Beslut fattade på ICM 2007 Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 september 2007

Summary

This circular contains all of the decisions adopted in Morelos, México at the 28 ^th International Council Meeting, 11-17 August 2007. It also includes the Chairs Statement presented to the meeting on the 17 August by the ICM and working party Chairs. An addendum to this document will be issued to detail the harvesting of outcomes of the World Café sessions.

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.

Our inability to agree and set clear priorities. As a result, we try to do too much and overextend our resources and dilute our impact.
We have a strong tradition of operating separately within our borders. That has worked in the past but now often blocks our effectiveness.
As we grow we realize that we need to change if we are to realise our human rights ambitions. We welcome the growth of large and small sections and structures. We have heard small sections and structures demand to be acknowledged for their contribution. We have heard medium and large sections recognize that their resources will yield more if they look beyond their borders. Together we need to find practical ways of dealing with these issues.

We value and celebrate growth in all its forms – big and small. Where we are present, we ask each other to continue to strengthen our contribution to growth in money, people, diversity and activism in order to increase our human rights impact. Where we are not present we will use the tools of technology and communications to offer people from all over the world the possibility of joining us in our campaigns and actions. Young people need to feel at home in AI as they contribute their activism, engagement and participation. We will continue to struggle to be more diverse including through entering into strategic partnerships with others.

Our research needs to be strong and strategic, following very clear priorities. This will allow us to develop campaigns and take actions that have global reach and local relevance. We reaffirm our commitment to working closely with other organizations and civil society to deliver strong and uncompromising human rights messages. The Dignity Campaign will be the common thread through our next ISP.

Activism is at the heart of who we are, and it needs to deliver genuine human rights impact. As agreed in the ISP, we will privilege delivering powerful activism over building institutions.

We believe we will improve our ability to make informed and participatory decisions by learning more about key matters that affect our effectiveness and efficiency. Across the movement we want to invest and lead on the systems and methods needed to gather, analyze and report empirical quantitative and qualitative data.

Joint planning of shared priorities for and in the period of a third Operational Plan (OP3), will improve the integration of activity-planning and budget-setting. We will streamline and integrate our processes so that the organizational burden of planning does not impact disproportionately on smaller sections and structures.

Strong links need to be made between AI’s fundraising and our delivery of human rights impact. Public, transparent and accurate financial reporting will promote the movement’s financial health, based on systems that will enable us to distribute AI’s resources where we can achieve the greatest human rights good.

The next integrated strategic plan gives us an opportunity to build on our current work. It will energize and recommit us as we prepare it in collaboration with members and supporters worldwide and in partnership with external stakeholders. We will pay specific attention to the lessons of the current ISP and explore options to build resources and evaluation into its structure and content.

We have challenged ourselves to ensure that our internal architecture, including democratic governance systems, promotes and sustains effective member-based leadership and high quality professional management. We will improve our ways of working so that these functions are exercised in partnership.

As an ICM Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) we hoped to build an ICM agenda that would allow the Council to give guidance and direction to the movement through a process that was more participatory and inclusive than before. We made a commitment to honour the strategic nature of the Council and we appreciate the efforts you made to meet us half-way in order to not make decisions on operational matters best dealt with otherwise. As Chair of this meeting I am pleased to see that many of our efforts yielded sound results and commit to continuing to explore ways to improve our international meetings.
Change comes with uncertainty. One participant said it like this: “We want to go further on this new path, but we can only see a few steps ahead.” We know where we want to be, but none of us has the full road map. We have to live with that. The only thing we can do is to seek guidance from each other and from others on similar journeys.

I am confident we will travel successfully towards “One Amnesty”.

Thank you.

