People in Need

For "People In Need" in Ireland, see People in Need Trust.

People In Need

File:Peopleinneed.png
Formation	1992 in Prague, Czech Republic
Type	Non-profit NGO
Purpose	Protecting human rights and providing human relief, development assistance, and social integration projects
Headquarters	Prague, Czech Republic
Website	www.clovekvtisni.cz

People in Need (PIN, in Czech Člověk v tísni) is a Czech nonprofit, non-governmental organization that implements humanitarian relief and long term development projects in crisis regions all over the world, while working to defend human rights and democratic freedom.

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia PIN runs social integration programs and is providing informative and educational activities. Certain significance is to promote democratic freedom and principles of human solidarity. Since its foundation in 1992 PIN has had a presence in almost 50 countries, and in 2010 alone, it has been active in 22 states. Currently PIN is one of the largest NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe.

People in Need is an active member of Alliance 2015, Czech Forum for Development Cooperation (FoRS), EU Monitoring Centre, Eurostep, Concord and VOICE. Among its most important donors are the Czech government, ECHO, Europeaid, USAID, UN agencies, people of the Czech Republic and many others.

History

The organization was founded in 1992 by Šimon Pánek, a student activist during the Velvet Revolution, and by Jaromír Štětina, a war correspondent from conflict areas of former Soviet Union. The organization began its work as Nadace Lidových novin (The Lidové noviny Foundation, in English Popular Newspapers) and changed its name in 1994 to Nadace Člověk v tísni při České televizi (The People in Need Foundation under the auspices of Czech Television). From 1999 onwards People in Need uses its current name. Since 2009 Šimon Pánek is the director of PIN.

In order to deliver relief aid and development assistance, PIN cooperates on creating a tolerant, open society and mobilizes support of the public. Activities of PIN are most apparent during big humanitarian crisis like during the floods in the Czech Republic in 2002, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (Czech people and companies were donating over 130 million CZK ) or the 2007 Greek forest fires. In Africa and Asia PIN implements development projects providing basic human needs and education. In several countries like Cuba, Burma, Belarus, Ukraine or Moldova opposition movements or individuals who advocate democratic and liberal rights are supported by PIN. In the Czech Republic the organisation concentrates on several issues like the assistance of local Roma (Gypsies) living on the edge of the society, the organization of cultural activities (most prominent is the One World Film Festival), the distribution of information projects and the involvement in political activism.

In 2007 PIN established major projects in Afghanistan (irrigation, local schools), Sri Lanka (since the 2004 earthquake), Pakistan (reconstruction after the 2005 earthquake in Pakistani part of Kashmir), Angola and Ethiopia (construction of schools), Namibia (help for people suffering HIV/AIDS), Romania and Serbia (endorse groups of ethnic Czechs settled there for generations) and several other countries.

In 2008 PIN opened two missions in Burma (relief and recovery operations after cyclone Nargis) and the DR Congo (support for victims of rape and sexual violence). One year later in 2009 the organization was involved in providing assistance after the devastating floods in the Czech Republic.

Major sources of revenue are the Czech government and Czech municipalities, followed by donations by companies. Individual donations peaked in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. PIN cooperates with ECHO, EuropeAid, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, IOM and many others and is registered with USAID as an international private voluntary organization.

Structure of PIN

The work of People in Need focuses on four areas:

• Social Integration Process: help preventing poverty and social exclusion in the Czech Republic;
• Relief and Development: providing assistance to victims of natural disasters and wars plus effort to decrease global poverty and support universal education;
• Informative and Educational Programs: extent Czech public knowledge of poverty, development cooperation, migration, human rights, reduction of natural prejudices etc.; and
• Human Rights: advocate dissidents, opposition activists and development of the civil society in countries controlled by authoritarian regimes.

