produce human rights abuses;

further recognizing that well-resourced research and action can substantially contribute to conflict-prevention and conflict-resolution;

DECIDES that AI’s policies, strategies, and work on conflict-prevention and conflict-resolution will be strengthened by measures such as:

• Constantly highlighting the risks for human rights of the use of military force ;
• Promoting effective ways of developing and acting on “early warning” information;
• Working with other NGOs to develop non-military tools for crisis management, and urging states and international organizations to make appropriate investments in these tools;
• Pressing all parties to conflicts to understand the need for adequate post-conflict reconstruction programs;
• Highlighting the ways in which military actions disproportionately affect women, the steps that can be taken to overcome this, and the ways in which women can be empowered in peace processes;
• Striving to ensure that peace initiatives, peace processes, and peace agreements fully take into account human rights;
• Reinforcing the international legal framework regulating the conduct of UN-field operations, with regard to the respect of human rights and humanitarian law.

General position

Amnesty International is an independent and impartial human rights organization that generally takes no position on the desirability or otherwise of particular military interventions or other forms of armed conflict, other than to demand that all participants must respect international human rights and humanitarian law;

Exceptional position

In exceptional circumstances, taking full account of its country strategies, commitment to women’s human rights, and other relevant considerations, Amnesty International may:

• oppose the use or threat of use of military intervention that is particularly likely to lead to an increase in human rights abuses;
• call for or endorse ceasefires or urge the parties to a conflict to negotiate;
• call for the use of armed force (including military or law-enforcement forces) to alleviate, prevent or end imminent or on-going widespread and grave abuses of international human rights or humanitarian law (such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes),or the actual threat of such a situation, provided that:
  a. the force is in conformity with international law;
  b. the force is given a mandate to use proportionate force, as necessary, to protect human rights
  c. such calls will be limited to the deployment or strengthening of UN peacekeeping or similar operations.

INSTRUCTS the IEC to draft detailed guidelines and procedures on the situations in which such calls will be made, and to finalize the guidelines after consultation with the next Chairs Forum.

DECIDES FURTHER that these guidelines and procedures should include at least the following elements:

• reference to standard criteria for the legitimate use of military force, such as those developed by the 2004 UN High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change;
• consistency with AI’s policy on sanctions;
• consideration of the risks and benefits of AI taking a position;
• a decision-making mechanism that is appropriate to both emergency and non-emergency situations.

DECIDES FURTHER to instruct the IEC to ensure that AI actively engages in discussions and processes that work constructively to develop legal, ethical, and practical standards for all forms of interventionto protect human rights.

The International Council:

AFFIRMS:

1. that Amnesty International is committed to defending and promoting sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) within its mission, and in the context of its core values and strategic goals;
2. that AI recognizes the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and their right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health;
3. that AI believes that men and women must be able to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights free from coercion, discrimination and violence;
4. that AI should build on its previous and existing work on sexual and reproductive rights, taking into account the lessons of the Stop Violence Against Women (SVAW) campaign; its developing work on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR), and its work on SRR to date;
5. that the need for abortion in a large number of cases is a consequence of violence against women, a lack of empowerment of women as well as of a lack of access to education and health services like contraception.

That AI’s actual work in the field of sexual and reproductive rights will be made in the context of the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) taking into account the movements priorities, resources, and other strategic considerations.

FURTHER DECIDES

That the IEC will develop a comprehensive statement of AI’s policies in this area as well as a strategy for action consistent with AI’s mission, core values, and strategic goals, as reflected in the ISP, including, in particular:

• a policy that AI is committed to defending and promoting sexual and reproductive rights within its mission in the context of its core values, and strategic goals;
• a policy supporting the right of access to information about sexual and reproductive health;
• a policy supporting the right of access to sexual and reproductive health services including contraception.

That the IEC will:

a. consult appropriately with sections in draftingdetailed policies on the above issues;
b. encourage sections to consult their own memberships over an appropriate timescale on the issues;
c. present draft policies to the Chairs’ Forum before finalizing them.

That in developing its policies on sexual and reproductive rights in relation to persons under the age of 18, AI will take into account the evolving capacities of children and young people and the rights, duties and responsibilities of parents and other persons legally responsible for them.

