In this section, organisations are described that all deal, in one way or another, with social justice: peace organisations that basically focus on the prevention and halting of armed conflicts between nations; human rights organisations that concentrate on issues of justice as the basis for peace; refugee bodies that share concern for the fate of the victims of injustice and war; and anti-discrimination groups that focus on the struggle to improve the position of minorities within European societies.

Amnesty International-Netherlands is the Dutch branch (263,000 members) of a worldwide organisation. AI is independent of any government, political party, ideology, religion or economic interest. AI's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. In pursuit of this vision, AI's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights. AI is respected as an advisory authority to the UN. AI publishes country reports on the human rights record of all countries. A global overview is given annually in AI's Annual Report.

The Centre for International Legal Cooperation is a Dutch non-profit organization. The Board of Governors is made up of representatives from the country's law schools, the Dutch Ministry of Justice, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and national associations of judges, prosecutors, and other legal professionals.

CILC is founded on the conviction that a functioning, reliable legal system is a critical precondition for the political, economic, and social well being of a country’s population. As development and transition countries struggle to improve their legal and judicial systems, many welcome the assistance and expertise provided under international legal cooperation projects. The purpose of such projects should always be to transfer knowledge adapted to local needs.

CILC’s activities lie in developing and implementing international legal cooperation projects, that: 1) are initiated in response to needs expressed by the beneficiary country; 2) reflect the policies and priorities of the donor organisations (the European

Commission, the United Nations Development Programme and the Dutch government);

and 3) draw on legal expertise primarily from the Dutch legal community but also from other European and non-European countries.

CLAT-the Netherlands is an association connected with the Centre of Latin American Workers (Central Latinoamericano the Trabajadores). The seat of CLAT is in Caracas, Venezuela. CLAT is a broad social movement with affiliated workers organisations in almost all Latin American countries. CLAT-the Netherlands provides information about the situation of human rights and rights of labourers in Latin America. The association tries to influence the policy on Latin America in the Netherlands and Europe through actions and advocacy.

CEO is a research and campaign group targeting the threats to democracy, equity, social justice and the environment posed by the economic and political power of corporations and their lobby groups. Aside from quarterly newsletters, CEO also publishes a number of briefings on various issues. These briefings are intended to provide in-depth information and analysis about the complex relationships between corporations acting through lobby groups and various governmental institutions. Current research and campaign priorities include: alternatives to water privatisation, proposed WTO investment negotiations, the WTO's services liberalisation talks (GATS), implications of the new EU treaty under negotiation, corporate co-optation of the UN, as well as the limits of voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The Coalition was founded in 2000, by people from development cooperation, (international) disability movements and service-providing organisations.

Its mission is to improve the condition of persons with disabilities by promoting equality of rights, communal responsibility for care, and social integration. DCDD takes the perspective of human rights as its point of departure, working on the basis of the UN standard rules.

DCDD's primary practical objective is to ensure that disability receives all the attention it deserves on the development-aid agenda, both at the political level and in society at large. DCDD's method is to function as an 'activating network' by facilitating contacts, by providing information, promoting exchange of ideas, and working to increase awareness of the distressful conditions in which many persons with disabilities live.

The Dutch Refugee Council is a national association of groups that support refugees who are prosecuted in their own countries and who are seeking asylum in the Netherlands. The DRC strives for a just admissions policy for refugees in the Netherlands and assists refugees to find their way in Dutch society. There are some 550 local working groups with around 10,000 active volunteers. They take care of the help desk for asylum seekers and refugees and provide legal assistance.

The mission of ECCP is to contribute to prevention and resolution of violent conflicts in the world. The Centre has specific networking and awareness-raising objectives focused on the Netherlands. Among ECCP's programmes, two are implemented globally: The 'Searching for Peace' Programme and Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict.

The ECCP acts as the secretariat of the European Platform for Conflict Prevention and Transformation (EPCP); an open network of some 150 key European NGOs involved in the prevention and/or resolution of violent conflicts in the international arena. The mission of the EPCP is to facilitate the exchange of information and experience among participating organisations, as well as to stimulate co-operation and synergy.

Since October 11th 2007 the Netherlands Humanist Committee on Human Rights (HOM) is called Aim for human rights. It is a non-governmental human rights organisation which is committed to strengthening the respect and the implementation of human rights in the broadest sense: universal, indivisible and interdependent. The word 'humanist' no longer features in the name, but the work of Aim for human rights remains based on humanist values such as freedom, human dignity and equality.

 

Aim for human rights supports organisations which fight for human rights all over the world. Local organisations are often the first to notice that human rights are violated and start to act. Aim for human rights helps these organisations. It does so via trainings, knowledge transfers and sometimes financial aid. This enables its partner organisations to do more for the human rights in their community.

 

Aim for human rights concentrates on the following themes:

* Women’s human rights

* Human rights and business

* Enforced disappearances

* Human rights in European policy

* Human rights impact assessment (HRIA)

The Indonesia House was founded in 2001 after the dissolution of the Indonesia Committee. Exiled Indonesians who advocated Soeharto’s removal from power founded the Committee in the 70s. The committee dissolved itself in 2000, because the target had been achieved.

Since its foundation, Indonesia House plays a central role as a European solidarity and information centre. It has succeeded in broadening the Indonesian network as well as intensifying contacts with international forums such as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Dutch and European parliaments. Furthermore one of the important tasks of Indonesia House is to provide the Dutch public with critical views on current developments in the fields of politics and human rights in Indonesia. Furthermore the House aims to inform the general public about Indonesian art and culture.

