People's Watch is an Indian

Human Rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

founded by a group of social activists in 1995 and is based in

Madurai Madurai ( , , ), formerly known as Madura, is a major city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District, which is ...

in the southern Indian state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

. Originally working solely in Tamil Nadu, People's Watch has recently moved into working at a national level with funding provided by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

and other donor agencies for the ''National Project on the Prevention of Torture'' in India. People's Watch is widely recognised as the leading Human Rights organisation in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. From 1995 to 1998, People's Watch concentrated its activities on monitoring of human rights violations. This was the mandate of its governing body and the Program Advisory Board. It was soon realized that monitoring alone was insufficient. In 1998, People's Watch began legal intervention on behalf of victims. By 2000, this work had grown and more field monitoring associates were hired at both zonal and regional levels. By 2001, People's Watch was working in 11 areas of Tamil Nadu. Soon after, the need to launch a full-fledged awareness building Campaign for Human Rights became clear, and this was followed, soon afterward, by the realization that victim rehabilitation was also essential. Monitoring, intervention and even winning compensation from the courts was not enough for those who had survived torture, abuse and imprisonment. They desperately needed medical, psychological and vocational help as well. Preceding the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, People's Watch began a vigorous training and education program. Building on a mandate to monitor violations the growth and development of a broad range of individuals People's Watch initiated in committed to, knowledgeable and skilled in human rights work, 1997–98, the first Human Rights Education program in nine Tamil Nadu schools in 9th standard. By 2002–2005, standards 6-9th were involved in

human rights education Human rights education (HRE) is the learning process that seeks to build knowledge, values, and proficiency in the rights that each person is entitled to. This education teaches students to examine their own experiences from a point of view that ...

in nearly 800 schools, and teachers and students alike were reporting extraordinary classroom interest and enthusiasm. The need for human rights education at the college level was clear, as was the need to reach law students, movements, other NGOs, professional groups, elected representatives, trade unions, political parties and the media. By 2004, when the Strategic Planning process began, People's Watch had developed into a highly respected, effective NGO, making connections, facilitating programs and spreading both a heightened awareness and an imperative to be an agent for change. People's Watch is a member organization of the

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) reviously known as Forum-Asiais a membership-based regional human rights organisation with 85 member organisations in 23 countries across Asia. It is committed to the promotion and p ...

(FORUM-ASIA).

References

{{reflist Organisations based in Tamil Nadu Human rights organisations based in India 1995 establishments in Tamil Nadu Organizations established in 1995