Highlights

Human Rights

Success stories from the Avaaz movement worldwide

AVAAZ
Avaaz is closing the gap between the world we have and the world we want, one campaign at a time

Global Reach

Global Reach

Battling Hate in Uganda

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  • April 2011
  • 1.6 million petition signatures
In 2010 the Ugandan government considered a bill that would sentence gay Ugandans to death. Avaaz members worked with church leaders and human rights activists to deliver an unprecedented show of public opposition to this atrocious law, delivering a 450,000-strong petition to the Speaker of Uganda’s parliament. The delivery made global headlines, and the bill quietly disappeared.

But the Ugandan parliament attempted to bring the anti-gay bill to the floor once more in April 2011. Avaaz immediately shifted into action, and signatures grew from 450,000 to an astonishing 1.6 million in just a few days. On top of the petition, tens of thousands of us called our governments and, once again, made the story major international news. The intense global pressure pushed the speaker of the Ugandan Parliament to block the bill from coming to a vote in an emergency session, and it was wiped from the books. Homophobic lawmakers could bring the bill back at any time. But we’ll be ready for them.

Massacre Prevented

Massacre Prevented

Lives Saved in Libya

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  • March 2011
As the Arab Spring took off in Libya, Muammar Gaddafi threatened to exterminate the entire city of Benghazi. Avaaz members banded together to stop him. On the eve of the key UN Security Council vote, Avaaz sent one million messages calling for asset freezes and protective action. A massacre was prevented. The US ambassador to the UN, one of the last holdouts, publicly thanked us for our campaign.

Here’s what she ( @AmbassadorRiceAmbassador Rice) tweeted:“@Avaaz petitioners: Thank you. UN Security Council condemned violence in #Libya, called for protection of civilians http://bit.ly/ifxO44”

Exposing the Crackdown

No F1 in Brutal Bahrain

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  • February 2011
  • 500,000 petition signatures; Media firestorm
The repressive Bahrain leadership thought they could get away with a brutal crackdown on democracy protesters and still host the prestigious Formula 1 Grand Prix. But 500,000 Avaaz members said no, raising the alarm and calling on F1 to pull out and stand with the protesters being gunned down on the street.

A social media firestorm ensued with over 20,000 Facebook and Twitter messages pasted all over F1 team sites. We then reached out to legendary driver, Damon Hill, who agreed to stand with us.The Avaaz campaign was cited in thousands of articles worldwide (NYT, AFP, Reuters, ESPN) and our spokespeople were interviewed on CNN, BBC and many major networks. F1 tried to cover up the brutality in Bahrain by producing a sham report, but Avaaz was leaked the real report and released it to the media. The story kept raging until eventually the F1 teams pulled out of the Bahrain race, leaving F1 chiefs with no other choice but to cancel.

Powerful Voice

Powerful Voice

Hilton Agrees to Stop Sex Slavery

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  • January 2011
  • 317,000 Petition Signatures
For years Hilton Hotels turned a blind eye to the international rape trade. They didn’t think that they had a responsibility to fully protect the women and children in their hotels. More than 317,000 Avaaz members thought otherwise and warned Hilton’s CEO that unless he changed course, we’d run hard-hitting ads in his hometown.

Just four days later, Hilton agreed to train all of its 180,000 international employees how to spot and prevent sex slavery. Hilton listened and acted – now they’re leading the hotel industry in this field.

Silent Crises

Silent Crises

South Africa confronts ‘Corrective Rape’

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  • December 2010
  • 900,000 signatures to end corrective rape
There’s a sickening practise in South Africa: the rape of lesbian women to ‘turn them straight’. When a local group first launched a petition demanding that their government address 'corrective rape' - they were ignored. But when their petition reached 170,000 signatures, our community – with the help of other organisations like change.org – got invovled. The government noticed, and now, with nearly a million of us signed on and massive media attention, the government has committed to take preventative action against these awful crimes.

Justice for all

Build Settlements, Destroy Peace

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  • March 2010
  • Powerful media stunts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu derailed US-led peace talks when he announced plans to build more housing settlements on occupied Palestinian land. Avaaz responded by channeling the world’s stance against settlement construction and for a just two-state solution. An Avaaz opinion poll and media actions helped bolster President Obama's position ahead of a crucial meeting between the two heads of state.

Creative idealism

Creative idealism

Torture, Guantanamo, and the USA

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  • September 2009
  • Member-funded billboards in Washington DC
Inspired by global calls to end torture, Avaaz launched a billboard campaign in the Washington DC subway system. Backed by thousands of donations from Avaaz members worldwide, the ads reminded policymakers that torture is illegal, unethical – and a key part of the Al Qaeda network’s recruitment strategy. Our message, and its unorthodox delivery, found its way into the Washington Post and Der Spiegel, and set the US capital buzzing with our call to close down Guantanamo.

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

Immediate response

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  • APRIL 2008
  • 1.5 MILLION PETITION SIGNATURES
Sparked by China’s violent crackdown on the March 2008 protests and riots in Tibet, Avaaz members built one of the largest global online petitions to date. 1.5 million members joined in the call for a meaningful dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama. The petition was delivered both privately to Chinese officials and publicly in a global Day of Action, coordinated together with Tibet advocacy groups worldwide.

Following the outcry, China restarted talks with the Dalai Lama – reportedly in response to international pressure. Our community did not end the fight there, however, and continued to support Tibet. Avaazers raising $150,000 in our “Save the Olympics” campaign and fought anti-Tibetan propaganda ahead of the games.