FURTHER DECIDES:

A. That a consultation, education, and awareness-raising process on possible AI positions on the issue of abortion should be undertaken and be guided by the following principles:
1. Where women’s access to safe and legal abortion services is restricted, a number of fundamental human rights may be at risk;
B. A number of important international human rights standards have been developed in this area;
C. AI believes that women must be able to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights free from coercion, discrimination and violence;
B. That this process should enable AI to take an informed decision as to the organization’s position - should it choose to do so - on the question of whether a woman’s right to physical and mental integrity includes her right to terminate her pregnancy, subject to reasonable limitations, and of whether abortion should therefore be legal, safe and accessible to all women.
C. That this process should have the following features:
i. Appropriate materials will be made available, as far as practically possible, to the Chairs Forum and to all sections and structures to enable them to discuss this issue in advance of and during their AGMs;
ii. A Chairs Forum meeting will be held after the majority of section AGMs during 2006, to which all sections and structures will be invited to send one delegate in addition to their chair;
iii. This meeting will discuss AI’s possible future policy positions on the question of abortion, and will make recommendations to the IEC with respect to the points in paragraph D. below;
D. That, unless the Chairs Forum opposes doing so, the IEC could decide by the end of 2006, taking into account the recommendations and outcomes of the consultation process, whether to adopt a position on:
• decriminalization of abortion;
• access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion;
• legal, safe and accessible abortion in cases of rape, sexual assault, incest, and risk to a woman’s life,

The International Council

CHARGES the IEC with ensuring that, under its aegis, the IS conducts a legal study within the movement into the concept of “manifestly disproportionate punishment”, and, based on the conclusions of that study, the IEC could, if appropriate, make concrete proposals to the next ICM for opposing provisions that might lead to punishments that are manifestly disproportionate to the acts in respect of which they are imposed.

The International Council:

RESOLVES that the International Executive Committee, with respect to connections among economic development, forced displacement and human rights abuses, will compile best practices and existing guidelines internally and externally as well as a survey on the movement’s work to date in this area;

FURTHER RESOLVES that the IEC will develop policy and strategies, if appropriate, in this area consistent with Amnesty International’s mission.

The International Council

REQUESTS the IEC to ensure that the right to education and the right to water are given an increasing prominence in AI’s research and campaigning, as consistent with agreed strategic priorities on ESCR, including in the context of global campaigns.

The International Council:

REQUESTS the IEC to review the functioning of the movement with respect to:

• incitement toward and actions of discrimination and violence driven by racism, xenophobia and religious and ethnic prejudice,
• impunity for their perpetrators;

The International Council

REQUESTS the IEC to review, approve and implement, during the next two years, a medium and long term global strategy on armed groups and networks within AI’s global work on the so-called “War on Terror”.

1. This strategy should be firmly rooted in our work on global justice, within the framework of international humanitarian law and international human rights standards, and clearly reflect AI’s opposition to impunity, with its triple commitment to truth, justice and reparation for victims.
2. This strategy should also be firmly rooted and based on a review of the work in this field thus far on armed groups at national levels, including the work that AI has carried out to date. The strategy should be within the framework of ICM decisions on this issue and should strengthen this work. The review should review the impact of this work on the human rights of the local, regional and global population.

The International Council

DECIDES, without declaring itself for or against the demands for self-determination of any particular group, thatAmnesty International stresses that a number of human rights violations it denounces take place in the context of demands for self-determination, and that the failure to find a peaceful solution to such demands is at the origin of many human rights violations.

The International Council:

DECIDES that the practice of Work on Own Country (WOOC) research projects be generalized as they are meant to contribute to the relevance of AI as a local actor as well as maximizing AI’s research potential;

REAFFIRMS that research work by sections and structures on countries other than their own will be developed and implemented, in the framework of less centralized approaches to conducting research outlined by the 2002 Research Review;

REAFFIRMS the International Secretariat’s role in global research management also outlined by the 2002 Research Review;

ASKS the International Executive Committee to establish, in consultation with all sections and structures, a set of comprehensive Research and Campaigning Policy and Procedures for sections and structures which will supersede all existing guidelines in this area. In particular, this set of policy and procedures should:

