By Raina Fox, Consultant, Amnesty International USA
Fourteen Amnesty International (AI) Section Directors and leaders from around the world, as well as AI Secretary General Agnès Callamard, and Senior Director of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy Erika Guevara-Rosas gathered in Washington, D.C. from February 23 to 27, 2024, for AIUSA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Lobby Day, and related events to discuss challenges in the human rights space.
The group met to fulfill three goals:
- Support relationship-building across Sections and with the International Secretariat (IS) as part of a broader commitment to “One Amnesty.”
- Discuss and share skills and ideas regarding external challenges confronting Amnesty, such as growing threats to the rules-based order on which our human rights work depends, transnational repression and growing authoritarian practices here in the U.S. and around the world
- “Lift the lid” on Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) so that peer leaders around the world can see how AIUSA is navigating challenges and opportunities domestically and abroad.
Over the five days together, the group had opportunities to connect with each other, AIUSA staff and members, join workshops and roundtables around key issues, share their own work and resources, and advocate on behalf of issues in their countries with the U.S. government and other representatives. Here are some highlights from their Washington D.C. visit.
The participants included:
- Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, International Secretariat
- Dagmar Oudshoorn, Executive Director, Amnesty Netherlands
- Edith Olivares, Executive Director, Amnesty Mexico
- Eeling Chiu, Executive Director, Amnesty Taiwan
- Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy, International Secretariat
- France-Isabelle Langlois, Executive Director, Amnesty Canada (Quebec)
- Irũngũ Houghton, Executive Director, Amnesty Kenya
- Jurema Werneck, Executive Director, Amnesty Brazil
- Ketty Nivyabandi, Executive Director, Amnesty Canada (English)
- Paul O’Brien, Executive Director, Amnesty United States of America
- Sacha Deshmukh, Executive Director, Amnesty United Kingdom
- Shenilla Mohamed, Executive Director, Amnesty South Africa
- Stephen Bowen, Executive Director, Amnesty Ireland
- Sylvie Brigot, Executive Director, Amnesty France
- Wies DeGraeve, Executive Director, Amnesty Belgium
“It was my first time attending the AIUSA AGM and I was struck by the vibrant energy and power that was so present throughout. I learned so much from engaging with AIUSA staff, activists and members and from attending the sessions and the skills share. I returned to South Africa feeling energized and excited about our ability to come together as a unified movement of global citizens who will always take injustice personally and do everything in our power to uphold the rights of all.”
- Shenilla Mohamed, Amnesty South Africa
Friday, February 23, 2024
The leaders joined AIUSA Country and Thematic Specialists for breakfast to learn how they provide AIUSA with human rights expertise and hands-on action coordination on a wide range of countries and thematic issues. Then, they participated in a series of discussions hosted by the AIUSA Board of Directors concerning the crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, membership models, and the collective sharing and reflection on challenges, successes, and pressing human rights concerns facing sections around the world.
The leaders joined AIUSA Country and Thematic Specialists for breakfast to learn how they provide AIUSA with human rights expertise and hands-on action coordination on a wide range of countries and thematic issues.
Then, they participated in a series of discussions hosted by the AIUSA Board of Directors concerning the crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, membership models, and the collective sharing and reflection on challenges, successes, and pressing human rights concerns facing sections around the world.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
The international visitors attended the AIUSA Annual General Meeting, and some spoke at plenaries and participated in workshops led by AIUSA members and staff.
Section Directors and Erika Guevera–Rosas (Senior Director of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy, International Secretariat) stand with a mural of Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2021 for her human rights activism. (Lauren Murphy/Amnesty International)
They also joined an action at the White House demanding consistency on human rights from the U.S. government from Ukraine to Gaza and from Sudan to the U.S. border.
Executive Director Sylvie Brigot of Amnesty France (in gray coat) joins activists in front of the White House to demand that the U.S. government take a consistent approach on human rights.
Some AI Leaders joined AIUSA staff and members in front of the White House demanding a ceasefire and an end to U.S. hypocrisy on human rights.
Secretary General Agnès Callamard adds her handprint to a collective sign that reads “Let Gaza Live.”
Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty USA moderates a panel that includes Shenilla Mohamed, Executive Director of Amnesty South Africa, speaking about “Shifting Power Nationally and Globally, All at Once: Where do Human Rights Fit in?”
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Twelve Section Directors hosted lunch discussions with over 90 AIUSA members and staff on topics, such as “Human rights of people on the move at the borders of Europe,” “Amnesty as a movement: how can our movements nationally and internationally make the transformative changes the world needs?” and “Artificial Intelligence and human rights.”
Wies De Graeve, Amnesty Belgium (Flemish), top left, leads a conversation about the human rights of people on the move in Europe.
Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty Kenya (top right in black jacket) leads a conversation about artificial intelligence and human rights.
Stephen Bowen, Executive Director of Amnesty Ireland (top right in gray shirt) reflects on Amnesty’s work over the last 20+ years.
Monday, February 26, 2024
Three section directors participated in Lobby Day, joining members meeting with Representatives from Michigan, Hawaii and California and advocating for the SAFEGUARD Act.
Amnesty France’s Executive Director Sylvie Brigot (left) joins California Members lobbying their representatives about the SAFEGUARD Act.
In the afternoon, the section directors held an internal roundtable discussion on “Shifting Power, Growing Authoritarian Practices and the End of the Rules Based Order?: Implications for Amnesty.”
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
The visit wrapped with two roundtables at the AIUSA office in D.C. The first was an internal discussion “Transforming Ourselves While Increasing Our Human Rights Impact and People Power,” and the second was an external roundtable including some representatives from the U.S. Government and peer NGOs on “Transnational Repression.”
Amnesty Mexico’s Executive Director Edith Olivares (top right, in pink shirt) shares reflections at a roundtable discussion at the AIUSA office
“Having colleagues from around the world join the AIUSA Annual General Meeting was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the global nature of our movement, build relationships and connections across issues, and open dialogue between AIUSA members and those leading human rights efforts abroad. It was a joy and an honor to have this delegation with us.”
- Paul O’Brien
At the conclusion of their visit, Section Directors said they appreciated the opportunity to connect with each other, AIUSA staff and members, to learn about how movement building and lobbying unfold in the U.S. context, and imagine possibilities for greater integration as we collectively move forward our human rights agenda. They also look forward to continuing to learn, connect, and dig into sticky issues together.