Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is a global non-governmental organization that carry outs research and advocacy on human rights. HRW head office are in New York City with offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Zurich. As of June 2011, the organization’s yearly expenses amounted to $50.6 million.

History 

Human Rights Watch was established as a clandestine American NGO in 1978, under the name of Helsinki Watch, to watch the previous Soviet Union's conformity with the Helsinki Accords. Helsinki Watch accepted a practice of openly "naming and shaming" obnoxious governments through media exposure and through direct connections with policymakers. By shining the worldwide spotlight on human rights breach in the Soviet Union and its European partners, Helsinki Watch contributed to the democratic revolutions of the section in the late 1980s.

Americas Watch was established in 1981 while bloody civil wars swallowed up Central America. Relying on broad on-the-ground fact-finding, Americas Watch not only tackled alleged abuses by government forces but also functionalized international humanitarian law to scrutinize and depiction war crimes by rebel groups. Additionally raising its apprehensions in the affected countries, Americas Watch also observed the role played by foreign governments, mostly the United States government, in providing military and political support to abusive governments.

Asia Watch in 1985, Africa Watch in 1988 and Middle East Watch in 1989 were additional to what was well-known as "The Watch Committees." All of these committees were amalgamated under one umbrella to shape Human Rights Watch in 1988.

Originally known as the Helsinki Watch, the Human Rights Watch was first considered in 1978 as a support group for populace of the Soviet bloc. Their founding aim was to assist these citizens in screening government conformity with the Helsinki Accords of 1975, which was called for courteous and cooperative relations between the West and the Communist bloc. The Helsinki Watch used media exposure, plus connection with policymakers, to utilize methods of openly “naming and shaming” offensive governments. This way, the organization was enable to get global attention to corruption and exploitation in Soviet and Eastern European governments, acting as a foremost force in the dramatic reach of democracy of the 1980s. Each were created in the same resemblance of the Helsinki Watch, although Americas Watch was the primary to take it a step further as their Central American civil wars were intensely on, and apply global humanitarian law to their efforts towards the inquiry and elucidation of war crimes by various rebel groups. Additionally, they studied into, and were serious of, the parts that foreign governments may play in supporting abusive systems, whether financially, politically, or militarily. These novel strategies became lasting policies of the organization as a whole, and in 1988, the compilation of Watch Committees decided to unite under one comprehensive title, calling themselves the "Human Rights Watch".

Publications

Human Rights Watch circulates reports on several different topics and assembles an annual World Report presenting an outline of the universal state of human rights. It has been available by Seven Stories Press since 2006; the recent edition, World Report 2015, was released in February 2015, and covers trial of 2014. Human Rights Watch has detailed extensively on topics such as the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, Democratic Republic of the Congo and US sex offender registries because of their over-breadth and application to adolescents. During summer of 2004, the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University in New York became the reservoir institution for the Human Rights Watch records, an active compilation that documents decades of human rights investigations throughout the world. The records were shifted from its former location at the Norlin Library at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The archive comprises administrative files, public relations documents, plus case and country files. With some exceptions for security concerns, the Columbia University community and the public have right to use field notes, taped and transcribed interviews with suspected victims of human rights violations, video and audio tapes, and other materials documenting the organization’s activities since its establishment in 1978 as Helsinki Watch.

Wellcome Trust

 

The Wellcome Trust is a biomedical explores aid organization based in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1936 with inheritance from the pharmaceutical tycoon Sir Henry Wellcome to finance research to develop human and animal health. The objective of the Trust is to "attain extraordinary improvements in health by sustaining the brightest minds", and in addition to funding biomedical research it maintains the public understanding of science. It has an donation of around £18 billion. The Trust has been illustrated by the Financial Times as the United Kingdom's biggest provider of non-governmental financial support for scientific research and one of the biggest providers in the world. In the meadow of medical research, it is the world's second-large private funder after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

