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	Assembled by DR. RALPH WEISHEIT
	The purpose of this page is to familiarize you with just a few of the many organizations and individuals who are working toward justice, and to give you a sense of the many issues that have some connection to justice. The list is constantly growing and is intended to serve as a starting point.
	International Organizations and Issues
	The Albert Einstein Institution: This organization has been engaged in research, policy studies, education, and consulting on the use of nonviolent forms of struggle for justice. Amnesty International: AI publicizes human rights violations around the world. New releases are posted daily and reports are added on a regular basis. The empahsis seems to be on human rights violations propogated by governments and others in their official capacity. The Anti-Defamation League: The ADL gathers and distributes information about bigotry, with a particular focus on anti-Semitism. Although based in the U.S., the ADL has offices in Jerusalem and Vienna. Anti-Slavery: Founded in 1833, Antislavery describes itself as the oldest human rights organization in the world. The organization collects information about contemporary slavery throughout the world, tries to influence policy-makers to end slavery, and supports victims of slavery. Anti-Slavery International (ASI): Founded in 1839, this may be the second oldest human rights organization in the world. This organization also collects information about contemporary slavery and works to abolish it. It publishes a quarterly report and provides consultation to the United Nations. Axis of Justice: This nonprofit organization brings together musicians and music lovers from around the world to address issues of justice. The Child Soldiers Project: Founded in 2000 this organization conducts workshops on the issue of child soldiers and its page features drawings by child soldiers reflecting their experiences. Child Trafficking Research Hub: This site is run by UNICEF, an organization within the United Nations which deals with issues concerning the welfare of children. This site ". . . is dedicated to data collection, knowledge transfer and the development of methodologies related to research on child trafficking. It is intended for international researchers, policy-makers and operational personnel involved in counter child trafficking activities." The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers: This organization is a coalition of various groups to end the use of children under the age of 18 as soldiers. The site includes case studies, treaties, and an overview of the issues. Consumers International: An organization which, in its own words: Supports, links and represents consumer groups and agencies all over the world. It has a membership of over 250 organisations in 115 countries. It strives to promote a fairer society through defending the rights of all consumers, especially the poor, marginalised and disadvantaged Free the Children: A most unusual organization run by children for children. Located in over 20 countries, Free the Children is a non-profit organization working to free children from poverty and to eliminate forced child labor and child slavery. An interesting note, only children under the age of 18 within the organization can vote on policies and projects undertaken by the organization. Genocides in the 21st Century: This page, maintained by "The History Place" provides a listing of major genocide events in the 21st century, along with links to more lengthy discussions of each genocide event. Global Witness: Describing itself as "one of the few non-governmental investigative organisations working to expose the link between natural resource exploitation and human rights abuses," Global Witness investigates these connections using video cameras, concealed tape recorders, and interviews with local people, journalists, companies, academics, and others. They seek to bring abuses to light through reports and press releases to the world's media. Human Rights Watch (HRW): HRW uncovers and publicizes human rights violations around the world. The site is loaded with information, much of categorized by country. It also documents human rights issues in the U.S., including police brutality and the sexual assault of female inmates. The Hunger Site: This site provides information about hunger around the world. It also provides links to other organizations that deal with hunger. As an interesting twist, you can click a button and make a food donation that is paid for by a sponsoring agency. You can click up to once per day and the agency provides the food to be distributed by the United Nations' World Food Program. The agency, in turn, views this as good publicity. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines: The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), "brings together over 1,300 human rights, humanitarian, children, peace, disability, veterans, medical, humanitarian mine action, development, arms control, religious, environmental and women's groups in over 90 countries who work locally, nationally regionally, and internationally to ban antipersonnel (AP) mines." The International Labour Organization: This specialized United Nations agency "seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights." "The ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of conventions and recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights." The organization deals with a variety of issues, including child labour, working conditions, and occupational health and safety. Medecins Sans Frontieres (Also known as Doctors Without Borders): MSF, or Doctors without Borders provides medical aid wherever it is needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or sex. MSF also publicizes human rights violations and other conditions that threaten basic health. The organization has operated since 1971 and has provided assistance in more than 80 countries. M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence: Named after one of the great innovators in the use of nonviolence to bring about change, the mission of the Gandhi Institute is to "promote and apply the principles of nonviolence locally, nationally, and globally, to prevent violence and resolve personal and public conflicts through research, education and programming." MomsRising: This is an organization entirely dedicated to improving conditions for mothers, working mothers, and families in America. If you have a strong commitment to family values this site should be of interest. Oxfam International: "Oxfam International is a confederation of 12 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice." The organization attackes these issues using a variety of tools, including emergency assistance, the development of long-term programs, research, and lobbying. Peace Corps: Established in 1961 under President Kennedy, the Peace Corps trains volunteers to work in other countries with the objective of improving the understanding of Americans by citizens in those countries and, at the same time improving the understanding that Americans have of those countries. In the course of its existence, the Peace Corps has provided volunteer services to 134 different countries. Physicians for Human Rights: This organization "mobilizes the health professions and enlists support from the general public to protect and promote the human rights of all people." The organization engages in education programs and publishes reports on such issues as landmines, war crimes, the treatment of women by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Privacy