About Amnesty International

Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized
human rights.

AI’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 standards.

In pursuit of this vision, AI’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending
grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and
freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

AI is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It does not support or
oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose
rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights.

AI has a varied network of members and supporters around the world. At the latest count, there were more
than 1.8 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of
the world. Although they come from many different backgrounds and have widely different political and
religious beliefs, they are united by a determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.

AI is a democratic, self-governing movement. Major policy decisions are taken by an International Council
made up of representatives from all national sections.

AI’s national sections and local volunteer groups are primarily responsible for funding the movement. No
funds are sought or accepted from governments for AI’s work investigating and campaigning against human
rights violations.

3. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL addresses governments, intergovernmental

organizations, armed political groups, companies and other non-state actors.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL seeks to disclose human rights abuses accurately,

quickly and persistently. It systematically and impartially researches the facts of
individual cases and patterns of human rights abuses. These findings are publicized, and
members, supporters and staff mobilize public pressure on governments and others to
stop the abuses.

In addition to its work on specific abuses of human rights, AMNESTY

INTERNATIONAL urges all governments to observe the rule of law, and to ratify and
implement human rights standards; it carries out a wide range of human rights
educational activities; and it encourages intergovernmental organizations, individuals,
and all organs of society to support and respect human rights.

ORGANIZATION

5. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL is an organization based on worldwide voluntary

membership and it shall consist of sections, structures, international networks, affiliated
groups and international members.

6. Ultimate authority for the conduct of the affairs of AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL is

vested in the International Council. The primary functions of the International Council
are:

(i) to focus on strategy;

(ii) to set AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’s vision, mission and core values;
(iii) to determine AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’s Integrated Strategic Plan including
its financial strategy;
(iv) to establish systems and bodies of governance and delegation for the movement, to
elect members to those bodies, and to hold those bodies and their members accountable;
(v) to evaluate the movement’s performance against its agreed strategies and plans;
(vi) to hold sections, structures and other bodies accountable.

7. There is an International Executive Committee. The primary role of the International

Executive Committee is to provide leadership and stewardship for the whole of
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL worldwide. The functions of the International Executive
Committee are:

(i) to take international decisions on behalf of AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL;

(ii) to ensure that there is a sound financial policy for AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
and that the financial policy is consistently implemented across the international
organization;
(iii) to ensure implementation of the Integrated Strategic Plan;
(iv) to make any necessary adjustments to the Integrated Strategic Plan and other
decisions of the International Council;
(v) to ensure compliance with the Statute;
(vi) to ensure human resources development;
(vii) to hold sections, structures and other bodies of AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
accountable for their functioning by presenting reports to the International Council;
(viii) to perform the other functions conferred on it by the Statute.

8. The day-to-day affairs of AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL shall be conducted by the

International Secretariat headed by a Secretary General under the direction of the
International Executive Committee.

9. The office of the International Secretariat shall be in London or such other place as the
International Executive Committee shall decide and which is ratified by at least one half
of the sections.

10. Responsibility for AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL work on abuses of human rights

in any country or territory, including the collection and evaluation of information, and the
sending of delegations, lies with the international governing bodies of the organization,
and not with the section, structure, groups or members in the country or territory
concerned.
International Executive Committee
What is the International Executive Committee?

The International Executive Committee (IEC) consists of nine people including the International Treasurer,
each being members of Amnesty International (AI) who have been elected to office by the International
Council. All serve two-year terms and each is eligible for re-election for a maximum of three consecutive
terms.

The IEC may not include more than one member from any AI national body, or more than one member of AI
from any country, state or territory in which no AI body exists. The IEC meets at least two times during any
one year and in practice meets at least four times a year.

The IEC’s role is to provide leadership and stewardship for the Amnesty International movement worldwide.
Its chief functions are set down by AI’s Statute and include to:

• Ensure the movement’s compliance with AI’s Statute;

• Ensure implementation of AI’s Integrated Strategic Plan;
• Ensure the sound financial management of AI at the international level;
• Provide consent for the establishment of sections, structures, and other bodies of AI;
• Hold sections, structures and other bodies of AI accountable for their functioning by presenting
reports to the International Council;
• Take international decisions on behalf of AI;
• Ensure human resources development.

The IEC also appoints and directs AI’s international Secretary General who, in turn, is responsible for the
day-to-day conduct of the international movement, acting as the movement’s chief spokesperson, its chief
political advisor and as the Chief Executive Office of the International Secretariat.

The IEC sets its workplan annually and bases this, in large part, on the decisions of International Councils
and the goals of AI’s Integrated Strategic Plan. Throughout its cycle of office, the IEC issues the wider AI
movement with regular reports on its priorities, deliberations and decisions. This reporting cycle includes the
circulation of the Secretary General’s quarterly financial reports in which is detailed the international
movement’s “year-to-date” expenditure against the IEC-approved budget.

The IEC is accountable to the International Council. At the close of each two year term, the IEC provides to
the Council detailed accounts of the work it has undertaken and makes recommendations to the Council on
matters affecting AI’s future direction.