The Amnesty International Global Finance Report shows information from our global movement as a whole. It is part of our commitment to be as transparent and accountable as possible.
For more than five decades, Amnesty International has shone a light on the world’s darkest corners.
We are a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Through research, legal analysis, advocacy campaigning, we bring torturers to justice, oppose oppression and help free people jailed simply for their peaceful beliefs.
We take action – and inspire others – to expose and stand against injustice and repression.
We stand together with those fighting for their rights.
WE STAND TOGETHER WITH THOSE FIGHTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS
IN 2018 WE DOCUMENTED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD
We know that human rights change is never the result of the work of a single organisation.
And while we contribute to it, it is our partners, members and supporters who make change happen by taking action.
Throughout 2018, millions of Amnesty International supporters helped create positive change worldwide:
- We worked to increase the capacity of human rights defenders, civil society organisations and communities to claim their rights, train and mobilise others and identify, document and report human rights violations
- We worked to achieve some important legislative and policy changes protecting women’s rights such as reproductive rights, and exposed the scale of violence and abuse against women online through our work on Twitter
- We continued to expose human rights violations and abuses against refugees and people seeking asylum, increase awareness and mobilise members, supporters and activists on key issues.
- We worked tirelessly to prevent setbacks to human rights, and to achieve important results on death penalty
- We continued to support human rights defenders across the globe and contributed to the release of at least 35 prisoners
This would have not happened without the support of our partners, members and supporters. Your support.
Your pressure was critical in protecting people’s rights and saving lives.
MAKING HUMAN RIGHTS HAPPEN
Standing up to the forces of repression and injustice is never easy. But together we can demand that governments end repression and corruption, and respect human rights. We can offer hope to the powerless and oppressed. Amnesty International founder Peter Benenson demonstrated the difference one person can make by appealing to others to unite with him in common action. He turned powerlessness into hope, and he turned an ancient Chinese proverb – “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness” – into a human rights rallying call. “Only when the last prisoner of conscience has been freed, when the last torture chamber has been closed, when the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a reality for the world’s people, will our work be done.”
Impartial. Independent. Accurate.
Where our money comes from
Our deeply held core principles of impartiality, independence and accuracy underpin all we do. This is built on an understanding that all human rights must be respected together if we are to achieve a world free from fear and want.
We are independent of any institution, ideology, economic interest and religion. Our only interest is in achieving human rights for all.
In 2018, we raised €299m for human rights work, an increase of 2% from 2017 (€295m).
The vast majority of our income comes from small donations from private individuals. More than 2m individuals donated to Amnesty International in 2018. The average donation per month was €8.75.
We are fully independent in setting our strategic and operational goals.
How we spend our money
Our global income is crucial to achieving human rights impact and positive change.
94% of our income is ‘unrestricted’. This means we are not asked to use it in a particular way – so we can spend most of our money wherever the need is greatest.
Amnesty International
In 2018, our global expenditure was €309m (in 2017, it was €290m). The pie chart shows the breakdown of what was spent.
Research. Evidence. Action
What we spend our money on
Our action for human rights is based on high-quality research, evidence and legal analysis.
This is accompanied by effective campaigning action, international solidarity and relentless global pressure to insist that governments live up to the promises made in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We are committed to spending our money on:
- Protecting human rights defenders, defending freedom of expression and delivering human rights education – securing equal rights for all.
- Opposing discrimination based on identity, gender or other grounds, and upholding economic, social and cultural rights.
- Responding to human rights crises – including protecting people on the move and those affected by conflict, and campaigning for international justice in crisis situations.
- Ensuring accountability – including working for international justice to ensure accountability for human rights abusers, standing up for human rights in criminal justice systems, campaigning for a world without the death penalty, and ensuring corporate accountability.