Human Rights Non-Governmental Organizations & the Fight for the “Invisible Children”
By Jana Knezacek
What are Human Rights Non-Governmental Organizations?
Human rights non-governmental organizations “are advocacy groups whose goals are to monitor and report human rights violations, exert pressure on governments, hold them accountable and build pressure to create international machinery to end human rights violations” (Ahmed & Potter, 184). There are a number of different ways that human rights organizations are able to build their campaigns in order to become internationally recognized and respected. This is done firstly by setting a standard. To set a standard is to build a foundation upon which to base the campaign and is one of the most important things that a human-rights organization must do. By setting a standard which defines with is right and what is wrong and what actions warrant international attention, human-rights NGOs are able to advocate for change.
The second step in creating a successful organization is to provide information. In order to motivate civil society to act, it is essential that these organizations educate their audience. Civil society is more likely to demand change if they first understand what the issue is and second if they have an understanding of the context of the problem. Ahmed and Potter assert that “gathering, verifying and disseminating information are central goals of human rights NGOs” (Ahmed & Potter, 185). Once the framework has been firmly established, human rights based organizations are able to focus on how they will go about achieving their goals. One common function of human rights offences is lobbying. Lobbying is a method of pressuring governments guilty of committing human rights offences to change their behaviour. Another common action taken once a foundation has been firmly established is to provide assistance. Whether this assistance comes in the form of physical necessities or in the form of services, human rights NGOs are often present on the ground providing any needed support.
The Grandfather of Human Rights: Amnesty International
The phenomenon of human rights based non-governmental organizations dates back to the 1960’s. Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink argue that “the first human rights organization to gain wide international recognition was Amnesty International” (Keck & Sikkink, 88). Since its inception, Amnesty International has become one of the most recognized and respected organizations; a household name in human rights circles. With its catchy campaigns and posters, human rights issues such as political imprisonment, execution and torture have become issues addressed on a global stage (Keck & Sikkink).
Amnesty International started off focusing on the issues of ‘prisoners of conscience,’ a term used to describe “men, women and children imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs or because of their race, gender or other personal characteristics, most of whom have never been charged with a crime” (Amnesty International). This campaign then expanded to include specific issues including the treatment of prisoners and other human rights issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). When applying this to the framework laid out earlier, Amnesty International was able to successfully set a standard, whereby human rights issues such as political imprisonment, execution and torture have been framed as wrong thus necessitating the intervention of the international community. The group then proceeded to educate the international community, by educating their audience about what the problems were and in what context these problems were taking place in.
In order to determine what factors contributed to the effectiveness and international legitimacy of Amnesty International, it is important to identify the strategies that they applied and the frame in which these strategies were created. There are a number of strategies that were implemented by Amnesty International that have been adopted by various other humanitarian organizations; a factor which heralds Amnesty International as the grandfather of human rights. One strategy that was unique to Amnesty International is the attention paid to individuals. Instead of building a campaign around the wants and desires of a specific group, Amnesty International placed emphasis on the individual. By giving these individuals a name and a face, Amnesty International was able to frame issues, thus making them comprehensible to those removed from direct interaction with the issue by attracting and encouraging action (Keck & Sikkink).
As mentioned above, the concept of framing a campaign is also very important for non-governmental organizations. These frames create a cognitive map whereby the audience is able to identify, sort and act on the issues that are being advocated. The term ‘frame alignment’ has been used by David Snow as “the rendering of events and occurrences as meaningful, in an effort to frame function to organize experience and guide action, whether individual or collective” (Keck & Sikkink, 17). Similarly, the term ‘frame resonance’ is concerned with the relation between a movement organization’s interpretive work and its ability to influence broader public understandings” (Keck & Sikkink, 17). Thus through the use of frames the advocacy of collective action becomes normalized and the influence of civil society results in governmental change.
As Keck and Sikkink note, the promotion of norm implementation is a key strength of non-governmental organizations. By creating and promoting norms, non-governmental organizations are able to place pressure on target actors to adopt new policies and to monitor compliance with these internationally recognized standards. Amnesty International successfully created norms which advocated against torture and gave a voice to political prisoners. Another modern strategy employed by human rights non-governmental organizations that is credited to Amnesty International are letter writing campaigns. Letter writing is a tactic that has been adopted by many human rights NGOs and is used to place pressure on international governments, urging them to act against human rights violations. According to the website of Amnesty International USA, letters have the ability to free prisoners, strengthen individuals, stop torture, bear witness, improve prison conditions, and demonstrate that there is a global community that is concerned for human rights (Amnesty International USA).
