Humanitarianism & War Project

|||| Non-Governmental Organizations and Advocacy Groups

Amnesty International is the leading Human Rights organization that serves to protects human rights word-wide. The web-site features their publications, news and documents.

CARE - International is one of the world's largest international development and relief organizations. Founded in the aftermath of World War II, CARE enabled Americans to send 100 million CARE Packages to survivors of the conflict in Europe and Asia. In the 1960s, CARE helped train the first Peace Corps volunteers and became a leader in self-help development and food aid. Today, CARE International reaches 25 million people in 63 developing and emerging nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The web site features information about Care, rograms and regions, information on how to get involved, a news center and development resources.

Community of Sant'Egidio in Roma

Human Rights Watch conducts regular, systematic investigations of human rights abuses in some seventy countries around the world. It addresses the human rights practices of governments of all
political stripes, of all geopolitical alignments, and of all ethnic and religious persuasions. In internal wars it documents violations by both governments and rebel groups. The web site features links to specific Human Rights Watch organizations (Human Rights Watch Africa etc.), a list of their services, publications, and fellowship applications.

The International Crisis Group (ICG), founded on July 1, 1995, is a private, multinational organisation which seeks to provide international policy-makers with an objective and informed source of information, analysis and ideas. ICG uses private high-level contacts and the media to disseminate its findings and mobilise support for a more robust and effective international response to crises. ICG has major field assessment programs in Sierra Leone and Bosnia. In the coming months, it plans to expanding its field operations in the Balkans and central Africa. The web site provides information on ICG projects and publications.

The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (Canada) was established by an Act of the Parliament of Canada on September 30, 1988, and officially inaugurated on October 19, 1990. An independent and non-partisan institution, the Centre works closely with citizens' groups, international organizations and governments around the world to encourage the development of democratic civil societies and empower people to participate fully in the social, economic and political lives of their countries. The Centre provides financial, political and technical support to front-line organizations, either directly or through Canadian or foreign partners, in order to help establish effective human rights institutions and practices. The Centre also plays an advocacy/educational role both in Canada and abroad. It has been active in global campaigns to restore democracy to Haiti and Burma, recognize women's international human rights and indigenous peoples' rights in the Americas, educate against impunity in Africa, and promote the integration of workers' human rights provisions in international trade agreements, or trade and human rights. The web site features publications, newsletter, information on the centre's activities, human rights resources and more.

The International Rescue Committee. founded in 1933, is the leading nonsectarian voluntary organization providing relief, protection, and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. IRC is committed to freedom, human dignity, and self reliance.

This commitment is reflected in well planned resettlement assistance, global emergency relief, rehabilitation, and advocacy for refugees. The web site features the latest news from IRC; its annual report; IRC's fact sheet; information on IRC's programs oversea; the emergency preparedness and response program; the health programs; information on IRC's United States Resettlement Offices; and more.

Médecins Sans Frontières -Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is a private, non-profit, international humanitarian organization -- established in 1971 -- whose objective is to provide medical aid to populations in crisis. MSF works in countries that are disrupted by violence, war or disaster and provides emergency medical aid in the broadest sense. Médecins Sans Frontières is comprised of 19 national entities. In 1995, 2520 international staff worked in 70 countries around the world, collaborating with 12000 national staff. The web site provides a project atlas, photo gallery, information about working with MSF, MSF publications, medical information and web links.

The Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, founded in 1983, is a volunteer-based, non- governmental and nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization comprising more than 1200 members dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. MAHR impartially and independently investigates and exposes human rights violations; represents human rights victims; trains and assists groups that protect human rights; educates the public, policy-makers and children; and promotes the universal acceptance of international human rights standards.

Oxfam is a development and relief agency working to put an end to poverty world-wide. In partnership with local groups, Oxfam works with poor people to help them help themselves. Oxfam is now one of the best known NGOs in the world, and is a member of the growing family of Oxfam International. The web site provides information about OXFAM, OXFAM in action, publications, policy & research and more.

Refugees International, founded in 1979 in response to the forced repatriation of thousands of Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees, provides early warning in crises of mass exodus. It seeks to serve as the advocate of the unrepresented -- the refugee. In recent years, Refugees International has moved from its initial focus on Indochinese refugees to global coverage, conducting almost 30 emergency missions in the last four years. The organization mixes quiet diplomacy and the power of the press to mobilize governments and engage the UN. Refugees International accepts no government or UN funds and is heavily reliant on the support of committed and concerned individuals. The web site features information on refugee issues, news paper articles, reports, missions etc.

Save the Children, the UK's leading international children's charity, is committed to: fighting poverty and discrimination, protecting children from the fall-out of war and famine, defending the rights of children everywhere. The web site features regular updates the work of Save the Children, Savvy (a free electronic newsletter for young people), information on how to improve a child's life, research assistance, a wealth of teaching resources and much more.

Soros Foundation is an informal network of the numerous nonprofit foundations and organizations created and funded by the philanthropist George Soros. At the heart of this network is a group of autonomous organizations known as "national foundations" operating in 31 countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe, Central Eurasia, South Africa, Haiti, Guatemala, as well as the United States. Plans are being developed to establish nine new foundations in the southern Africa region of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. All of these foundations share the common mission of supporting the development of open society that is based on the recognition that people act on imperfect knowledge and nobody is in possession of the ultimate truth. The web site provides information on the foundation and its activities.

The Soros Foundation Forced Migration Projects are action-oriented programs that monitor circumstances in the 15 countries that emerged or re-emerged after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, in order to warn of forced movements and identify conditions that may cause such dislocations, including armed conflict, human rights violations, economic underdevelopment, environmental_ degradation, and other failures of governance._While much of the work of the Forced Migration Projects has focused on the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, other initiatives, particularly in the Americas, have also been undertaken. Besides information on its own program, the web site provides access to alerts, report, news, and features links to human rights related sites, refugee and migration sites, NGO sites and resources.

World Vision USA is a nonprofit Christian humanitarian organization committed to working with the poor and oppressed. The work of World Vision includes long-term community development projects focused especially on the needs of children, emergency relief assisting people affected by conflict or disaster, promotion of justice seeking to change unjust structures, strategic initiatives serving the church, and public awareness. The web site provides information on their work, relief reports and some links to related organizations.

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