General Reference Sites

Better World Links                               
Contains over 30,000 links on Peace, Nonviolence, Human Rights, Environment, Social Justice and more. A comprehensive listing of all relevant NGOs (non-government organizations) and information represented in the internet. Access to critical background information on current problems.

Nonviolence

American Friends Service Committee                       
A Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.
The American Friends Service Committee carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs throughout the world. Founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims, AFSC's work attracts the support and partnership of people of many races, religions, and cultures.

Friends Peace Teams Project                                                       
Friends Peace Teams is a spirit-led organization working around the world to develop long-term relationships with communities in conflict to create programs for peace building, healing and reconciliation. FPT’s programs build on extensive Quaker experience combining practical and spiritual aspects of conflict resolution.

Foundation Non-Violence XXI                                    
A French-based cooperative organization of nonviolent organizations.

Gandhiserve                                     
A non-profit popularizing Mahatma Gandhi's life and work. Everything about Gandhi: writings, chronology, photographs and quotes including his favorite songs!

Global Peacebuilders                                     
Global Peacebuilders is an international network of conflict resolution, conflict transformation and peacebuilding initiatives. By connecting organisations, individual practitioners, researchers and other groups worldwide, they offer a platform for learning, exchange of innovative practice and development of international partnerships for reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Global Peace Services-USA (GPS-USA)                          
A movement to create a professional peace service by promoting education and skills-training for men and women based on a philosophy of active nonviolence.

International Fellowship of Reconciliation                         
The International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) is an international spiritually based movement composed of people committed to active nonviolence.

Nonviolence International                          
Nonviolence International promotes nonviolent action and seeks to reduce the use of violence worldwide. It is a decentralized network of resource centres that promote the use of nonviolent action.  Founded by Palestinian activist Mubarak Awad in 1989, NI is registered in Washington, DC, USA, Thailand, Russia, and Palestine. Resource Centers and Affiliates are in Aceh (Indonesia), Bangladesh, Jerusalem, Bangkok, Moscow, and Washington, D.C.

Nonviolent Peace Force                                   
Nonviolent Peace force (NP) is a non-partisan unarmed peacekeeping force composed of trained civilians from around the world. In partnership with local groups, Nonviolent Peaceforce  members apply proven nonviolent strategies to protect human rights, deter violence, and help create space for local peacemakers to carry out their work.

Pax Christi                                        
Pax Christi International is a non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement working on a global scale on a wide variety of issues in the fields of human rights, human security, disarmament and demilitarisation, just world order and religion and violent conflict.

School for International Training                          
CONTACT's Conflict Transformation programs (Summer institute, graduate certificates and an MA in conflict transformation) engage participants in study, self-reflection, community building, and collaborative problem solving within a multicultural environment. Located at the School for International Training, Vermont.

War Resisters International           
War Resisters' International exists to promote nonviolent action against the causes of war, and to support and connect people around the world who refuse to take part in war or the preparation of war. On this basis, WRI works for a world without war.

Human Rights

ACAT (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)        
ACAT was created in 1974. It acts in a world where half of the countries practise torture as a means of government. ACAT tries to bring about a growing awareness among Churches and individual Christians of the evil of torture and to encourage them to fight for its abolition.

Amnesty International                                  
A worldwide campaigning movement that works to promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards.

B'Tselem                                    
Documents and educates the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories and helps to create a human rights culture in Israel.

Defending Women - Defending Rights
The International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders is an international initiative for the recognition and protection of women who are activists advocating for the realization of all human rights for all. The campaign asserts that women fighting for human rights and particularly focusing on women's human rights face specific violations in the course of their work because of their sex and gender.

Frontline: International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders     
Front Line is the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Front Line was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, nonviolently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line aims to address some of the needs identified by defenders themselves, including protection, networking, training and access to international bodies that can take action on their behalf.

Committee to Protect Journalists           
An independent, non-profit organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide.

Derechos Human Rights                                
The first internet-based human rights organization. Works for the promotion and respect of human rights, for the right to privacy and against impunity for human rights violators.

Human Rights Interactive                              
Interactive Network of Human Rights.

Human Rights Watch                                                               
Works for the empowerment of human rights activists and organizations, and for the education of governmental and intergovernmental agencies, officials and others, on human rights issues and the role of civil society. The HRW team includes experts in human rights with experience in minority issues, diversity management, women's rights, reproductive rights, democratic institution-building, international human rights and humanitarian law, conflict prevention and resolution, as well as web-based human rights publishing.

Human Rights Internet                                
Consulting and capacity building organization committed to social justice, good governance and conflict prevention.

International Alert                                  
International Alert is an independent peace building organisation that works to lay the foundations for lasting peace and security in communities affected by violent conflict. International Alert works in over 20 countries and territories around the world, both directly with people affected by violent conflict as well as at government, EU and UN levels to shape policy and practice in building sustainable peace.

International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED)      
ICAED is an international coalition of organisations of family members of disappeared and independent non governmental organisations concerned with the issue of human rights and the struggle against enforced disappearances. 

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)   
The aim of the FIDH is to obtain effective improvements in the protection of victims, the prevention of human rights abuses and the prosecution of those responsible.

World Organisation against Torture (OMCT)                         
Coalition of international non-governmental organisations (NGO) fighting against torture, summary executions, enforced disappearances and all other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT has 282 affiliated organisations in its SOS-Torture Network and many tens of thousands correspondents in every country working for the protection and the promotion of human rights.

Physicians for Human Rights                                
Physicians for Human Rights mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice and promotes the right to health for all. Harnessing the specialized skills, rigor, and passion of doctors, nurses, public health specialists, and scientists, PHR investigates human rights abuses and works to stop them.

