People's Watch Tamil Nadu
Encyclopedia
People's Watch is an Indian Human Rights
NGO founded by a group of social activists in 1995 and is based in Madurai
in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu
.
Originally working solely in Tamil Nadu, People's Watch has recently moved into working at a national level with funding provided by the European Union
and other donor agencies for the National Project on the Prevention of Torture in India. People's Watch is widely recognised as the leading Human Rights organisation in India
.
From 1995-98, People's Watch concentrated its activities on monitoring of human rights violations. This was the mandate of its governing body and the Program Advisory Board. It was soon realized that monitoring alone was insufficient. In 1998, People's Watch began legal intervention on behalf of victims. By 2000, this work had grown and more field monitoring associates were hired at both zonal and regional levels. By 2001, People's Watch was working in 11 areas of Tamil Nadu. Soon after, the need to launch a full-fledged awareness building Campaign for Human Rights became clear, and this was followed, soon afterward, by the realization that victim rehabilitation was also essential. Monitoring, intervention and even winning compensation from the courts was not enough for those who had survived torture, abuse and imprisonment. They desperately needed medical, psychological and vocational help as well. Preceding the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, People's Watch began a vigorous training and education program.
Building on a mandate to monitor violations the growth and development of a broad range of individuals People's Watch initiated in committed to, knowledgeable and skilled in human rights work, 1997–98, the first Human Rights Education program in nine Tamil Nadu schools in 9th standard. By 2002-2005, standards 6-9th were involved in human rights education in nearly 800 schools, and teachers and students alike were reporting extraordinary classroom interest and enthusiasm. The need for human rights education at the college level was clear, as was the need to reach law students, movements, other NGOs, professional groups, elected representatives, trade unions, political parties and the media. By 2004, when the Strategic Planning process began, People's Watch had developed into a highly-respected, effective NGO, making connections, facilitating programs and spreading both a heightened awareness and an imperative to be an agent for change.
People's Watch is a member organization of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
(FORUM-ASIA).
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
NGO founded by a group of social activists in 1995 and is based in Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.
Originally working solely in Tamil Nadu, People's Watch has recently moved into working at a national level with funding provided by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and other donor agencies for the National Project on the Prevention of Torture in India. People's Watch is widely recognised as the leading Human Rights organisation in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
From 1995-98, People's Watch concentrated its activities on monitoring of human rights violations. This was the mandate of its governing body and the Program Advisory Board. It was soon realized that monitoring alone was insufficient. In 1998, People's Watch began legal intervention on behalf of victims. By 2000, this work had grown and more field monitoring associates were hired at both zonal and regional levels. By 2001, People's Watch was working in 11 areas of Tamil Nadu. Soon after, the need to launch a full-fledged awareness building Campaign for Human Rights became clear, and this was followed, soon afterward, by the realization that victim rehabilitation was also essential. Monitoring, intervention and even winning compensation from the courts was not enough for those who had survived torture, abuse and imprisonment. They desperately needed medical, psychological and vocational help as well. Preceding the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, People's Watch began a vigorous training and education program.
Building on a mandate to monitor violations the growth and development of a broad range of individuals People's Watch initiated in committed to, knowledgeable and skilled in human rights work, 1997–98, the first Human Rights Education program in nine Tamil Nadu schools in 9th standard. By 2002-2005, standards 6-9th were involved in human rights education in nearly 800 schools, and teachers and students alike were reporting extraordinary classroom interest and enthusiasm. The need for human rights education at the college level was clear, as was the need to reach law students, movements, other NGOs, professional groups, elected representatives, trade unions, political parties and the media. By 2004, when the Strategic Planning process began, People's Watch had developed into a highly-respected, effective NGO, making connections, facilitating programs and spreading both a heightened awareness and an imperative to be an agent for change.
People's Watch is a member organization of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development is a membership-based human rights organization "committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights including the right to development". They were founded in 1991 in Manila, and are now based in Geneva, Switzerland. Their Secretariat...
(FORUM-ASIA).