Programs and Projects

Humanitarian and Development Aid

People in Need provides assistance to victims of humanitarian crises in more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. In 2010 alone, it provided development aid in 19 countries worldwide. Regarding developing projects, the predominant aim of PIN is to ensure basic living needs like the access to water, employment, education and health. Moreover, PIN maintains the creation of social programs as well as the development of local enterprises and backs the emergence of civil societies with democratic governance. All of these projects are implemented in a number of African countries (e.g. the DR of Congo, Ethiopia and Angola), in Asia (e.g. in Afghanistan and Cambodia) and in Europe (e.g. Romania). In early 2010, with a fund of more than 2 million Euros donated by the Czech companies and the general public, a humanitarian mission was set up in earthquake-affected Haiti.

With its eleventh year in Afghanistan, PIN faces its biggest foreign mission while encompassing a number of integrated projects and programs.

Afghanistan: 82 newly built or refurbished schools, improved conditions for 50 000 male and female students and teachers, assistance with the setting up of agricultural secondary schools in 17 provinces.Bold text

The Czech Republic itself was affected by several recurring floods. When the floods hit the country in 1997, 2002, 2006, 2009 and 2010, PIN sustained victims with needed material and financial assistance donated by private persons, companies and institutions.

Czech Republic 2009 floods: financial assistance in two-phases was given to 1178 households in 62 villages, in addition to the supply of 1150 kits for disinfection, 3650 tools, 2,900 items of protective clothing and 2000 packages of insect repellent.Bold text

Social Integration Programs

Since 1999 PIN is an active member in promoting the reduction of poverty and social exclusion in the Czech Republic. It especially helps in poorer areas by providing social outreach projects, namely housing advice, advisory service for debtors plus limiting unemployment. In the following years PIN has expanded its range of occupational and legal counseling, tutoring, as well as social service assistance and is thus supplying children from poorer families by encouraging them to meaningful leisure time activities.

In summer 2006 the organization established a separate social integration department (in Czech: Programů sociální integrace, PSI). Aim of this department is to provide a comprehensive range of services for socially excluded individuals and families as additionally as arranging advice to local councils (in towns and municipalities where most socially excluded populations are located).

Currently, 170 people are employed on the Social Integration Programs, including 130 social workers, counselors and educators on location in more than 60 cities and municipalities across the Czech Republic. Bold text

In 2004 PIN began to work in Roma (gypsy) settlements in the Slovak Republic. The organization seeks solutions to problems arising from extreme poverty, low level of education, unemployment and the apparently impenetrable barrier between Roma culture and mainstream society.

Slovakia: Assistance and counseling provided in towns like Kezmarok, Roškovce, Spišský Hrhov, Krompachy, Hermanovce, Lipan, Zborov and Vranov nad Topľou, central Bratislava. Bold text

Social exclusion is closely linked to the problems of debt and the debt trap, which is associated with illegal loan-sharks and so-called quick loans offered by non-banking companies and even legitimate banking establishments. Hence People in need began negotiations with the Czech Banking Association in 2010, and reached an agreement regarding the elimination of unfair terms for credit agreements at all Czech banks.

Promotion of Human Rights

Major part of the work of PIN is to advocate dissidents, opposition activists and development of the civil society in countries controlled by authoritarian regimes. In regard to its experience with communist regimes, PIN implements its programs in Cuba, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. Burma continues to be a country of concern. In 1997, PIN was able to contact the politician and democratic activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was consent to illustrate the problems of the country in the Czech Republic.

PIN’s primary focus is to support political prisoners (and their families), human rights defenders, and independent journalists plus encourages civil society initiatives. Families of political prisoners, from harshly repressive regimes such as Burma and Cuba, are provided with financial and humanitarian assistance as well as moral endorsement. A substantial part of the financial aid is provided from the Friends of People in Need funds.

The organization actively forwards its views on developments in areas affected by war or human rights violations. It also organizes an annual film festival on human rights called One World (in Czech: Jeden Svet), which received an honorable mention for its work in the education of human rights by UNESCO in 2007. http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=36119&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html During the festival People in Need further presents the Homo Homini Award to a person who conduced a significant contribution towards the protection of human rights and non-violent promotion of democracy.

