About Amnesty International
(From AI’s Guide for Letter Writers)
Amnesty International is an independent movement of over one million people in over 150 countries and territories who work, through international action, to prevent some of the gravest violations by governments, and other political bodies, of people’s most fundamental human rights. In particular, Amnesty International campaigns for:
· the release of people imprisoned for their beliefs or origins who have neither used nor advocated violence (“prisoners of conscience”),
· fair trials for political prisoners,
· an end to torture, “disappearances” and executions.
Amnesty International members campaign on the basis of information processed by the movement’s International Secretariat in London according to policies discussed by the membership and decided by elected representatives.
Amnesty International, recognising that human rights are indivisible and interdependent, works to promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards through involvement in human rights education programs through involvement in human rights education programs and campaigning for the ratification of human rights treaties.
Being a member of SUAI does not automatically make you a member of AI Australia. Membership costs $22/year for a student which may sound high, but is well worth it.
1) PERSONAL SATISFACTION: when you join AI officially, you get the satisfaction of having made a solid commitment to human rights. You are no longer just someone who supports AI’s goals, you have become a valuable part of AI, along with 1.1 million other people throughout the world.
2) MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE: this is what it’s all about. Joining AI gives you heaps of ways to help the cause of human rights. The most obvious way to help is financially, which is great if you can afford it. However, you also gain access to AI’s Urgent Action Network, if you so choose, keeping you up to date with, and allowing you to fight for, the latest cases of human rights abuse as they happen. In addition, AI has archives full of information on the human rights records of most countries which is great if you have a particular interest or are planning a campaign. Other ways in which you can help are: selling merchandise, collecting donations, producing artwork, general office work, in fact anything which suits your skills – all of these tasks are valuable help to AI.
3) MEET SOME GREAT PEOPLE: you will find heaps of people who share your views and opinions in AI. You can also join an AI group based in your local community (such as SUAI) or a state/national thematic group (such as the Women’s group or Medical group) which focuses on a particular type of human rights issues.
4) HAVE FUN: although AI regularly deals with cases of abuse of the worst kind and the most desperate of situations, AI members take a positive and optimistic approach to their work. They try to have as much fun as they can and enable everyone to use their personal strengths to make a difference.
See AI Australia’s page or AI’s
world page for more information about AI and how to join.