History

The Trust was founded to run the wealth of the American-born pharmaceutical tycoon Sir Henry Wellcome. Its income was resultant from what was initially called Burroughs Wellcome, later named in the UK as the Wellcome Foundation Ltd. The trust later sold 25% of Wellcome plc stock to the public in 1986. Managed  by incoming Director of Finance Ian Macgregor, this marked the commencement of a period of financial growth that saw the Trust's value augment by almost £14bn in 14 years, as their interests stimulated beyond the limits of the pharmaceutical industry. In 1995, the trust separated itself from any interest in pharmaceuticals by selling all residual stock to Glaxo plc, the company's historic British contender, creating GlaxoWellcome plc. In 2000, the Wellcome name vanished from the drug business altogether when GlaxoWellcome fused with SmithKline Beecham, forming GlaxoSmithKline plc.

Activites

Biomedical research: The Trust finances the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, a non-profit, British genomics and genetics research institute. Support for Open Access: The Wellcome Trust plays an essential role in encouraging publication of research in open access repositories such as UK PubMed Central (UKPMC). The Wellcome Trust considers that maximizing the circulation of these papers - by providing free, online entrée - is the most helpful way of ensuring that the research can be accessed, read and built upon. In turn, this will promote a richer research culture, Public engagement and the Wellcome Collection.In June 2007, the Wellcome Building revived after restoration as a public venue, accommodaing the Wellcome Collection, the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London and the Wellcome Library. The objective of the Wellcome Collection is to improve public understanding of medical science and history. The building includes gallery spaces, conference facilities, space for debates, drama and workshops, a café and a bookshop. The galleries demonstrate a small sample of works from Sir Henry Wellcome's collected works, and host a programme of events and exhibitions. The Wellcome Collection and exhibitions are open to the public free of charge six days a week. The Wellcome Collection and Wellcome Library are affiliates of The London Museums of Health & Medicine.

Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative

Also known as SDDI, this five year project started in October 2005 with the dispatch "to assist the progress of drug-like small molecules that address unmet medical needs." SDDI was located in London and managed by Richard Davis. Through early 2010, SDDI had offered more than £80 million across 30 projects divided between academic institutions and companies. In May 2010, an extra £110 million was added to the SDDI fund with the aim to extend the project for an additional 5 years. 

Purchase of the Co-operative Farms Business

The Wellcome Trust bought the Co-operative Group's farm business for £249 million in August 2014. This included "15,997 hectares (39,533 acres) of freehold and third party owned land, 15 farms, comprising three pack houses, over 100 residential properties, and 27 commercial properties."

Stichting INGKA Foundation

The Stichting INGKA Foundation is a Dutch organization established in 1982 by the Swedish billionaire, Ingvar Kamprad, who is the creator of IKEA. INGKA is one of the biggest charitable organizations in the world and the biggest nonprofit foundation in the world. The name "INGKA" derived from an abbreviation of his name, whereas stitching is the Dutch word for foundation. The affirmed purpose of the foundation is "to endorse and support innovation in the sector of architectural and interior design", though, the organization has recently extended its philanthropic agenda regarding children in the developing world.

Overview

The foundation holds the private Dutch company INGKA Holding, located in Leiden, which is the holding business that controls 315 out of the 360 outlets of IKEA. INGKA does not possess the IKEA franchise and trademark; Inter IKEA Systems B.V. in Delft, also in the Netherlands owned these companies, which collects 3% of all IKEA revenues in royalties. Inter IKEA Holding has ownership of Inter IKEA Systems, recorded in Luxembourg, which is managed, in turn, by Interogo Foundation, a Liechtenstein foundation that is also maintained by the Kamprad family (to the value of $15 billion). 

In an clarification of IKEA's complex commercial structure, Ingvar Kamprad told once to the authors of a Swedish documentary that tax efficiency was "a normal part of the company's low-cost culture". The charity organisatin also provides an anti-takeover shield scheme for IKEA. The Dutch Tax Service has functioned the (algemeen nut beogende instelling, ANBI) "Institution for General Benefit" category to the Stichting IKEA Foundation. According to the ANBI register in the Netherlands, Stichting INGKA Foundation mislaid ANBI status in 2010, but was recorded as an ANBI from 01-01-2008 until 01-01-2010.

