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Is Amnesty International a good charity?

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  • 05-12-2011 12:27pm
    #1
    Violet2000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭


    Is Amnesty International a good charity to get involved with? The only information I can find anywhere is their own website and articles, so I'd rather something that wasn't biased.

    Has anyone else volunteered with them or what do you know about them?

    Thanks.


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    #2
    Coriolanus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,879 ✭✭✭Coriolanus


    Violet2000 wrote: »
    Is Amnesty International a good charity to get involved with? The only information I can find anywhere is their own website and articles, so I'd rather something that wasn't biased.

    Has anyone else volunteered with them or what do you know about them?

    Thanks.
    They're kind of arseholey but tend to be unbiased enough. The report on the war in Gaza for ex, they pretty much said both sides were in breach of int. law.


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    #3
    orourkeda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,918 ✭✭✭✭orourkeda


    Trendy priests tripping over each other to sing ballads at half time in the bingo to paraphrase Christy Moore


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    #4
    El Weirdo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,646 ✭✭✭✭El Weirdo


    Try here, OP.


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    #5
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    They highlight human rights abuses, such as torture. But no doubt some people here will do their best to find reasons to call them monsters.

    Yeah Colm O'Gorman - what a prick for highlighting sexual abuse!


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    #6
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    I wouldnt touch any "charity" that uses chuggers with a 500ft bargepole


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    #7
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    the groutch wrote: »
    I wouldnt touch any "charity" that uses chuggers with a 500ft bargepole
    A chugger gimp representing them gave me grief one time - but I'd still support the organisation and the work it does, just not via chuggers.


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    #8
    FatherLen
    Registered Users Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭FatherLen


    i have no idea to be honest. their cause is a good one but i have never dealt with them personally.


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    #9
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    Dana International is much sexier.


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    #10
    Baky
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭Baky


    Dudess wrote: »
    They highlight human rights abuses, such as torture. But no doubt some people here will do their best to find reasons to call them monsters.

    Yeah Colm O'Gorman - what a prick for highlighting sexual abuse!


    Sexual abuse of children is not Amnesty's remit Dudes. (Anyway, as far as I can see he highlighted his own abuse while keeping his distance from all those people from institutions who are not/were not a good image for him and his career.) Colm O'Gorman might be a one trick pony - but Amnesty is not. If you support human rights, as I do, I'd say support Amnesty in another country. Although the UK is tainted with controversy as well since the pay off of a million to their former Director. Perhaps Amnesty is a victim of its own success - corrupted by size and power. Front Line is a small Irish human rights charity - excellent, focused, effective and not paying massive salaries to semi celebrity directors. Headed by former Amnesty Director who didn't like what Amnesty was doing. Support them.


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    #11
    star gazer
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,706 Mod ✭✭✭✭star gazer


    Mod
    Welcome to the volunteerism forum.
    I have deleted a couple of posts, one off topic and another with some comments that are not possible to substantiate.
    It would be good if an amnesty volunteer could answer the OP's question, thanks.


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    #12
    Baky
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭Baky


    I have been an intern and as a result of my experience, expressed my opinion - that is that the organisation is an unpleasant place to work, that I witnessed high turnover, that long standing staff point to the problems having started with the appointment of one individual, that that individual is very unpopular and that questions in the media have been repeatedly asked about his leadership, his salary, the massive decline in donations and membership, the possibility of survival of the organisation under such stewardship etc. For example see the Phoenix 08/04/11 - a well-researched, rigorous and factual article, corroborated by interviewees and right to reply to the organisation. Nothing I have said here does not appear in that and other articles which appeared or example in the Tribune and the Sunday Business Post.


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    #13
    eire.man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭eire.man


    Dudess wrote: »
    the groutch wrote: »
    I wouldnt touch any "charity" that uses chuggers with a 500ft bargepole
    A chugger gimp representing them gave me grief one time - but I'd still support the organisation and the work it does, just not via chuggers.

    support all it's work? including this?

    http://libyasos.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-amnesty-international-spread-rumors.html


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    #14
    eire.man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 232 ✭✭eire.man


    Baky wrote: »
    Dudess wrote: »
    They highlight human rights abuses, such as torture. But no doubt some people here will do their best to find reasons to call them monsters.

    Yeah Colm O'Gorman - what a prick for highlighting sexual abuse!


    Sexual abuse of children is not Amnesty's remit Dudes. (Anyway, as far as I can see he highlighted his own abuse while keeping his distance from all those people from institutions who are not/were not a good image for him and his career.) Colm O'Gorman might be a one trick pony - but Amnesty is not. If you support human rights, as I do, I'd say support Amnesty in another country. Although the UK is tainted with controversy as well since the pay off of a million to their former Director. Perhaps Amnesty is a victim of its own success - corrupted by size and power. Front Line is a small Irish human rights charity - excellent, focused, effective and not paying massive salaries to semi celebrity directors. Headed by former Amnesty Director who didn't like what Amnesty was doing. Support them.

    amnesty not a one trick pony, no way Jose, they can even help to topple a whole country and the one man who kept his country at arms length from western interference!!


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    #15
    Baky
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭Baky


    Violet2000 wrote: »
    Is Amnesty International a good charity to get involved with? The only information I can find anywhere is their own website and articles, so I'd rather something that wasn't biased.

    Has anyone else volunteered with them or what do you know about them?

    Thanks.

    http://www.independent.ie/national-news/amnesty-cuts-six-jobs-as-income-hit-by-falling-donations-2326092.html


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    #16
    star gazer
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,706 Mod ✭✭✭✭star gazer


    Mod
    Please provide links backing up what you are saying. Howthhead post deleted pending links.
    Baky please link to what you say you are basing this on. The salary link mentions nothing about other things you have mentioned.


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    #17
    star gazer
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,706 Mod ✭✭✭✭star gazer


    mod
    eire.man there is a conspiracy theory forum here or if you can back up your argument, the politics forum is here

    This thread is close to getting closed as it's contribution to the volunteerism forum is questionable at best now.


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    #18
    Baky
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭Baky


    Hang on a second Star Gazer - Violet asked if Amnesty is a good charity "to get involved with". Therefore she asked for anyone who has been involved with Amnesty to share their experiences. That's what I did and that's what the other poster did. I think articles about the financial state of the chaoruty or relevant, and articles which deal the amount of redundancies are also relevant when someone ask if they should " get involved" with a charity. Furthermore, Amnesty is a membership organisation and their figures are therefore published every year. As a charity which publicly touts for financial support and (despite its denials) gets a significant amount of its funding from government (Its entire education programme for example is funded by Irish Aid), then it is a matter of public interest that its conduct and financial situation be known.

    I would post the link to the article I mentioned if I could find it on line but I cannot. I gave been mailed a PDF of the original article - Can I attach that?


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    #19
    star gazer
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,706 Mod ✭✭✭✭star gazer


    Personal experience of the organisation is one thing, making claims about individuals is another thing. It would be better if you could link to material that isn't behind a pay wall as i won't be able to know it is authentic or not. I understand the need for charities as well as any other organisation to be accountable but there is a risk to boards.ie if unsubstantiated claims are made. If you want to make a political point about Amnesty in Ireland, go to the politics section.


This discussion has been closed.
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