Introduction
Globalization has transformed the world in many ways. Today, it is easier for international trade to occur and for individuals to communicate with others in different parts of the world with ease (Soleymani, 2010). Globalization has also given rise to certain issues that demand the attention and action from the international community. Issues that concern social justice are among the matters that the international community is being forced to respond to (St. John, 2013). Amnesty International and the World Wildlife Fund are among the international organizations that have responded to the issues that have been brought about by globalization. In this paper, an examination of these organizations and their effectiveness in tackling global issues is offered.
Amnesty International at a glance
The main mission that Amnesty International pursues is the promotion of human rights (“Who We Are”, n.d). The organization partners with grassroots groups across the globe to ensure that the rights of communities are not violated. Amnesty International is also committed to demanding accountability from governments and calling for action to address many of the human rights challenges that the globe is confronted with. The organization was established in 1961 thanks to the courage of Peter Benenson who inspired a movement that demanded respect for human rights (“Who We Are”, n.d). Benenson penned an article in which he outlined his vision for a globe where all nations would come together to defend human rights. This article set the stage for the establishment of Amnesty International. The organization’s structure is different from those of other organizations. Instead of having a centralized structure, the organization has decentralized its operations by setting up bases in different countries across the world (“Who We Are”, n.d). Amnesty International receives support from millions of individuals and dozens of other organizations. The organization states that its membership is comprised of 7 million individuals who are dedicated to promoting human rights and tackling injustice (“Who We Are”, n.d). In its pursuit of its mission of defending human rights, Amnesty International engages in a wide range of activities. These activities include calling for the release of political prisoners and defending the rights of victims of sexual exploitation. The organization also urges countries that still hand down the death penalty to abolish it. Defending the rights of migrants and refugees is yet another activity that the organization engages in (“Who We Are”, n.d). Overall, Amnesty International has found success. It has expanded its presence and has successfully pushed for the end to the death penalty in a number of countries.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
World Wildlife Fund at a glance
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is another international organization that has dedicated effort to addressing global issues. The main mission that drives the activities of this organization is environmental conservation (“What does WWF do”, n.d). WWF seeks to promote the health of all life on earth and to combat human activities that pose a danger to the environment. WWF was set up in 1961. The establishment of the organization was made necessary by the need to raise funds for environmental conservation. To ensure that its goals are met, WWF is grounded on an elaborate structure. The organization is headquartered in Switzerland from where its Director General oversees its operations. WWF also has operations across the globe. It operates offices in different countries and partners with other organizations that also strive to conserve the environment. No figures on the current membership of WWF are available. However, it can be expected that the organization has millions of members across the globe. For membership, one is required to issue regular donations that are primarily used to support the organization’s mission of promoting environmental conservation. In addition to the financial support that it receives from its members, WWF is enabled in its pursuit of its mission by a number of activities that it undertakes. These activities include conservation of forests and oceans. WWF also focuses its efforts promoting food security and addressing climate and energy issues (“How does WWF work”, n.d). Joining forces with other organizations that share its mission is another activity that WWF is involved in. While WWF continues to face challenges, it has managed to find success. Its success can be seen in its global presence and the effectiveness of its campaign to protect endangered organisms.
Globalization concerns
As noted earlier, globalization has transformed human life. The operations of Amnesty International and WWF have been shaped by globalization. One of the issues of concern for Amnesty International resulting from globalization is unfair business practices. Amnesty International is concerned that workers are being exploited (“Corporations”, n.d). The organization is also worried that businesses are taking away the lands of indigenous groups. These concerns are shared by WWF. This organization fears that business practices pose a threat to the environment (“Effects of Climate Change”, n.d). WWF is calling on players in the business world to ensure that their practices do not erode the progress that has been made in protecting the environment.