International: This was formed by more than 100 leading privacy experts and Human Rights organizations from 40 countries to promote an international understanding of the importance of privacy. They issue annual reports on the state of privacy laws in 50 countries and give up-to-date news about privacy issues around the world. A valuable resource. RESULTS: This is a nonprofit grassroots organization to end hunger through political action. Transparency International: This is a nonprofit organization that describes itself as "the only international non-governmental organisation devoted to combatting corruption." Transparency International has more than 85 independent national chapters around the world and each year ranks countries by their level of corruption. UN Fact Sheet Number 14: This is the United Nations' official position on slavery. The document does a nice job of describing the nature and extent of contemporary slavery, as well as actions that can be taken to end slavery. U.S. Department of State: The U.S. State Department provides reports on a long list of international issues related to justice, often in a country-by-country listing (go to "International Topics and Issues" on the main page). For example, they include reports on trafficking in humans, human rights, war crimes, and the environment. The State Department also provides background notes on each country, describing its political and economic system as well as resources and issues facing the country (this overlaps some with information from the CIA web site's "World Factbook"). Because this is a U.S. Government site expect it to reflect the bias of whatever administration is in power in Washington. Worldwatch Institute: In their own words .... "Founded by Lester Brown in 1974, the Worldwatch Institute offers a unique blend of interdisciplinary research, global focus, and accessible writing that has made it a leading source of information on the interactions among key environmental, social, and economic trends. Our work revolves around the transition to an environmentally sustainable and socially just society—and how to achieve it."
	General Issues of Justice in the U.S.
	Abolish: The Anti-Slavery Portal: This page will link you to other pages dealing with contemporary slavery in the United States. A very good starting point for those wanting to learn more about this issue. Children's Defense Fund (CDF): The CDF is a private non-profit organization that serves as a voice for all children, with a particular focus on the poor, minority, and disabled. The CDF assembles information about children, issues reports, and works to pass legislation favorable to children. The site also provides data on a variety of child welfare issues on a state-by-state bases. College Freedom: A Website About Academic Freedom: Whether you are a teacher, student, or administrator, this site will tell you a lot about the issue of academic freedom. A rich resource if you want to know what you can and cannot say or write in a university. Human Rights Center: Located in Berkeley, California, the Human Rights Center conducts research on international issues of human rights. The Memory Hole: A privacy site that focuses on publicizing things the government (and others) does not want you to know. This includes government files, court testimony, photographs, police reports, and more. As the site says: "The Memory Hole exists to preserve and spread material that is in danger of being lost, is hard to find, or is not widely known." The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP): The NAACP describes itself as the "oldest, largest and strongest civil rights organization in the United States." Founded in 1909, the NAACP promotes nonviolent strategies to advance "the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens in the United States." National Center for Children in Poverty: The NCCP focuses on identifying and responding to child poverty in the U.S. They conduct research, engage in public awareness activities, and make policy recommendations. The site provides a wealth of information in all of these areas. Voices for Illinois Children: This site contains a wealth of information about children in Illinois, most of it broken down by county. To find that data check out their on-line publication: Illinois Kids Count, which includes information on infant mortality, early childhood education, families at risk, children in poverty, and abuse/neglect. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): In their own words, "EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is a non-profit, non-partisan organization working in the public interest to protect fundamental civil liberties, including privacy and freedom of expression, in the arena of computers and the Internet." ID Theft: This the U.S. government's central website for information about identity theft. The site provides a wealth of information defining identity theft, suggesting how to minimize your risk, and suggesting a course of action if you are a victim of identity theft. The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression: The sole purpose of this organization is "the defense of free expression in all its forms." It is perhaps best known for its annual Jefferson Muzzle Awards, given to individuals and organziations that have done the most to limit free speech and freedom of expression. FAIR: Describes itself as a national media watch group that has been offering criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. "We work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, we expose neglected news stories and defend working journalists when they are muzzled." Free Expression Network: This is "an alliance of organizations dedicated to protecting the First Amendment right of free expression and the values it represents, and to opposing governmental efforts to suppress constitutionally protected speech." This web site provides information about current issues related to free speech and a listserv to facilitate private communication among members. The Digital Freedom Network (DFN): The DFN uses the internet to focus on human rights violations around the world. DFN highlights the work of activists who may not be well known to the public, and it suggests ways in which people can become involved inpromoting human rights. The Southern Poverty Law Center: This not-for-profit organization is involved in a variety of activities to counter intolerance and discrimination. The SPLC gathers and reports on hate groups and domestic terrorists, takes legal action against these groups, produces educational material to teach tolerance, and sponsors the Civil Rights Memorial. National Coalition Against Censorship: As the name implies, this site focuses on censorship in the U.S. The site is loaded with examples of efforts to censor books, music, and other forms of expression. Privacy Rights Clearninghouse: This site offers "consumers a unique opportunity to learn how to protect their personal privacy." Project Censored: Project Censored focuses on important issues not covered by the mainstream press and the reasons these stories are not covered. Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA): CASA trains community volunteers to work with abuse/neglect cases in court. Volunteers serve as eyes and ears of the court, making certain that the children do not "fall through the cracks" of the system. The Freedom Forum: This organization is dedicated to free press and free speech, with a particular emphasis on First Amendment issues. From this page you can access a great deal of information about the first amendment, including current issues in the news.