1. Cover all WOOC research projects and research projects on other countries by sections and structures intending to address major human rights issues, regardless of the subject matter and the way in which such projects deal with individual cases;
2. Ensure that all research projects are consistent with AI’s core values, including impartiality and accuracy; that they do not lead to a regional imbalance; and that each section or structure carrying out WOOC research achieves the appropriate balance between WOOC research and international solidarity work;
3. Ensure that all research projects are consistent with AI’s strategic directions as reflected in the International Strategic Plan and the International Secretariat and sections’ and structures operational plans, specifically the need to further AI’s human rights strategy through effective research and campaigning, taking into account considerations relating to security;
4. Ensure an effective quality control mechanism, with the Secretary General exercising operational oversight to ensure consistency of methodology, standards, policy and strategies across the movement, while the International Executive Committee continues to exercise oversight over policy making and strategic directions;
5. Ensure that research projects are developed, submitted and implemented in a way that is synchronized with the movement’s planning processes, while allowing for flexibility to respond to emerging opportunities, and provide results suitable for timely and effective campaigning by other sections or structures;
6. Ensure training of both centralized and decentralized researchers, and the sharing within the movement of research outcomes and best practice;
7. Include guidelines for the use of research produced by other organizations;
8. Ensure regular evaluation of the implementation of this resolution, as well as of the quality of AI research in general.

The International Council :

AFFIRMS the importance of continued work on behalf of individuals at risk and the effective utilization of AI’s membership in this work ;

AFFIRMS the importance of mobilizingactivists and promoting / sustaining long-term group activism ;

AFFIRMS the importance of giving AI activists the opportunity to act for individuals on a long-term basis;

REQUESTS the IEC to ensure that methods are developed and produced for long-term campaigning on behalf of individuals taking into consideration effectiveness, the strategic priorities of the ISP and the capacities of the whole movement.

The International Council :

DECIDES that the IEC will guarantee that AI will pay sufficient attention to Goal 3 of the ISP, while ensuring that all IS operating plans have a significant focus on research and action aimed at securing the release of prisoners of conscience and protecting human rights defenders.

DECIDES that, in implementing Goal 8 of the ISP, the IEC will seek to ensure that AI maintains sufficient research capacity on a significant number of countries not covered by the Countries Action Program(CAP), with the aim of :

a) producing brief reports on as many countries as possible for AI’s Annual Report,

b) researching and taking action on behalf of individuals at risk whenever this may be considered effective.

The International Council

DECIDES that Amnesty International will strengthen its position in favour of transparency with regard to revenue from the exploitation of natural resources. Amnesty International will endeavour to exert appropriate pressure in this regard on the businesses and states concerned as well as on the intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) – and in particular the international financial institutions (IFIs) - of donor countries and international banks.

The International Council

CALLS ON the IEC to study the issue of the position that Amnesty International could adopt with regard to companies that have invested, or intend to invest, in countries characterized by systematic mass violations of human rights and to present the results of that study to the next ICM.

The International Council

CALLS ON the IEC to ensure that particular attention is paid to the impact of trade agreements on human rights, and that appropriate action be taken in the case of potential negative consequences.

In any public statements on these questions, AI should recall that it takes no position on the liberalization of trade as such.

The International Council :

DECIDES to adopt the following goals and strategic objectives of a Human Rights Education(HRE) strategy for all of the international movement, in line with the priorities of the Integrated Strategic Plan decided on in 2003.

DECIDES that HRE will receive sufficient resources to play its part in the relevant area of cross-cutting work, in conformity with the ISP.

HRE Goal 1: Use education to build a global culture of human rights and prevent human rights abuses:

• Enable a broad spectrum of individuals, groups and communities to understand and express their personal concerns in human rights terms;
• Inspire people to integrate human rights principles into both their individual lives and their social institutions;
• Challenge and enable people to act to demand, support and defend human rights and use them as a tool for social change.

Strategic Objective 1.2: Engage activist communities and through them grassroots and marginalized communities, especially to promote a rights-based approach to advocacy.

Strategic Objective 1.3: Influence formal and informal educational institutions and through them rising generations.

HRE Goal 2: Build the competence of Amnesty International to conduct effective human rights education.

Strategic Objective 2.1: Identify the complementary aspects of the movement that contribute to realizing the goals of HRE and utilize their expertise to maximize the impact of HRE.

Strategic Objective 2.2: Develop and implement programs to build the HRE competence of AI activists.

Strategic Objective 2.3: Develop and implement appropriate tools and methodologies, including new technologies, to contribute to the growth of new constituencies of human rights activists.