Globalization can be regarded as the elimination of borders to allow for international interactions. While globalization generally has positive impacts, there are some negative effects that have caused concern for the WWF and Amnesty International. Amnesty International is concerned that there lacks a standard and strong legal framework for guiding the operations of businesses. This organization accuses businesses of exploiting the weaknesses in the legal environment for financial gain at the expense of the welfare of communities (“Corporations”, n.d). WWF also laments that the globe has failed to create laws that regulate businesses to ensure that businesses pose no threat to the environment. The organization works with different actors to push for the enactment of laws that would compel businesses to adopt practices that are environmentally friendly. Overall, these two organizations have been affected by globalization and are responding to the concerns discussed above in a bid to ensure that the progress that they have made is sustained.
Using technology in bringing issues to the attention of the international community
Technology has provided Amnesty International and WWF with tools for creating awareness about issues that are of interest to the international community. Amnesty International has particularly exploited technology to call for action from the international community. For instance, the organization has developed a mobile application that can be used by activists to request assistance (“Who We Are”, n.d). While the primary function that this application performs is facilitating the delivery of assistance to activists, it can be argued that the application also highlights the risks that the activists face and the need for the international community to respond to their plight. In addition to the mobile application, Amnesty International has also embraced social media as it seeks to bring issues that concern human rights to the attention of the global community. WWF also understands that the adoption of technology can allow it to inform the world about environmental conservation issues. The organization uses technology to track animals and to ensure that their numbers remain steady (Hoekstra, 2014). For instance, such animals as elephants are fitted with sensors that provide their location and allow for their population to be tracked. These sensors highlight the role that technology plays in keeping the international community updated on the population trends of wildlife. WWF combines the sensors placed on animals with such other technologies as social media and its website to urge the international community to remain committed to the conservation of the environment. For instance, on its website, the company provides stories of the successes that it has achieved in protecting endangered animals and securing commitments from governments to conserve the environment.
Effectiveness of the work done
That WWF and Amnesty International have been effective in their work is not in question. The effectiveness of the work that Amnesty International does lies in the success that it has achieved in promoting human rights and fighting injustice. The organization has managed to secure the release of dozens of political prisoners. Amnesty International has also represented victims of sexual abuse and defended vulnerable communities against injustice (“Who We Are”, n.d). Additionally, thanks to the efforts of Amnesty International, the death penalty has been done away with in a number of countries. The organization also encourages individuals to demand respect for their dignity and call for an end to the use of torture. It is true that the globe still witnesses acts of injustice. However, it must be recognized that Amnesty International has improved the situation in the world and this highlights the effectiveness of its work.
WWF has shared in the success that Amnesty International has enjoyed. Some of the successes that the organization has under its belt include securing the Amazon and convincing the globe to commit to combat climate change (“10 WWF Success”, 2014). WWF has also managed to reverse the decline of the population of such endangered species as tigers. The initiatives taken by governments to address poaching and the introduction of standards for the responsible use of water are other successes that WWF has achieved. All these successes point to the fact that the organization has been effective in its work.
Conclusion
The globe continues to grapple with challenges that threaten the welfare of mankind. Amnesty International and WWF are among the organizations that strive to safeguard the welfare of communities by addressing issues of international concern. Whereas Amnesty International advocates for human rights and combats injustice, WWF is committed to environmental conservation. These two organizations are using technology to inform the world and to demand action. They have been generally effective in their efforts. For the progress that the organizations have made to be sustained, the international community needs to offer its full support.
References
10 WWF Success Stories. (2014). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/10-wwf-success-stories-of-2014
Corporations. (n.d). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/corporate-accountability/
Effects of Climate Change. (n.d). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change
Hoekstra, J. (2014). How Technology is Changing Conservation. Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/science-driven/posts/how-technology-is-changing-conservation
How does WWF work? (n.d). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/
Soleymani, M. (2010). The heavy price of globalization: Globalization and sustainable Development. Perspectives on Global Development & Technology , 9, 101–118.
St. John, E. P. (2013). Social justice and globalization: Reconsidering public finance in college Access. Harvard International Review , 35(1), 45–49.
What does WWF do? (n.d). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/
Who We Are. (n.d). Retrieved 10 th January 2017 from https://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are/