Giving

The foundation apparently donated 65 million Euros in 2011; though, in that year plans were declared to amplify the offerings to about 100 million euros per year, with 40 million Euros in three years period going to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya—the remainder would be divided between UN agencies such as UNDP,  UNICEF, UNHCR and, and Save the Children. 

Criticism

In May 2006, The Economist magazine projected that the foundation was valued US$36 billion, making it the world's wealthiest charity at that period of time; though, it also affirmed that the foundation "is also one of its least liberal at the moment. The whole set-up of IKEA lessens tax and disclosure, considerably rewards the founder Kamprad family and makes IKEA impervious to a takeover". After the publication of the Economist article, Ingvar Kamprad went to court in the Netherlands to increase the objectives of the foundation, whereby more money would be used up on children in the developing world. Previously, the foundation's articles of association was narrowed the foundation's intention to "innovation in the sector of architectural and interior design" and it had given a comparatively petite amount of its assets to the Lund Institute of Technology.

MAP International

MAP International is a universal Christian health and relief organization that allies with people living in circumstances of poverty to save lives and build up healthier families and communities. Known for their 99% efficiency rating, they take action to the needs of those they serve by providing medicines, avoiding disease and endorsing health to construct real hope and lasting change. Their mission is to progress the total Health of people living in the world’s deprived communities. They accomplish that mission in the extensive programmatic areas of community health development, disease prevention and abolition, relief and treatment and worldwide health advocacy.

History

MAP International was established as Medical Assistance Programs International, an organization that gives medical supplies overseas, promotes community health development, prevents disease, and act in responses to disasters, was launched in 1954 by J. Raymond Knighton who was also the first Executive director of the Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS). MAP International is a associate of Integral, an worldwide cooperation of 19 Christian relieve organizations. The first project of  MAP International’s was to provide Shering Corporation and Eli Lilly’s donation of 11 tons of medicines overseas in developing areas. From then, MAP International has founded numerous projects that includes but not restricted to emergency relief efforts prior Typhoon Gloria in Taiwan, the fall of the Soviet Union, civilian casualties in Panama, Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the fall of the Taliban, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the 2015 Nepal earthquake. MAP International also begins Fellowship programs to teach medical students, opened offices in developing areas such as Ecuador, Kenya, and West Africa, and contributed billions of dollars in medicines and supplies to people in need.

^Credibility

MAP International is ranked as a highly reliable organization is well proved to by multiple well-known sources. Forbes, Inc. identifies MAP International as the #37 biggest U.S. Charity. This shows that the MAP International program is very well known and produce a large amount of revenue. It enlightens important facets of the program such as its donor dependency, total revenue, amount spent on charitable work, and fundraising efficiency. BBB lists MAP International as an attributed charity, meaning it meets the principles in terms of governance, measuring effectiveness, funds and fund raising and information. Charity Navigator toll MAP International as 99.92 out of 100, or four out of four stars, and comprises information about the program’s responsibility and precision. CNBC named MAP International #2 on their list of Top-Ten Charities Changing the World in 2015. Popline points out that some health workers have prejudices against working with faith-oriented programs, but that the qualities of the MAP International program should disperse these prejudices. It also argues the monetary benefits of FBOs in relation to “their capability to leverage volunteer work with minimal effort.”

Current projects

Disaster relief: MAP International works to take action to both natural and conflict connected emergencies. MAP International offers medical relief consignments to those in need and watches the health of those in need, if an emergency take places in a country MAP International has set up a country existence it implements a country office response in which MAP International staff assemble to give health care, and uses community based disaster improvement to teach community members to handle the effects of the disaster and endorse health in the wake of the disaster on a long-term scale.