Strategic Objective 2.4: Develop and promote tools to evaluate the effectiveness of HRE initiatives and materials.

Strategic Objective 2.5: Strengthen funding and resource management for HRE across the movement.

The International Council

ASKSthe IEC :

1. To broaden access to material in different languages by improving the design and presentation of documents in a clear and concise style to make them accessible to a broad public.
2. To support growth by responding to the linguistic requirements of the movement :
a. By sustaining at their current quality the services resulting from existing programmes,
b. By developing new programmes in other languages during the period covered by OP 2, while ensuring that the new language strategy is coherent with the growth strategy,
c. By considering a funding system for translation services for strategically important southern and eastern languages, that is resourced primarily from those self-funding sections which benefit from the current core language system by incorporating new translation needs in the growth strategy.
3. To undertake (after the study being conducted into Amnesty International’s language strategy), a thorough review of the language strategy, in full consultation with all sections and structures and the relevant decentralized language units, with important decisions being approved by the ICM or a Chairs Forum.
4. That any proposal for a strategic decision that reverses a decision of the previous ICM on the decentralized language units, be presented to the next ICM, after a prior and proper consultation with the membership.

The International Council:

DECIDES to adopt the International Youth Strategy (ACT 76/001/2005) for all levels of the movement, in line with the priorities of the Integrated Strategic Plan decided on in 2003, with a vision of: “enhancing human rights impact through advancing the central participation of young people in the protection and promotion of human rights for all, by engaging them in upholding universal human right values, by empowering them to take action in their local and global communities, and by integrating them at all levels of the organization”. In order to make this possible, the following strategy objectives need to be adhered to:

Engagement:

1. Increase AI’s understanding of young people’s attitudes and needs in order to engage with them effectively.
2. Involve and connect with a larger and more diverse youth audience in order to build a global human rights culture.
3. Create appealing materials and tools appropriate for engaging with youth.
4. Provide and/or promote Human Rights Education for youth in order to increase understanding of human rights.
5. Enrich the organization through learning from perspectives of new partners and working with them in the youth movement.
6. Encourage youth organizations and movements in taking a Human Rights based approach to their work.
7. Strengthen human rights impact through effective cooperation with youth.

8. Include a youth perspective in the planning and delivery of our work.
9. Mobilize youth effectively, strengthen their campaigning capacity, and support their sustained activism.
10. Incorporate new tools and styles of activism into AI’s techniques so as to enable youth to become effective activists and see such tools become integral in AI’s future work.
11. Campaign more effectively around human rights issues relevant to youth.
12. Support and protect young people as Human Right Defenders.
13. Support and develop young people’s work with and for other individuals.

14. Increase the number of youth within the movement and ensure that the membership reflects the diversity of their societies.
15. Set in place bodies and mechanisms that organize, integrate and empower youth within AI and allow youth access to all parts of the movement at all levels.
16. Provide young people with training across AI’s work to enable them to be effective AI activists, decision-makers, and professionals at all levels.
17. Facilitate young people’s continued participation within AI and the human rights movement during, after and beyond participation in youth structures.
18. Ensure AI leadership at all levels reflects AI membership through increasing the number of young people in leadership and decision-making roles.
19. Create a connected AI youth global movement, reaffirming the support and solidarity in the movement among young people.

FURTHER DECIDES to take steps to ensure the international youth strategy is implemented throughout the South and East.

INSTRUCTS the IEC to produce a version of the youth strategy using language that allows greater involvement of young people.

The International Council:

REAFFIRMS that the main priority for Amnesty International is to use methods of activism that can achieve positive results for human rights.

REAFFIRMS the importance and the specific nature of the capacity for action of groups at the international level without detracting from or ruling out new forms of activism and other means of supporting action at the international level.

REQUESTS the IEC :

• to ensure that a structure which has proved its worth during the 40 years of Amnesty International’s existence is not forgotten when taking stock of the movement, even if other development models are necessary and complementary; and that groups’ participation also be ensured in the general reflection of activism in the movement;
• to ensure that strategies for action and communication defined at the international level by the International Secretariat take account of the specific competence of groups, taking advantage of their ability to:

- make Amnesty International visible to the public locally,

- conduct communication campaigns at local and regional level,

- promote local partnerships with other players in the human rights movement (NGOs, journalists, networks of lawyers, etc.),

• conduct action targeted on a variety of specific audiences,

- relay and pursue vigorous and specific action undertaken in the first instance at the international level.

