ARTICLE 19 : A Human Rights Organisation

Some organisation are great in their service toward mankind. I hope Indian intellectuals would come close to this organisation.

ARTICLE 19 is a human rights organisation with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide.
We believe that all people have the right to freedom of expression and access to information, and that the full enjoyment of this right is the most potent force to achieve individual freedoms, strengthen democracy, and pre-empt repression, conflict, war and genocide. ARTICLE 19’s work is organised into five Regional Programmes – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East – and a Law Programme. ARTICLE 19 also works on global issues of concern that cut across national boundaries. To make freedom of expression a reality all over the world, we undertake the following: Working in Partnership: ARTICLE 19 works worldwide – in partnership with fifty-two national organisations in more than thirty countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East - to lead institutional, cultural and legal change.Monitoring and Research: ARTICLE 19 monitors threats to freedom of expression in different regions of the world, as well as national and global trends and develops long-term strategies to address them.Advocacy and Campaigning: ARTICLE 19 advocates for the implementation of the highest standards of freedom of expression, nationally and globally. For instance, ARTICLE 19 spearheaded the global campaign on behalf of Salman Rushdie. With its national partners, ARTICLE 19 has run successful access to information campaigns, raised public awareness about freedom of expression, advocated on behalf of specific individuals whose rights have been violated, etc.. Standard-Setting: ARTICLE 19 produces legal standards which strengthen media, public broadcasting, free expression and access to information, and promotes these standards with regional and international inter-governmental organisations. Legal Development: ARTICLE 19 produces legal analyses and critiques of national laws, including media laws. We draft model laws to assist civil society organisations and governments in developing appropriate national standards of protection and we advocate for legal and judicial change.Litigation: ARTICLE 19 undertakes litigation in international and domestic courts on behalf of individuals or groups whose rights have been violated. Our submissions are quoted in court rulings from Austria to Zimbabwe Capacity-Building: ARTICLE 19 provides legal and professional training, and mentoring to national actors, including NGOs, judges and lawyers, journalists, media owners, media lawyers, public officials and parliamentarians. We run training-of-trainer programmes, support the creation of national or regional campaigning networks; and foster cross-sectoral relations and initiatives among NGOs and governments. Lobbying: ARTICLE 19 lobbies national governments, international and regional bodies to bring national laws in line with the best international standards and on behalf of individuals and groups who are persecuted for expressing their views Cutting Edge Research and Policy Development: ARTICLE 19 is a pioneer in applying a free speech analysis to all aspects of our lives. For example, the organisation was one of the first to connect freedom of expression with development; censorship with environmental rights; access to information with the exercise of reproductive rights. Our pioneering work has also included an analysis of the role of broadcast media in the Rwandan genocide and of the media in the former Yugoslavia conflict.
ARTICLE 19, a human rights pioneer, defends and promotes freedom of expression and freedom of information all over the world.

CENSORSHIP KILLS. IT STARVES AND IT REPRESSES. IT DENIES PEOPLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TO THEIR LIFE.ESTABLISHED IN 1987,

ARTICLE 19 FIGHTS for all hostages of censorship, defends dissenting voices that have been muzzled, and campaigns against laws and practices that silence.
We take our name from article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."ARTICLE 19 monitors, researches, publishes, lobbies, campaigns, sets standards and litigates on behalf of freedom of expression wherever it is threatened.We provide expertise on international human rights standards and for legislation that protects the right to speak and right to know in countries emerging from conflict, war and genocide or repression.We campaign to safeguard media pluralism, independence and diversity of views.We promote the right to know of poorer communities and advocate for the implementation of freedom of information legislation to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens' participation.We champion freedom of expression, including freedom of information, as a fundamental human right that is also central to the protection of other rights. Freedom of expression allows people to demand the right to health, to a clean environment, to memory and to justice. It makes electoral democracy meaningful and builds public trust in administration. It strengthens mechanisms to hold governments accountable for their promises, obligations and actions. It provides external checks on state accountability, and thus prevents corruption which thrives on secrecy and closed environments.At present, we work with more than 80 implementing partners across the globe that are active in areas such as human rights, freedom of information, democratisation, the media, women, health and environment.ARTICLE 19 is a registered UK charity (No.32741) with headquarters in London, and field offices in Senegal, Kenya, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Brazil. Its international board consits of eminent human rights campaigners, journalists and lawyers from all regions of the world. We are supported by contributions from individuals, foundations and governments worldwide who share a commitment to freedom of expression.
cONTACT US
ARTICLE 19 Head Office (London)
ARTICLE 19
6-8 Amwell Street
LondonEC1R 1UQUnited Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7278 9292
Fax: +44 20 7278 7660
info@article19.org

ARTICLE 19
Regional Offices
ARTICLE 19
Brazil Rua Pamplona 1197, casa 2 São Paulo, SP CEP 01405-030 Brazil Tel / fax: +55 (11) 3057 0042 / 3057 0071 brasil@article19.org
ARTICLE 19 Mexico Medellín 33 Col. Roma México D.F. 06140 MéxicoTel: +52 55 1054 6500 Fax: +52 55 1054 6400 mexico@article19.org
ARTICLE 19 East & Horn of AfricaNairobi OfficeP.O. Box 2653 – 0100NRBKenya+ 254 (0) 20 386 2230/2231/2232africa@article19.org