	Criminal Justice Issues in the U.S.
	American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): This controversial organization has one simple directive -- defend the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. The site is loaded with information on a wide range of rights issues, from criminal justice to free speech to workplace rights. Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM): This site works to modify mandatory minimum sentence legislation by providing examples in which it has been abused. The site also provides information about existing laws mandating minimum sentences, and provides updates on emerging legislation. Forfeiture Endangers American Rights (FEAR): This site focuses on publicizing abuses in the use of civil forfeiture by law enforcement. It highlights cases of abuse and provides updates on legislation related to asset forfeiture. Fully Informed Jury Association: This site contains a wealth of information about the jury in the American justice system. In addition to identifying rights and duties of jurors, the site also includes a lengthy history of the jury and a discussion of jury nullification. Death Penalty Information Center: Links to many Internet sources about the death penalty -- both for and against (but mostly against). A very good place to start about this issue. The Sentencing Project: This site provides a wealth of information about controversial issues related to imprisonment and sentencing in the U.S. It covers such issues as racial disparity in sentencing, mandatory minimums, and felony disenfranchisement (permanently losing the right to vote after serving a sentence for a felony offense).
	Activist Sites
	These are sites for more radical or fringe organizations (although the most radical organizations typically do not have sites). In general these oganizations do not explicitly advocate illegal activity or violence, though they often come close and individual members have been known to cross the line. By their nature they take an "In Your Face" approach to problems. Adbusters Media Foundation: Adbusters is an activist not-for-profit organization for people who have grown weary of the commercialism that permeates our society. Winner of a Webby Award for "Best Activism Site" for the year 2000. Bastard Nation: Bastard Nation "advocates for the civil and human rights of adult citizens who were adopted as children." The organization focuses particular attention on laws that prevent adoptees from having access to their adoption records. The Cyberactivist Blog: Virgil Butler maintains this blog dedicated to animal rights, with a particular focus on modern meat processing. The page is a running journal of his past experiences working in a poultry processing plant, with some grizzly details about how the animals are killed, how the meat is handled, and how the plant violates health and safety rules while dodging the inspectors. (Note: This site doesn't seem to work with Netscape.) Environmental Justice Foundation: In their own words, "The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is dedicated to creating, implementing and building solutions where they are needed most - training local people and communities who are directly affected to investigate, expose and combat environmental degradation and abuse." Fathers 4 Justice: A British group that describes itself as "a new civil rights movement campaigning for a child's right to see both parents and grandparents. The group comprises Fathers, Mothers, Grandparents, Teachers, Doctors, Company Directors, Policemen, Barristers – a complete cross section of society – all whom believe that Britain is needlessly creating a nation of children without parents and parents without children. Fathers 4 Justice have adopted a twin track strategy based around publicity and press. Raising awareness through publicity 'making the injustice visible' and mobilising a 'dads army' – applying pressure to the system and MP's to bring around meaningful change & enforce the will of Parliament. PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Founded in 1980, PETA "is dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals." PETA focuses particularly on factory farms, laboratory experiments with animals, the fur trade, and the use of animals in the entertainment industry. The Ruckus Society: The Ruckus Society "provides training in the skills of non-violent civil disobedience to help environmental and human rights organizations achieve their goals." The organization believes it is morally right to disobey unjust laws, but explicitly opposes actions that involve violence or the destruction of property. The Ruckus Society conducts an Action Camp to train activists in planning, communication with the media and the practice of civil disobedience.
	Miscellaneous Sites
	President Johnson's Inagural Address: This is perhaps the last president for whom broad issues of justice were at the center of his presidency. His inagural address is in clear contrast to those of the presidents who have followed him -- most of whom have approached the job as if they were applying for the position of a corporate executive. United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Adopted in 1948, the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides a thoughtful enumeration of what constitutes basic human rights.
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	To suggest additional sites send an e-mail to: Dr. Ralph Weisheit
	(Last Modified: 07/13/09) This site maintained by Ralph A. Weisheit