ALSO REQUESTS that the IEC, when implementing this decision, reflect the results of the Activism Review currently underway.

The International Council:

REQUIRES the IEC to ensure that all AI funds, resources and experience available for contributing to development and activism in the South and East, in both the IS and sections/structures, will be adequately coordinated in order to implement the movement’s priorities set out in the ISP.

The International Council INSTRUCTS :

1)

a. the IEC to create an information point where all the information available in the movement to promote AI development in the South and East can be centralized, and to implement uniform evaluation and reporting systems to be used both by the sections/structures and the International Mobilization Programme at the IS.
b. sections/structures to provide information about their projects and AI development possibilities in the South and East, and to revise those projects to take account of movement priorities and strategic criteria established by the International MobilizationTrust.
c. the International Secretariat to provide timely information about projects and possibilities for AI development in the South and East and to review such projects so that they take account of contributions both from contributing sections and from developing sections/structures.

3) sections/structures to include a chapter in their strategic and operational plans on how they will contribute, by means of funding, resources and/or knowledge, to growth and mobilization in the South and East. This chapter should explicitly weigh up the merits of greater growth and mobilization in their own country as it compares to greater growth and mobilization in the South and East.

The International Council:

DECIDES that all structures shall have one vote only;

INSTRUCTS THE IEC, together with structures and small sections, to look at methods of finding ways of revising the minimum standards for sections so that diversity within the movement is promoted;

AMENDS the Statute of Amnesty International as follows:

a. In Articles 16 (where twice appearing), 21, 25 (where twice appearing) and 47 (where last appearing), for “sections” substitute “sections and structures”;
b. In Article 17, for “All sections shall have the right to appoint one representative to the International Council and in addition may appoint” substitute “All sections and structures shall have the right to appoint one representative to the International Committee. In addition, a section may appoint”;
c. Delete Article 18 of the Statute, and substitute, "The International Executive Committee may invite to the International Council delegates from international networks, and other individuals, as non-voting participants” .
d. In Articles 19 and 47, for “section” substitute “section or structure”;
e. In Article 47, for “sections” (where first appearing) substitute “sections or structures”.

a. in Standing Order 4.5, for “section” substitute “section and structure”;
b. in Standing Orders 5.1, 10.6 (where first appearing), 10.7, 10.8, 10.10 (where first appearing), 10.11, 12.1 (where twice appearing) and 12.7, for “ section” substitute “section or structure”;
c. in Standing Orders 2.10, 2.11, 3.1, 6.1, 8.4, 10.2 and 11.3 (where twice appearing), for “sections” substitute “sections and structures”;
d. in Standing Order 5.1, for “sections” substitute “sections or structures”,
e. in Standing Orders 5.2 and 14.1, for “section” substitute “ section or structure,”;
f. In Standing Order 10.6, at the end of the Standing Order, insert, “The total size of any structure delegation is limited to 3 participants”.

The International Council

AMENDS the Statute as follows:

In Article 17, delete paragraphs 1 and 2 and insert:

“All sections and structures shall have the right to appoint one representative to the International Council. In addition, a section may appoint:

or, if a section so chooses:

AMENDS the Standing Orders of the ICM by deleting article 6.3.

The International Council:

recognizing that the movement has committed itself to promoting diversity within AI in a series of ICM resolutions starting with Decision 59 of the 1985 ICM;

remembering that Decision 33 of the 1999 ICM encouraged all sections and leadership within AI to develop and implement a multicultural plan seeking to ensure a membership drawn from every community and culture in each section and structure and ensuring that policy-making and decision-making processes reflect that diversity and respect for multiculturalism, especially for minority and marginalized communities and cultures within each country;

believing that multiculturalism, linguistic plurality, diversity, and equity in both gender and sexual orientation within AI is a crucial part of the growth agenda agreed upon at the 2003 ICM;

finding that it is especially important that AI's decision-making processes at all levels, including the ICM and Chairs Forum, reflect the diversity of the societies in which AI has sections and structures;

therefore,

DECIDES that every section and structure shall develop and implement a plan to achieve diversity in all aspects of the section’s and structure's activities, especially its plans for growth, in the next cycle;

FURTHERDECIDES that all sections and structures shall make their plans available to all other sections and structures by the end of 2006 so that a discussion on diversity at the 2007 Chairs Forum may be based on a review of these plans and their implementation;

FURTHER DECIDES that, when deciding on their delegations for international meetings, including the ICM, each section and structure should take diversity and gender equity into account,

ALSO REQUESTS the IEC to work with all sections and structures to achieve the goals set forth in thisdecision.