A Youthful Perspective: Invisible Children
If Amnesty International is the grandfather of human rights focused non-governmental organizations than Invisible Children represents the youth; a modern spin on a time tested model. Invisible Children is a non-governmental organization that was created by three young American men. In 2003 Jason Russell, Laren Poole and Bobby Bailey traveled to Southern Sudan in search of adventure. They were disappointed with the opportunity for adventure in Sudan and found themselves in Northern Uganda in the heart of the conflict with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA is a rebel group led by Joseph Kony, a religious fanatic whose aim is to establish a theocratic government based on the Biblical Ten Commandments in Uganda (Debut, 2006). The LRA is the cause of a twenty-three year war waged against the Ugandan government; a conflict which has spilled into neighbouring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. The conflict between the LRA and the Ugandan government has “led to the internal displacement of more than 2,000,000 Ugandans from their homes” (H.R. 2478 [111TH]). In addition to this “the members of the Lord’s Resistance Army [have] used brutal tactics in northern Uganda, including mutilating, abducting, and forcing individuals into sexual servitude and forcing a large number of children and youth in Uganda, estimated by the Survey for War Affected Youth to be over 66,000, to fight as part of the rebel force” (H.R. 2478 [111TH]).
While visiting Northern Uganda, the three young men were made aware of the severity of the conflict and the injustices facing innocent people in the region, particularly those facing the children. They witnessed a mass exodus of children every night from their villages to larger city centers for the purpose of seeking shelter in bus depots and hospitals; these children are called night commuters. Children had to walk for miles in order to avoid being kidnapped by the LRA and forced to fight in the rebel army. In response to the devastation caused by the war, many civilians stopped supporting the LRA which caused membership in the army to be significantly depleted, forcing the LRA to resort to abducting children, conscripting them into their ranks. It is estimated that “more than ninety percent of the LRA’s troops were abducted as children, totalling 60,000 innocent victims during the past twenty-three years” (Invisible Children: Activists Guide).
Dr. Andy Knight spoke of the plight of child soldiers, highlighting the realities that these innocent children deal with on a daily basis and emphasizing the responsibility of the international community to protect. A project created by Dr. Knight was designed to examine the impact of war on children, opportunities to protect and the need for post-conflict rehabilitation for children affected by war (Knight, January 2011). Knight argued that the impacts of war on children are multidimensional and include both physical and psychological trauma. For many in the developed world, these statistics are astonishing and highlight the need for change in a country where children’s rights are non-existent. While the founders of Invisible Children are concerned with child soldiers, the primary focus of their campaign is on a larger scale focusing on child welfare as a whole. By becoming more entwined with the subject matter, and in hearing more stories of children affected by the war in Uganda, the founders of Invisible Children have expanded their campaign to target the root of the problem: Joseph Kony and his child soldiers.
The Origins of Invisible Children
In order to understand the objectives of Invisible Children, it is important to examine the origins of the organization and how far it has come from that point. Invisible Children is a non-governmental organization which emerged essentially from nowhere and reached schools and churches across North America in a relatively short period of time. Upon their return to the United States, Jason Russell, Laren Poole, and Bobby Bailey began to edit the footage from their trip, compiling the information into an informative and gripping documentary entitled “Invisible Children: Roughcut.” While the documentary itself did not capture much attention, industry contacts developed by the young men while attending film school helped to spread the news about their documentary, and more importantly their experiences in northern Uganda.
Since the creation of the organization, Invisible Children has partnered with various young musicians, some as well known as Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, Thrice and Switchfoot. This partnership has helped the organization to become more popular in younger circles, targeting youth through pop culture and mediums such as music and television. Celebrities who have collaborated with Invisible Children in the past include, Emile Hirsch, Kristen Bell, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Probst, Ryan Gosling, Rachel Bilson, and various others (Invisible Children). By targeting youth through pop culture, Invisible Children has informed an entire demographic about the injustices facing children in northern Uganda. Schools, churches and universities across the United States and Canada have been moved by what they saw in the first documentary and encouraging those in their communities to act out and make a difference for these children. In their own words Invisible Children “uses the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa” (Invisible Children). Their aim is to “mobilize a generation to capture the attention of the international community, and make a stand for justice in the wake of genocide” (Invisible Children).
Logistics
When looking at the structure of non-governmental organizations it is important to look at the funding aspect of the group. It goes without saying that in order for a group to be efficient and to effectively achieve their goals, money is a necessity. How this money is spent however varies from group to group. Invisible Children claims that the approach that it takes in achieving its goal of creating a peaceful solution to the end of the conflict in northern Uganda is unique. This said the group allots 50 % of the programming budget to bring awareness to the situation and the promotion of international support of the peace process that is taking place in northern Uganda. The remaining 50% of the budget goes to providing top-notch programming for affected children and their families (Invisible Children).
