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Who we are
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in more than 150 countries and territories who campaign to protect human rights. We have a vision of a world where every person enjoys all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations.
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Our history
Amnesty International began with one man’s outrage and his courage to do something about it. Outraged after hearing about two Portuguese students jailed for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom, British lawyer Peter Benenson wrote an article in 1961 titled ‘The Forgotten Prisoners’.
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Frequently asked questions
Would you like to know more about Amnesty International? Maybe there is a question you would like the answer to? We have provided the following answers to commonly asked questions about who we are and what we do.
What are human rights?
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Human rights are the basic freedoms and protections that people are entitled to simply because they are human beings.
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What we do
Amnesty International is a campaigning organisation. We research, document and report on human rights abuses. Read more here about the way we work.
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Our Vision, Mission & Values
Read about the vision of Amnesty International, what we are striving to achieve and the values we adhere to.
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Inside Amnesty
Learn how the global democratic movement of Amnesty International works behind the scenes. Read about our Governance Team members, who our staff are and how the organisation runs in New Zealand.
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Annual Reports
Read our yearly report on the state of the world's human rights across 157 countries and territories, as well as a detailed review of New Zealand's human rights record.
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Research and Reports
Amnesty International produces hundreds of reports, press releases, appeals for action and multimedia pieces each year.
"Only when the last prisoner of conscience has been freed, when the last torture chamber has been closed, when the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a reality for the world's people, will our work be done."
Peter Benenson, Founder of Amnesty International