Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as “to undertake research and action paying attention on preventing and ending abuses of the rights to physical and mental honesty, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from favoritism, within the background of its work to promote all human rights.” And it was founded in the UK in 1961; AI draws its notice to human rights abuses and campaigns for fulfillment with international standards. It works to activate public opinion which exerts pressure on individuals who commit abuses. The organization was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its “campaign against torture” and the UN Human Rights Prize in 1978, but has received criticism for both alleged anti-Western and alleged pro-Western bias.
There are five main areas which Amnesty deals with they are Women’s Rights, Children’s Rights, Ending Torture and Execution, Rights of Refugees and Rights of Prisoners of Conscience. Some definite aims are to eliminate the death penalty, end extrajudicial executions and “disappearances”, ensure prison conditions meet international human rights standards, make sure prompt and fair trial for all political prisoners, make sure free education to all children worldwide, fight impunity from systems of justice, end the recruitment and use of child soldiers, free all prisoners of scruples, promote economic, social and cultural rights for marginalized communities, defend human rights defenders, promote religious tolerance, stop torture and ill-treatment, stop unlawful killings in armed conflict, and to uphold the rights of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.