Claus Høxbro
Chair, 28 ^th International Council Meeting, Morelos, Mexico
17 August 2007




















DECISION 1 (P1) One Amnesty: Strengthening AI’s Global Planning

The ICM 2007 met to discuss the urgent need to strengthen Amnesty International’s systems of international planning if it is to increase its positive human rights impact. Therefore the movement decides that during the next ISP AI will have in place systems that:

develop clear strategic and operational global priorities and connected indicators of impact;
align strategies, priorities, competencies and resources;
strengthen monitoring and evaluation;
build on a foundation of dynamic and effective democracy;
strengthen voices of rights holders.

o provide clear strategic long-term goals;
o guarantee focussed global directions engaging and motivating all relevant entities in AI during Operational Planning cycles;

o The creation of a standard information base for all AI entities

The process

The IEC and all other entities will engage with Directors and Chairs Forums to report on the progress of implementation of this resolution and the IEC will, in particular, report on the structuring and priority setting.
The IEC will set up international bodies, where appropriate, to support this process.
The IEC will report to the next ICM on their progress in the implementation of these changes.

DECISION 2 (P2) Strengthening AI’s Democracy

The International Council

Recognizes the urgency of reviewing Amnesty International’s internal decision-making and governance structures in order to strengthen its positive human rights impact.

THEREFORE DECIDES that Amnesty International will have in place during the 2010-2016 Integrated Strategic Plan decision-making and governance structures that:

develop clear strategic and operational global strategies;
align strategic, priorities, competencies and resources;
strengthen monitoring and evaluation;
build on a foundation of dynamic and effective democracy
strengthen voices of right holders

AI’s international decision-making and governance structures, including but not limited to the roles and competencies of its various decision-making bodies;
existing systems and procedures for consultation, democratic participation and decision making prior to, during and between ICMs; and
existing systems for monitoring the implementation of democratic decisions, including but not limited to ICM decisions.

ensure that the structures, systems and processes in place from 2009 forward are best suited to the requirements of AI’s strategic and operational planning and financial allocation processes;
strengthen AI’s democratic culture; and
ensure that the role of the ICM in the overall decision-making process is not reduced and that its decisions are effectively tracked and implemented.

how to improve the adequacy of AI’s international decision-making and governance structures to make the organization as efficient and effective as possible;
how to increase the transparency and inclusiveness of consultation, democratic participation and decision-making processes;
how to support broadly inclusive and culturally sensitive involvement of all AI stakeholders in AI’s consultation, democratic participation and decision-making processes;
the nature and extent of consultation appropriate to different topics and decisions.

NOTES that the recently adopted policy 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, risk to the life or grave risk to the health of the woman;

enables AI to tackle the grave violations of women’s human rights that fall within its mission and its SVAW campaign strategy.

DECIDES that AI’s work on these issues needs to be developed and discussed across the movement before AI can make an informed decision about further policy development in relation to other aspects of sexual and reproductive rights not covered by existing policies.

FURTHER DECIDES that AI’s work on the recently adopted policy should be evaluated, and that an analysis of the policy should be made in the preparation of the Human Dignity campaign.

FURTHER DECIDES to confirm the importance of strengthening work on prevention of unwanted pregnancies and other factors which contribute to women’s recourse to termination of their pregnancies.

AMENDS

Article 1 of the Amnesty International statute to read:

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

In pursuit of this vision, Amnesty International’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of these rights.

REQUESTS the IEC to give the work towards an Arms Trade Treaty continued prominence in AI’s research and campaigning, as consistent with agreed strategic priorities in AI’s Military, Security and Policing work.

DECISION 6 C luster Munitions

The International Council

DECIDES that AI will support the international initiative to ban cluster munitions and as such oppose the manufacture, stockpiling, transfer and use worldwide of cluster munitions as consistent with agreed strategic priorities in AI’s Military, Security and Police work.

CALLS on the IEC to continue AI’s work on depleted uranium (DU) weapons

a) by calling, in appropriate contexts within AI’s strategic priorities, for a moratorium on their use pending the outcome of further investigations of their health effects; and

b) by pressing for further scientific work to establish the precise health impact of DU weapons.

The International Council
ASKS the IEC to obtain an expert opinion that explores the possible abuses of human rights committed by transnational corporations against farmers in relation to the coercive use of patents of genetically modified organisms, and to present this opinion to the next International Council Meeting.