The International Council:

REMINDS the International Executive Committee (IEC) and the Chairs’ Forum of Decision 30 of the International Council Meeting 2003, saying that “the IEC and the chairpersons of sections will work together to clarify the expanded role of the Chairs’ Forum”;

REITERATES the terms of reference for the Chairs’ Forum, which state that the Chairs’ Forum shall be adequately funded by the IEC to allow all sectionand structure chairs, or another board member, to attend and participate effectively in Forum meetings, and to be able to do its work between meetings, including introducing new Forum members and enabling work to be carried out in the four core languages through the use of appropriate communications technology;

AFFIRMS that the Chairs’ Forum is an ongoing forum which has responsibility for playing an important role in the movement through its advisory function to the organization and the IEC about any matter related to AI governance, and through contributing to the development of the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) and other profound international decisions;

STRESSES that, in order for it to be able to perform its duties, it is extremely important that the Chairs’ Forum function well throughout the period between ICMs and that communication within the Forum be efficient, transparent and easily accessible to all Forum members;

URGES the IEC to take the necessary measures within its power to enable the Forum in accordance with the description contained in Decision 30 of the 2003 ICM, including joint development, between the IEC and the Chairs’ Forum Steering Committee, of a budget with adequate funding;

URGES the Chairs’ Forum to strengthen international decision-making processes by taking on the role described in Resolution OSB 12.11 to the 2003 ICM and subsequent Decision 30;

DECIDES that between International Council Meetings issues relating to:

• AI identity (e.g. global campaigns),
• priorities that concern the whole movement (e.g. ISOP2),
• controversial issues that require immediate attention, and
• aspects that do not fall clearly within AI’s mission

DECIDES that these issues shall be discussed as thoroughly as possible at meetings of the Chairs’ Forum. It will be necessary to substantially improve coordination and preparation for such meetings in order for the Forum to be able to provide meaningful advice to the IEC and the movement (e.g. well-defined agenda items, discussions based on documents that, where possible, are distributed early enough for the Chairs to have the opportunity to consult with their Boards or with relevant members of their secretariats);

DECIDES to set up, without delay, a live interactive forum, moderated by the Chairs’ Forum Steering Committee and accessible to all members of the Chairs’ Forum, to facilitate the work of the Forum between meetings;

FURTHER DECIDES that the Chairs’ Forum, its Steering Committee and the interactive forum shall receive adequate resources to be able to fulfil their important roles for the movement (according to the terms of reference);

FURTHER DECIDES that measures should be taken to facilitate closer structural cooperation between the Steering Committee and the ICM Preparatory Committee and between the Chairs’ Forum and the Directors’ Forum;

INSTRUCTS THE IEC to continue the discussion about measures to improve the organization’s democratic decision-making processes;

FURTHER INSTRUCTS THE IEC to investigate options regarding decision-making between ICMs, including the possibility of delegating decision-making authority to the Chairs’ Forum in the period between International Council Meetings concerning the issues referred to above, and to consult the Chairs’ Forum on any specific proposals arising from this process, thereby preparing the decision-making process for the next ICM;

FURTHER INSTRUCTS THE IEC , in close collaboration with the Chairs’ Forum Steering Committee, to evaluate the role and development of the Chairs’ Forum in the period 2003-2007, and, (if necessary) propose specific measures to ensure international democratic consultation as well as measures for a decision-making procedure between ICMs, and to inform the next ICM.