In order to make peace a reality in northern Uganda the group believes that the development of a new generation of leaders in northern Uganda is a necessity. Invisible Children believes that this is facilitated through the provision of educational scholarships, mentorships and the rebuilding of secondary academic institutions. Thus for those interested in contributing to the facilitation of these goals, Invisible Children has provided an opportunity to give directly to programming in northern Uganda through the Schools for Schools program. Pledges made through the Schools 4 Schools program ensure that at least 90% of the donations are used to rebuild partner schools, with less than 10% reserved for the implementation of these goals (Invisible Children).
Framing and Strategic Approach
Having identified the primary objective of Invisible Children by highlighting the origins of the organization, it is possible to then look at the organization within the context of the framework provided earlier in the paper. Having been privy to the injustices facing those living in northern Uganda first hand, the founders of Invisible Children were able to set a standard, ultimately defining what specifically it was that was wrong. The name of the organization itself speaks to the primary motivation of organization; the lack of children’s rights in northern Uganda and the complacency of the international community in recognizing the need for laws protecting children.
Having created a standard on which to base their campaign, the founders of Invisible Children proceeded to spread their message to their audience. The initial introduction of their documentary “Invisible Children: Rough Cut” enabled the group to make their audience aware of the difficulties facing children in northern Uganda while providing background information necessary to understand the context in which the problem is taking place. After unveiling their documentary to North American audiences, the group continued to build on their campaign, adding other campaigns and spreading their message through other creative avenues. In the United States, Invisible Children programs include the production of a feature version of Invisible Children, a semi-annual national tour, the Schools 4 Schools Program and grassroots awareness campaign. Similarly the Organization’s programs in Uganda include the Visible Children Scholarship Program, the implementation of Schools 4 Schools funds raised, and micro-economic programs including the Cotton Initiative, MEND, the Bracelet Campaign and the Village Savings and Loan Initiative (Invisible Children: Notes to the Financial Statements).
While there are examples of providing tangible assistance on the ground in northern Uganda, the primary objective of Invisible Children is to raise awareness for the situation in northern Uganda and in turn they believe that through this increased awareness, young people will be willing to advocate for changed policies and action from their governments. This said the primary motivator for the organization is to increase knowledge and demand that human rights violations taking place in northern Uganda be addressed on an international level.
Invisible Children has used the strategy of lobbying to place pressure on the government of Uganda and the government of the United States to end the atrocities taking place in northern Uganda and to advocate for peace. The group has challenged Barack Obama to spearhead efforts to end the war and to urge the international community to arrest Joseph Kony and charge him with crimes against humanity. The organization was able to mobilize thousands of youth to write letters to elected officials, local newspapers and President Obama himself, to inform them of the atrocities taking place in northern Uganda and to demand action. Another way that the group reached out to President Obama was by creating a Citizen’s Arrest Warrant Petition which asked President Obama to do three things: The first is to commit the United States to lead an international effort to arrest Joseph Kony and announce this strategy through a public statement. The second is to sign and implement into law The LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. The third is to commit to the recovery and rehabilitation of the LRA affected communities in Uganda, Southern Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Invisible Children). Through global networks of likeminded groups, non-governmental organizations have been able to gain the ability to “mobilize information strategically to help create new issues and categories and to persuade, pressure and gain leverage over much more powerful organizations and governments” (Keck & Sikkink).
In 2005 Joseph Kony was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and on May 13th, 2010, due in part to pressure by Invisible Children, the House of Representatives passed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, by voice vote without a single objection (Invisible Children). On May 24, 2010 President Obama signed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law. After which he issued a public statement about the LRA-affected areas and his commitment to carrying out the law’s mandate. The efforts of Invisible Children on behalf of those struggling to survive in northern Uganda, were recognized as members of Invisible Children were invited into the Oval Office as he signed the bill into law (Invisible Children). The three young men in search of an adventure got much more than they bargained for, and their efforts on behalf of the Invisible Children were finally beginning to bear fruit.
Criticisms of Invisible Children
Due to the fact that Invisible Children is still in its infant stage1 there is very little research that has been done on the organization, and its methods. For this reason, the vast majority of research was provided by the organization itself. Given the fact that there is very little research done on the organization, and the targeted demographic, one must look at informal communications, such as blogs, in order to get a full picture of the group. In a letter written to Invisible Children’s Mission Director, one individual expressed his discomfort with some of the newer programs initiated by Invisible Children. The individual argues that the work of Invisible Children is “(a) kind of obsessed with glorifying the filmmakers, (b) based on a creepy, White Man’s Burden-y saviour complex, and (c) taking up resources that could be occupied by “intelligent advocacy” (Amanda & Kate). In addition to this some critics believe that by labelling all children in northern Uganda as “night commuters” or “child soldiers” limits the potential to develop effective solutions for problems caused by the complex interaction of a number of different variables. The critic argues that “treating their problems as one-dimensional issues that can be solved by a handful of plucky college students armed only with the strength of their convictions and a video camera doesn’t help anyone” (Amanda & Kate).