Regarding the resolution from AI Austria dealing with the guidelines on the use of force, the International Council voted to refer this matter and the Working Party notes to the IEC.

a. Ensuring that youth work within the movement is equipped to support the robust implementation of objectives under all three categories of the IYS, Participation, Activism and Engagement

The International Council

DECIDES to adopt the International Language Strategy:
1 Content
1.1 AI enhances its human rights impact through timely, concise and targeted materials to mobilize the global movement and attract new supporters to promote and protect human rights.
1.2 AI’s materials are produced in the most appropriate languages to achieve maximum human impact and to support a growing movement.
1.3 AI’s influence, accessibility and support base grows in priority areas, including the South and East, and among those parts of the global population currently under-represented in AI, through the provision of materials in the appropriate language and medium.
2 Coordination
1.1 AI enjoys greater diversity and internal democracy through increased participation and engagement from a wider range of members and supporters.
1.2 Global co-ordination of languages across the AI movement increases collaboration and solidarity.
3 Resources
3.1 AI supports and develops its existing language expertise, experience and professionalism.
3.2 AI makes optimum use of technologies supporting translation, management and distribution of documents and other material.
3.3 AI’s investment in language achieves maximum impact and efficiency in support of the strategic aims and objectives of the movement.

RECOGNIZES the need to implement the strategy promptly to enable AI to benefit from the more accessible, efficient and cost-effective use of language envisioned by the International Language Strategy.

The International Council therefore

INSTRUCTS the IEC to ensure the timely implementation of the International Language Strategy. The first step in the implementation is the development of an implementation plan, by the Language Strategy Implementation Task Force, which will report to the IEC. The plan will be presented to the 2008 Chairs Forum and approved by the subsequent IEC meeting, taking into consideration the Chair Forum’s input.

FURTHER DECIDES to adopt the Language Policy set out in ORG 50/007/2007.

The International Council

Wishing not to move to a three-year ICM cycle, rescinds Decision 25 of the 2005 ICM and accordingly rescinds the amendments to the statute in that decision.

The International Council

DECIDES to amend its Standing Orders as follows:

Article 4.8 should read:

A working party usually appoints one or more drafting consultants. The role of the drafting consultants is to assist with the drafting of resolutions or amendments to resolutions and of the working party report in order to ensure that they are written in clear, concise language in all official languages of AI. This will sure that active participation in the drafting process is made possible for all delegates speaking one of the official languages who might want to join the drafting groups.

all ICM documents for discussion are distributed in relevant languages to all sections and structures at least two months prior to the ICM and verifying the receipt of those documents

all ICM documents relating to accountability are distributed in relevant languages to all sections and structures at least one month prior to the ICM and verifying the receipt of those documents

the number, choice and duration of global campaigns and their relation to the ISP planning and its human rights strategy;
the development of specific campaigning projects within global campaigns (“The projects should have clearly defined, realizable objectives, with their own ‘critical path’”) and the involvement of sections in planning and managing them;
the impact on activism resources of the number and the duration of major campaigns;
the efficiency and the effectiveness of the current system, with special attention to the number of sign ups to campaigning projects by sections and structures.

Ensure that international financial reserves are strengthened over OP3 by adding to these a further £2 million that will enable repayment of the amounts falling due under loans taken out to support the IS’ refurbishment.

Decision 21 Assessment to Distribution

The International Council
ASKS the IEC to develop a proposal, for the next ICM, for a global system that will enable the principled, transparent, effective and efficient distribution of AI's resources and activities so as to maximize AI's human rights impact.

DECIDES that in the context of the work towards improved global approaches to planning and prioritization and to enable a shift from "assessment to distribution", the following systems will be explored and developed on a global scale:

The creation of a standard information base for all AI entities
A system for transfer, collation and analysis of information
A process for setting and reviewing income forecasts and targets
Systems to enable both global and local priority setting
Improved reporting mechanisms to strengthen internal and external accountability
Systems to evaluate the impact of AI’s work

DECIDES that each AI entity will submit a retrospective and a prospective report covering activities and resources as presented below to allow internal and external accountability.