Winners of the Homo Homini Award

• 1994: Sergei Kovalev
• 1997: Szeto Wah
• 1998: Ibrahim Rugova
• 1999: Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas
• 2000: Min Ko Naing
• 2001: Zackie Achmat
• 2002: Thích Huyền Quang, Thích Quảng Độ and Nguyen Van Ly
• 2003: Nataša Kandić
• 2004: Gheorghe Briceag
• 2005: Ales Bialacki and the Belarussian organisation Viasna
• 2006: Svetlana Gannushkina
• 2007: Su Su Nway, Phyu Phyu Thin, and Nilar Thein
• 2008: Liu Xiaobo
• 2009: Majid Tavakoli and Abdollah Momeni
• 2010: Azimzhan Askarov

Education and Outreach

Educational programs are focused on students and teachers of Czech primary and secondary schools, universities and other professional groups (such as employees at employment centers or the police). However, educational programs are implemented through the showing of documentary films accompanied by talks (e.g. One World at schools) and an information service, on the topic of intercultural education and global development (variations program), for teachers, as well as promoting ties between institutions and NGOs working in the field of social exclusion (Social Integration Programs).

People in Need focuses on accomodate information to the Czech public, the government and the media. Long as well as short-term campaigns are implemented in sort of film screenings, discursive evenings, creative competitions and trips for journalists who address specific issues such as development cooperation (Rozvojovka, Stop child labor) and include public campaigns or projects involving the gathering of information and materials on the migration and foreigners living in the Czech Republic (Migration).

People in Need publishes what is called the ‘Predator Index’, a ranking of companies that provide unguaranteed loans, with inappropriate terms and conditions for the debtor. The index is compiled on the basis of clarity of the contract and conditions, the presence of default interest in excess of statutory regulations, the cost of a delayed payment in the form of penalties, the cost of the loan in the case of timely payment and the proper use of the arbitration clause.

Criticism

Since the end of the 1990s, People in Need maintained several projects in Chechnya and Ingushetia. In 2005, the Russian Weekly Argumenty i Fakty assigned the organization the support of Chechen separatists and terrorists PIN denied any involvement. In the same year Russia expelled the organization to work in the region. In 2007 People in Need was allowed to come back and keep working in Chechnya and Ingushetia.

During a meeting of the ECOSOC in 2006, the Cuban ambassador accused PIN of being financed by the US conspiring against the government of Cuba and keeping in contact with Cuban emigrants who have a co-called terrorist past. After the vote, PIN was not recommended for consultative status with the ECOSOC.

PIN was moreover criticized by some Czech journalists for expressing too much political concern: after the Kosovo war, it supported Kosovar Albanians, but not the local Serbs. Similarly, after the South Ossetia war in 2008, PIN delivered relief only to Georgian civilians.

See also

• One World Film Festival

External links

• People in Need (Official site)
  • People in Need (English version)
• Homo Homini Award

Notes

• 
  Caption1
• 
  Caption2

Criticism

People in Need was active in Chechnya and Ingushetia since 2000. In 2005, the Russian weekly Argumenty i Fakty claimed that the organization supports Chechen separatists and terrorists; PIN denied any involvement. Later in the same year, Russia expelled the organization; it was allowed back in 2007.

In 2006, during a meeting of ECOSOC, the Cuban ambassador to the UN accused PIN of being financed by the US to conspire against the government of Cuba and of keeping in contact with Cuban emigrants who have terrorist past. After the vote, PIN was not recommended for consultative status with the ECOSOC.

PIN was criticized by some Czech journalists for using political criteria for whom to help: after the Kosovo war, it supported Kosovar Albanians, but not the local Serbs. Similarly, after the 2008 South Ossetia war, PIN delivered relief only to Georgian civilians.

Some of PIN's political activities (such as propagation of multiculturalism and immigration, or presenting Czech Roma as the victims of oppression by the society) have been criticized by those with different political views.

See also

• One World Film Festival

External links

• People in Need (Official site)
  • People in Need (English version)
• Homo Homini Award

Notes

• 
  Caption1
• 
  Caption2