The International Council,

noting that the 2003 ICM decided that it is desirable to work towards a three year cycle for the ICM, with effect from the close of the 2009 ICM:

AMENDS the Statute of Amnesty International as follows :

a. In Article 16, for “The International Council shall consist of the members of the International Executive Committee and of representatives of sections and shall meet at intervals of not more than two years on a date fixed by the International Executive Committee” substitute “The International Council shall consist of the members of the International Executive Committee and of representatives of sections and structures and shall meet at intervals of not more than three years on a date fixed by the International Executive Committee”;
b. In Article 17, for “Only sectionshaving paid in full their annual fee as assessed by the International Council for the two previous financial years shall vote at the International Council”. substitute “Only sectionshaving paid in full their annual fee as assessed by the International Council for the three previous financial years shall vote at the International Council”;
c. Further in Article 17, for “If a sectionhas not provided its standardized financial report to the International Secretariat within three months of the final date for submission on each of the last two occasions such a report was required, the section is not entitled to vote at the International Council” ;. substitute “If a sectionhas not provided its standardized financial report to the International Secretariat within three months of the final date for submission on each of the last three occasions such a report was required, the sectionis not entitled to vote at the International Council”;
d. In Article 30, for “Members of the International Executive Committee shall hold office for a period of two years and shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum tenure of three consecutive terms”. substitute “Members of the International Executive Committee shall hold office for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum tenure of two consecutive terms”.

e. At Standing Order 6.4 for “Only sections that have paid in full their annual fees as assessed by the International Council for the two previous financial years can vote at the International Council”. substitute “ Only sectionsthat have paid in full their annual fees as assessed by the International Council for the three previous financial years can vote at the International Council”;
f. At Standing Order 6.5 for “Only sectionsthat have provided their standardized financial reports to the IS within three months of the final date for submission, both when the report was last due and the time immediately before that, are entitled to vote at the International Council”. substitute “Only sectionsthat have provided their standardized financial reports to the IS within three months of the final date for submission, both when the report was last due and the two times immediately before that, are entitled to vote at the International Council”.

g. Adds a new Article 48: “ TRANSITIONAL: notwithstanding any other provision in the Statute, a person first elected to the International Executive Committee, the Financial Control Committee or the Membership Appeals Committee in 2005 shall be eligible (subject to having been reelected in 2007) for reelection in 2009 to that committee until 2012”.

The International Council

INSTRUCTS the IEC to construct a balanced budget providing for:

• a two year envelope for the implementation of the second Operational Plan of £62,619,000,
• a transfer of £500,000 into general reserves,
• a transfer of £500,000 into reserves earmarked only for the currency fluctuation.

DECIDES that, with regard to any additional income above the approved financial envelope, the IEC shall transfer 25% to reserves –if needed by and consistent with the reserves policy and if non earmarked income-spend the remaining in accordance with the ISP and Decision 1 of this ICM

INSTRUCTS the IEC and the sections to implement the hedging policy and to immediately start hedging the exposure to the Euro

INSTRUCTS the IEC:

• to carefully manage cash flow and to report quarterly to the movement;
• to set an ambitious international fundraising plan with a target of delivering £2,000,000 in the period;
• to report in detail on variances against the budget and to develop a general contingency plan against significantunfavourable variances;
• to include in the report the answers to the FCC recommendations;
• to transfer the earmarked reserves for currency fluctuation to program work in accordance with the ISP as soon as the hedging policy is successfully implemented and working.

Aggregated Financial Accounts

The International Council:

DECIDES to generalize the pilot of the aggregation of the accounts with participation of all sections and of the international organization and to include key performance indicators;

ASKS the IEC to circulate feedback to the movement before any external dissemination of the associated financial information;

ASKS the IEC to apply as soon as possible asystem of aggregated accounts once adjustments have been made based on the lessons learned arising from the pilot.

The International Council:

DECIDES that:

• the target reserves at the international level should be based on a risk assessment at the movement level and based on the consideration of the aggregated reserves, the target will be revised periodically;
• the target liquidity ratio should be greater than 1, and will be revised based on periodic risk assessments.

ASKS the sections to consider the risk assessment based policy on reserves.

The International Council:

DECIDES to amend the formula for determining section contributions to the international budget by reducing by half the rate of financial contribution applied to assessable income above the agreed growth target. This will normally be assumed to be a minimum of the ISP average annual growth target (currently 9.5%). However, with the agreement of the International Treasurer, this rate can be adjusted appropriately to reflect local circumstances.

ASKS for a progress report, including evaluation of the implementation of this decision, to be presented to subsequent ICMs.

ALSO ASKS for the IEC to undertake a review of the contribution system and report back to the next ICM. This review is to include a review of income target setting for sections.