ASKS the IEC: to reinforce the existing tools and mechanisms that enable global financial management such as Aggregated Accounts; Investment and Cashflow Management; Currency Hedging; Reserves Management; Fundraising Skill Share etc.
ASKS the IEC to report to the next ICM, on their progress in the implementation of these changes.

REPORTS BY ANY AI ENTITY

Each AI entity shall submit, as a prospective report, a Standard Planning Report which will accompany the Standard Financial Report , in which is described key aspects of the global ISP that are to be implemented locally and which gives details of the resources that will be allocated to these activities. Detailed income forecast and projections must also be included.

Each major AI entity will submit, on a six-monthly basis, a précis financial report to the IEC showing income and expenditure compared to budget. A summary report will distributed to the movement each six months.

Each AI entity shall submit, as a retrospective report, a Standard Action Report (SAR) which will accompany their Standard Financial Report. The SAR will contain information on the relevant entity’s activities, focussing in particular on human rights campaigns, growth and accountability (as per Decision 1 of the 2003 ICM) and will include reports on agreed key performance indicators.

The International Council
DECIDES that in order to strengthen accountability and transparency, the Financial Control Committee shall be replaced by an Accountability and Control Committee with terms of reference as presented below.

Further DECIDES to encourage the FCC elected at the ICM 2007 to hold office based on the terms of reference of the ACC as a whole and use the name ACC, if the elected regular FCC members decide at their first meeting unanimously to do so. Such a decision of the FCC shall be reported immediately to the IEC and all other AI entities`.

Accountability and Control Committee Terms of Reference

Introduction

The purpose of the Accountability and Control Committee, ACC, is to contribute to strengthening the accountability and transparency of Amnesty International. The ACC is an independent committee, reporting to the ICM and to the movement. Some of its members will be elected by the ICM. It is charged with overseeing the financial management of Amnesty International, including ensuring that the movement has a financial and risk management reporting and control environment that is appropriate to the movement's needs.

The goal is to have a committee that supports the organization in areas concerning financial control and risk management. The good practices implemented in other international organizations or businesses will be a reference. A regular review of the terms of reference and the practices will be key; the first review will have to be presented after the first cycle of the ACC.
Understanding that fiduciary responsibility for AI rests with the IEC; the ACC has only reporting and advisory responsibility.
Responsibilities

The ACC shall:

routinely review international accountability, financial control and risk management issues in the movement on a global scale. It shall make reports and recommendations on these matters to the IEC, AI entities and the movement as a whole.

be empowered to recommend to the IEC changes in resource allocation that may be required as a consequence of a new assessment to distribution system.

may also perform tasks suggested by the IEC as appropriate.

report on implementation of ICM decisions related to financial control; accountability and risk management.

design and monitor the implementation of the IEC compensation scheme.

The ACC shall:

meet regularly at its own discretion usually 4 times a year

have access to all information, staff and volunteers needed to perform its duties.

exercise care and discretion regarding sensitive matters.

discuss issues of concern directly with the external auditors.

be allocated a sufficient budget to carry out its functions.

have a minimum one elected member attend the ICM and the IFM.

The ACC shall:

report directly to the movement on the financial situation of AI's various entities (IS and related entities, sections, structures, etc . ) and on their achievements under agreed operational plans. It includes to :

prepare and present a report to the ICM on these issues

report to the sections and structures between ICMs on a regular basis

make recommendations and present reports to the IEC

The ACC will consist of both elected and co-opted members.

Three regular members and one alternate will be elected by the ICM according to the ICM standing orders.

Elected members may co-opt up to two internal or external experts after consultation with the IEC.

16. The ACC will elect a chair from its members to be the primary contact person for the committee.

20. Membership of the ACC is inconsistent with the office of member of the board (including treasurer) of any section, structure or the IEC. Therefore the board member of any section, structure or IEC (including treasurer) elected or co-opted to the ACC shall resign from that office at the next AGM of their section, structure or within three months, whichever is earlier.