People’s Watch, a national human rights organization, is a program of the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC). People’s Watch has been actively engaged in the protection and promotion of human rights in Tamil Nadu since 1995. People’s Watch has sought to hold the State accountable to its citizens for the chronic abuses of their rights and has worked to advance a human rights culture disposed to safeguard both the welfare and the freedom of all people. Now, after 10 years of work, People’s Watch has expanded its concerns—especially in the areas of human rights monitoring, combating torture through torture monitoring & intervention, and establishing a national coalition against torture by forming statewide networks all over India. People’s Watch has also expanded its human rights education & training initiatives throughout India.
Who We Are
From 1995-98, 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.
VISION
A society free from human rights violations and discrimination to be built through cultivating a human rights culture and building a participatory democracy.
MISSION
Protection of human rights through monitoring human rights violations, intervention and building solidarity with peoples’ struggle for human rights.
Promoting human rights culture through education and conscientising the larger community.
A Brief History:
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 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. The time had come to build the capacity of other groups and organizations to carry the flag of human rights; People’s Watch could not, would not, bare the burden alone. Until the existence of destructive forces in society ranging from indifference to murderous brutality are eliminated, the maximum number of people must be engaged in the task of defending human dignity.
