- International Campaign to Ban Landmines (donations, e-mail subscription)
- Actions you can take to help (e.g., send an e-mail to a politician)
- Save the Children (petition sign-up on-line)
Is it effective? Surprisingly, it is. The effectiveness of the Amnesty International (Nobel Prize 1977) urgent actions in saving people from torture or other atrocities is estimated at about 33%. In addition to fighting for safety of concrete people, Amnesty International carries out large-scale campaigns targeting particular countries or particular problems (e.g., arms trade). Other humanitarian actions (petitions) also proved helpful. For the effectiveness of its work, the network called the International Campaign to Ban Landmines received the Nobel Prize in 1997. Another widely recognized humanitarian network, Doctors Without Borders, received its Nobel Prize in 1999 for providing medical assistance to the most needing people all over the world. The consumer reaction (letters or boycotts ) made even some very powerful companies join the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) or abandon cruel and unnecessary tests on animals. The ETI, designed to change the totally inhuman work conditions where people risk becoming mutilated or handicap and to prevent companies from exploiting child or forced labour, is by now an important and known network created mostly due to the clear public (consumer) demand. It is the public support that allows the organizations like CAFOD to help fight poverty and provide immediate aid when emergencies arise. (See also Disasters Emergency Committee .) It is the caring of the more and more aware society that gives steam to organizations like Compassion in World Farming. (They successfully led a campaign bringing the European Union to ban in June 1999 the use of battery cages for egg laying hens from the year 2012.)
Does it take much trouble? Not much. Donations on-line (cf. charity card) are immediate. Also, since global directories are provided, one can visit the relevant site in ones country and use a local bank account or address to make a non-credit-card contribution. Does it take much time? Not much. A couple of hours per month. Letters are pre-written, ready for one to modify and print. There is also the Pledge Donor Scheme (see below) which takes care of everything for you, including the mailing. It is not necessary to be a grown-up to help: One of the groups of Amnesty International consists of Polish high-school students. Nor is it necessary to speak fluent English: national sections of many humanitarian organizations exist and translations are provided.
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