Protection International                                 
Formerly the European Bureau of Peace Brigades International (PBI-BEO), PI registered in Belgium as a separate organisation in October 2007. PI contributes to reinforcing the security and protection of HRDs by mobilising the national and international community (parliaments, governments, the UN, ordinary citizens, the media) and by providing the concerned parties and beneficiaries with the knowledge and necessary tools to integrate protection on the ground into work plans and programmes. This programme will also facilitate the exchange of experiences locally and foster best practices between HRDs.

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights                   The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations. The High Commissioner heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations' human rights efforts. The UNHCHR works to educate and take action to empower individuals and assist States in upholding human rights. The Office is part of the United Nations Secretariat with headquarters in Geneva.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights                                                 The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is one of two bodies in the Inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights. The Commission has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. The other human rights body is the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which is located in San José, Costa Rica.

 

 

Peace and Justice

Centre for Conflict Resolution, Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, England                                               
Online Learning Project supporting innovative training and education in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and peacekeeping through information and communications technologies.

Decade to Overcome Violence                               
(World Council of Churches)
The Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace 2001 – 2010 (DOV) was an initiative of the World Council of Churches. It is a global movement that strives to strengthen existing efforts and networks for overcoming violence, as well as inspire the creation of new ones.

European University Center for Peace Studies (EPU)             
The EPU is an international, non-governmental organisation with UNESCO status, The EPU has been offering postgraduate programs in Peace Studies since 1990. In 1995, EPU was co-winner of the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.

European Centre for Conflict Prevention              
The European Centre for Conflict Prevention is a non-governmental organisation that promotes effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding strategies, and actively supports and connects people working for peace worldwide.

International Peace Bureau                                 
The International Peace Bureau is dedicated to the vision of a World Without War.

Institute for Media, Peace and Security                              
Paris-based offshoot of the UN-sponsored University for Peace (UPEACE, in Costa Rica), describes itself as "an intellectual tool for preventive diplomacy" -- aiming to educate people in the many ways the media interact with issues of war and peace. There are many links on current issues.

NGO Committee on Disarmament                       
The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security has provided services and facilities to hundreds of citizens' groups concerned with the peace and disarmament activities of the UN.  Because of its efforts as conference organizer, network clearing house, newspaper publisher, and year-round UN liaison, the NGO Committee is viewed as a primary ally of the international movement for arms control, peace and disarmament, and the body designated to serve this worldwide constituency.

Peace Pilgrim                                     
Between 1953 and 1981 Peace Pilgrim walked more than 25,000 miles spreading her message "Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love." Carrying in her tunic pockets her only possessions, she vowed, "I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given.

Pugwash                                          
Pugwash Conferences bring together influential scholars and public figures concerned with reducing the danger of armed conflict and seeking cooperative solutions for global problems.

SERPAJ                                         
Servicio Paz y Justicia of Argentina is a social organization founded on Christian-Ecumenical beliefs that works to promote peace, nonviolence, and a culture based on the full recognition of human rights.

Protective Accompaniment

Christian Peacemaker Teams (Canada & USA)                            
Initiated by Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers with broad ecumenical participation, CPT’s ministry of Biblically-based and spiritually-centered peacemaking emphasizes creative public witness, nonviolent direct action and protection of human rights.

Fellowship of Reconciliation Colombia Program (USA)                      
Supports the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado, Colombia in their commitment to justice and nonviolence; engages  in political accompaniment and visibility of new Colombian partner organizations aimed at exploring nonviolent alternatives to the armed conflict; informs and involves concerned US citizens about the conflict in Colombia, US policy towards it, and about nonviolent alternatives to the war and political violence.

Guatemala Accompaniment Project (NISGUA, USA)                       
The Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) was formed in 1981 to coordinate local activism on Guatemala in the United States. NISGUA works for real democracy in Guatemala and the U.S. and strengthens the global movement for justice.

Witness for Peace (USA)                                     
Witness for Peace (WFP) is a politically independent, nationwide grassroots organization of people committed to nonviolence and led by faith and conscience. WFP’s mission is to support peace, justice and sustainable economies in the Americas by changing U.S. policies and corporate practices which contribute to poverty and oppression in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Humanitarian

International Committee of the Red Cross                              
International Committee of the Red Cross an independent, neutral organization ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of war and armed violence.

Red Crescent/Red Cross Societies                              
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is the world's largest humanitarian organization, providing assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.

ReliefWeb                                         
ReliefWeb is the world’s leading on-line gateway to information (documents and maps) on humanitarian emergencies and disasters. It is an independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance by providing timely, reliable and relevant information as events unfold, while emphasizing the coverage of "forgotten emergencies" at the same time.

Save the Children                                      
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for a commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, their work goes into the heart of communities where they help children and families help themselves.

Specialized Reference Sites

The Global Internally Displaced People Project                                       
Comprehensive coverage of internal displacement in 34 countries, training materials on internally displaced persons, the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement  and weekly news. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), is the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide. Through its work, the Centre contributes to improving national and international capacities to protect and assist the millions of people around the globe who have been displaced within their own country as a result of conflicts or human rights violations.

Directories

Action Without Borders                         
Action Without Borders connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. AWB is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Their work is guided by the common desire of their members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

International Relations and Security Network                                            
The ISN's Limited Area Search (ISN LASE) allows full-text searches of the most important websites in the fields of international relations and security. The ISN LASE team ensures the quality of the service by selecting the best websites of international organizations, government bodies, recognized research institutions and think tanks, NGOs, and scholarly journals. All sites recommended for inclusion are reviewed by their editors and are approved according to specific guidelines.

General

INCORE Guides                                                                                            
INCORE recognises the need to ensure the centre's academic research makes a difference to the lives of people on the ground in conflict-affected countries, as well as the potential in working with policymakers and practitioners to promote more evidence-based approaches to peace building and conflict resolution internationally.