While the critiques of Invisible Children may be rooted in fact, it is important to critically examine if these claims are legitimate and if they in any way reflect on the efficiency of the organization. It is fair to say that with increased awareness of international development organizations, more academic study has resulted which has driven people to be cynical of non-governmental organizations. Many people from the global north have reached out to support those who are struggling around the world. While these interactions are not always positive, the majority of these interactions come from innocent attempt to help those who are struggling. This said, it appears that the primary motivators of the founders of Invisible Children are found in helping the children of northern Uganda; however when you couple this drive to help with a need for adventure and a background in film you get an interesting mix of saint-like self promotion.
Whether the group is arguably self –obsessed or not, the loyal following that they have amassed is astonishing. If the purpose of human rights NGOs is to monitor and report human rights violations, exert pressure on governments, hold them account, and build pressure to end human rights violations, it is fair to argue that Invisible Children has succeeded. Invisible Children “believes that changing perceptions in the western world is equally important to changing the lives of people in underprivileged regions” (Invisible Children). They have not only succeeded in altering the perceptions of Africa in the global north, they have also succeeded in improving everyday life for those living in northern Uganda. This is evident in the fact that “night commuting has ceased and the Lord’s Resistance Army has been operating outside of northern Uganda for over a year” (Invisible Children). This isn’t to say that life has returned to normal for those living in the region; the threat of war is continually looming, ultimately hindering the ability to attain true peace, but change is apparent.
In addition to this, Invisible Children has increased awareness of the human rights violations taking place in northern Uganda, successfully pressuring the government of the United States and President Obama to sign the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law. Whether the organization is driven by the need to self-promote or not the results are admirable and very apparent.
The Future of Human Rights Based NGOs
Human rights based NGOs will continue to be a crucial part of international relations in the future. As the world becomes more interconnected, the need for an international community intent on protecting human rights is essential. Human rights violations happen on a daily basis and it is non-governmental organizations that are able to put pressure on governments in an attempt to put an end to the violations taking place within their borders. As the world becomes more and more linked, international borders are compromised and state sovereignty is undermined. If governments are not protecting their own citizens, it is the responsibility of the international community, through the intermediary that is non-governmental organizations, to step in on behalf of those whose lives are in danger. Whether it is political prisoners in Argentina or Invisible Children in Uganda, all people have the right to equal human rights and non-governmental are the vehicle which can put an end to human rights violations.
Works Cited
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Ahmed , S. & Potter, D (2006). NGOs in International Politics. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarina Press Inc.
Amanda & Kate (2009). Worst Idea Ever? Wronging Rights; Very Serious Commentary on Very Important Issues. Retrieved from http://wrongingrights.blogspot.com/2009/03/worst-idea-ever.html.
Amnesty International USA (2011). Letter Writing Guide for Amnesty International USA and the Urgent Action Network. Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/guide.pdf.
Debut, B. (2006). Portrait of Uganda’s rebel prophet, painted by wives. Mail & Guardian Online. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2006-02-10-portrait-of-ugandas-rebel-prophet-painted-by-wives.
Douzinas, Costas (2007). The Many Faces of Humanitarianism. Parrhesia, 2:1-28.
H.R. 2478 [111TH] (2009). Text of H.R. 2478 [111th]: Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009. Govtrack.us. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2478
Invisible Children (2010). Activists Journal in the Race for Peace in Northern Uganda.
Invisible Children: Notes to the Financial Statements (2010). Invisible Children. http://c2052482.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/images/135/original/InvisibleChildren-2010FinancialStatement.pdf?1285008974
Keck, M.E. & Sikkink, K. (1998). Activists Beyond Borders. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Look to the Stars. Invisible Children. Look to the Stars: The World of Celebrity Giving. http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/749-invisible-children.
United Nations, The (2011). 10 Stories the World Should Hear About. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=100#.
Yrjola, R. (2009). The Invisible Violence of Celebrity Humanitarianism: Soft Images and Hard Words in the Making and Unmaking of Africa. World Political Science Review, 5(1):1-23.
1 The organization was founded September 9, 2004 (Invisible Children: Notes to the Financial Statements).
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