What role do non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play in the promotion of human rights?
The role of NGOs in the promotion of human rights at international, regional and national levels is widely recognized and endorsed by the international community. NGOs contribute significantly to the United Nations human rights programme. They serve as a unique source of information; assist in the identification and drafting of new international standards; seek to obtain redress for victims of human rights abuses; and play an important role in promo-ting human rights education, particularly at the non-formal level. There are numerous NGOs, international and national, which are very active in the field of human rights. One of the most famous is Amnesty International, founded in 1961. Since that time the organization’s logo – a burning candle wrapped in barbed wire – has become world-famous. Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its tireless activities in the protection of freedom of speech, religion and belief, for the release of political prisoners, and in