Maternal and child health: MAP International has executed programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, Kenya, and Uganda. These programs spotlight on a glut of different topics including per natal care, training health advocates, preventing sexual exploitation, providing psychotherapy for victims of sexual abuse, and education. 

Direct Relief

Direct Relief (previously recognized as Direct Relief International) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with an affirmed mission to “develop the health and lives of people exaggerated by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing vital medical resources required for their care." The organization is led by President and CEO Thomas Tighe and a 31-member Board of Directors. Tighe came to Direct Relief from the Peace Corps, where he worked as Chief-of-Staff and Chief Operating Officer from 1995-2000. 

History

In 1945, William Zimdin, an Estonian migrant and victorious businessman in pre-war Europe, started sending thousands of relief packages to relatives, friends, and ex- employees in the repercussion of World War II. In 1948, Zimdin dignified his efforts with the launching of the William Zimdin Foundation. In 1951, Dezso Karczag, a Hungarian migrant took over management of the foundation after Zimdin's death. In 1957, he altered the organizations name to 'Direct Relief Foundation'. The organization again renamed "Direct Relief International" in 1982, and later "Direct Relief" in 2013. Direct Relief was the foremost nonprofit organization in the United States of America to be selected by National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) as a Authenticated-Certified Wholesale Distributor approved to dispense pharmaceutical medicines to all 50 United States's States and Washington, D.C. 

Operation

Operating budget of Direct Relief's averaged approximately $11 million between 2000 - 2014. At the same period, Direct Relief detailed distributing more than $1.6 billion in medical funds and supplies all over the U.S. and the world - a ratio of $36.00 in relieve for each $1.00 in operating cost. Health supplies from Direct Relief come mostly from donations by hundreds of companies such as Abbott, Ansell, BD, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and generic pharmaceutical producers. Direct Relief handles logistics and delivery through enterprise systems including Esri, SAP, and Palantir, and from transportation support from FedEx.

Emergency preparedness and response

Relief Efforts

April 2015 Nepal earthquake: In response to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Direct Relief instantly mustered and distributed 118,000 pounds of medical supplies via FedEx charter, including 6.2 million distinct daily doses of medications. 

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa: As of February 2015, Direct Relief distributed 40 consignments of medical support worth of $25 million to around 1,000 hospitals and clinics in Liberia and Sierra Leone. On 20 September 2014, Direct Relief contracted a 747 filled with 100 tons of materials for Ebola-hit regions. Worth of $6 million, the shipment of 120,000 masks, 2.8 million surgical and exam gloves, 170,000 coverall gowns, 9.8 million doses of essential medications and 40,000 liters of pre-mixed oral rehydration solution, was the biggest single emergency consignment till date from the U.S. to the region. 

Hurricane Sandy: Direct Relief aided channel response efforts by mapping pharmacies, gas stations, and other facilities that lingered in the New York City area in spite of power outages, in addition to supporting non-profit health centers, community clinics, and other groups in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy with medical goods. 

2010 Haiti earthquake: After six months of the Haiti earthquake, Direct Relief granted more than 400 tons of emergency medical backup worth in excess of $57 million to Haitian health care facilities, mobile medical clinics, international medical teams, tent-based hospitals and medical units at camps for relocated people all over the country. 

Use of Technology

Direct Relief using Esri technology,  initiated a Global Aid Map in 2011 to envisage channels of aid and medical supplies distributed during emergencies in no time and to offer a better transparency into how, where, and how much aid the organization distributed. Direct Relief has adopted communications data integration systems developed by  Palantir Technologies to harmonize and improve emergency response during critical moments after a disaster. Also, Direct Relief has used civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to counter to disaster. Functioning with technology companies like Palantir and Esri, Direct Relief pre-positions medical supply units with safety-net health facilities in communally vulnerable areas, the Caribbean, flood zones and hurricane paths along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the Philippines, and  Central America. Direct Relief supplies the Hurricane Preparedness Packs with assistance from individuals, pharmaceutical and medical companies, and through long relationship with FedEx.