The IKV is the official ecumenical council for the peace activities of nine Dutch churches. IKV promotes a new policy for international security. Until the middle of the 1980s, a major activity was to protest against nuclear weapons in cooperation with other peace organisations. Since 1988 more attention has been given to new issues such as the re-emergence of ethnic, nationalist conflicts and new post cold war issues as well as a continued emphasis on non-proliferation. IKV has contacts in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus, Turkey, Cyprus and the Balkans. Part of the IKV staff is based in the HCA (Helsinki Citizens' Assembly) offices in Georgia and Bosnia. Other areas of involvement are the building of new relations with North Africa.

The IFWF has the following aims and principles: to encourage and intensify solidarity and communication among women all around the world; to promote the active participation of women in all fields of social life while maintaining their own identity; to fight any discrimination against people because of their sex, language, religion, nationality or social situation; to promote and extend the engagement of women for social justice, peace and pollution control; to create social projects that promote free and democratic relations between members of the society; to support women and children who are victims of war and violence; and to promote education and research on women’s issues.

Support for social and humanitarian projects for needy women and children in the Middle East and in other parts of the world and international cooperation with women’s organisations and individuals are main projects of the IFWF.

The NHC is a Non-Governmental Organisation with two main objectives. 1) the promotion of the international and social legal order in order to facilitate the complete application of human rights; 2) to strengthen and support the activities of (inter) national governmental institutions and NGOs that promote the objectives mentioned under point 1, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF); and 3) to focus on conflict prevention and on the promotion of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

The NHC co-operates with a number of partners in the Netherlands as well as in Central and Eastern Europe, such as the Council of Europe, NGOs, organisations representing legal professionals, Ministries and others.

The Netherlands Red Cross seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering and to improve the situation of vulnerable people. The Netherlands Red Cross seeks to help and protect victims of wars, conflicts and disasters, and people who need assistance due to other circumstances. The Netherlands Red Cross Society was established in 1867. Currently there are approximately 400 local branches. Within the international network of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Netherlands Red Cross co-operates with its sister Societies in assisting and working with vulnerable people, by providing personnel or financial and/or material support. This support is can be either rapid response to emergencies, caused by sudden disasters, wars and conflicts, or long-term assistance.

PCN is the Dutch branch of Pax Christi International. Pax Christi is an international Roman Catholic peace movement, founded around the end of World War II. The main objective of the movement is to work for peace as the fruit of justice for all people based on a belief in the peace of Christ. New approaches are sought with respect to peace, security and arms trade, reconciliation and human rights. Pax Christi Netherlands focuses specifically on Colombia, Cuba, Sudan, Rwanda, the Balkans and the Middle East and advocates the control of small arms.

Pax Christi Netherlands tries to raise awareness on justice and peace issues and strives for dialogue and cooperation with other Christian associations and movements. Pax Christi International has 20 national sections on four continents.

SOMO aims to contribute to a more just international division of labour between the industrialised and developing countries. SOMO seeks to contribute to sustainable development in local, regional, national and international economies and to democratic decision making processes between workers and corporations in the business world and within government structures. SOMO conducts research and consultancy focused on the activities of specific companies within certain branches of industry in relation to the environment, women, raw materials, national and international take-overs, joint ventures, adjustment programmes, co-determination of workers with TNCs, working conditions, fair trade, GATT and international trade. Most of the research and consultancy work is done for trade unions, consumer organisations, fair trade organisations, and environmental groups. SOMO has established links with research and documentation centres in various countries and participates in networks exchanging information and documentation like the Transnational Information Exchange (TIE) network.

The aim of those involved in Women For Peace is to stimulate each other in the process of increased awareness of peace and war issues. In this regard, the organisation underlines the connections between over-armament and underdevelopment, between militarism and sexism/repression of women, between nuclear armament and nuclear energy and between peace and human rights. Women For Peace has active member groups around the country based on a grassroots organisational model. Activities include producing a newsletter, organising thematic meetings, international networking and peace actions. Actions are often organised in cooperation with other like-minded (peace) groups. To link international activities and organisations working in this field Women For Peace has a working group called International Contacts.

The WGNRR is an autonomous network of groups and individuals throughout the world who aim to achieve and support reproductive rights for all women: the right of women to decide whether, when and with whom to have children.

The network has been in existence and growing since 1978. Currently the network consists of approximately 1500 groups and individuals in 114 countries in every continent of the world.

 

Members of WGNRR work independently in their own country. A small Coordination Office in Amsterdam is presently coordinating activities of the Network.

The WILPF is an international women's organisation which aims for complete disarmament, the abolition of all kinds of violence, respect for human rights and the search for non-violent solutions to conflicts. It pursues a world of social and political equality for everyone, by changing structures in society through non-violent means. The WILPF promotes a ‘new international economic order’ in which needs are fulfilled without aiming for profit or power, thus creating space for a just distribution of global resources. The WILPF has consultative status in several UN bodies, such as ECOSOC, UNESCO and UNCTAD and has special ties with UNICEF, ILO and FAO.

WPF’s mission is to work to improve the quality of life in developing countries by promoting:

· Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR);

· Awareness of the importance of SRHR for sustainable human development;

· Understanding of the central role of reproductive health in population issues.

through awareness creation, education, resource mobilisation, and the provision of information and services, especially to women and young people. In this way WPF aims to ensure the health and welfare of individuals, families and societies.

Within developing countries WPF supports local organisations that provide young and underprivileged people with access to information and services about sexuality and reproduction. In this way, WPF aims to make it possible for all individuals to make free and informed choices. Most of the projects target primarily young people.

WPF strengthens the capacity of local organisations, assists in developing and implementing activities, and provides management training.

 

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