Global Witness

P. Alley, Director of Global Witness

Global Witness campaigns to achieve real change by challenging established thinking on seemingly intractable global issues. We work to highlight the link between the exploitation of natural resources and human rights abuses, particularly where the resources such as timber, diamonds and oil are used to fund and perpetuate conflict and corruption.

Global Witness is one of few non-governmental investigative organisations working to expose the link between natural resource exploitation and human rights abuses. We operate in areas where environmentally destructive trade is funding conflict or human rights violations. We collect the evidence and use it to achieve long-term change.

Global Witness believes that in many cases, the environment is linked to the seemingly separate issues of poverty, conflict and human rights. Too often, reconstruction and development of countries emerging from long periods of conflict is hindered by extensive corruption. Individuals or organisations that carry out illegal trade in natural resources are depriving the country's Treasury from receiving much-needed revenue, and as a result, the country remains unstable. This instability makes it easier for the perpetrators of the corruption to continue to exploit the country's resources for their own personal gain, and has a direct correlation to human rights abuses. The people often suffer from intimidation, poverty and deprivation.

Revenue from trade in natural resources is a major source of funding of conflict and human rights abuses, and this link is central to Global Witness' work. We seek to gather and disseminate information regarding environmental exploitation and its social, ecological and economic effects, in order that the links are understood by those who are in a position to effect positive change. Targets for Global Witness' information include governments, NGOs, international donors, development organisations, the media and the general public.

Global Witness aims to:

• Obtain first-hand information and evidence documenting the issue and utilize vigorous campaigning techniques to achieve real and effective change;

• Change current corporate and government practices that result in an unregulated exploitation of resources, with an often-devastating impact on people and national/regional stability;

• Break the links between the exploitation of natural resources and the funding of conflict and corruption.

History of Global Witness

Three concerned individuals founded Global Witness in 1993. From an initial full-time staff of two, our staff now totals twenty five based in three offices. Our headquarters is in London with project offices in Africa and Asia.

Global Witness has pioneered a pragmatic and successful methodology to help resolve conflict and corruption in countries often rich in resources, but where the welfare of the resident population seems to decline as the exploitation of these resources increases. Global Witness targets the source of the revenue funding the conflict or corruption, we then aim to break the revenue connection by presenting overwhelming evidence to those in a position to ensure change.

Global Witness has used, and continues to use, covert and conventional investigative techniques to identify and document the mechanisms through which natural resources are exploited and removed from countries such as Angola, Cambodia, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo. These techniques yield incontrovertible evidence that forms the basis of detailed and objective reports showing how resources are unduly exploited and revenues diverted. These reports are presented to the world's policy makers; thus governments and regulatory bodies are pressured to push for a more sustainable use of resources and a more equitable distribution of revenues. We also share our expertise and information with other NGOs, to increase the strength of the call for change, and to assist other organisations; particularly within struggling civil societies.

Global Witness is actively seeking to increase its funding base to allow the addition of further campaigns. Although its staff has increased dramatically in a short period, there is a tremendous workload borne by a committed, but small, number of campaigners and support staff. There is now a real desire within Global Witness to increase organisational capacity and to highlight the role of resource exploitation in conflict and corruption in more countries around the world.