People in Need

People in Need (PIN) (Czech: Člověk v tísni) is a Czech nonprofit, non-governmental organization based in Prague, Czech Republic, that implements humanitarian relief and long term development projects, educational programs, and human rights programs in crisis regions internationally. Its director is Šimon Pánek. In 2017 PIN operated in 34 countries.[1]

For other uses, see People in Need (disambiguation).
People in Need
Formation1992
TypeNon-profit
NGO
PurposeProtecting human rights and providing human relief, development assistance, and social integration projects
HeadquartersPrague, Czech Republic
Websitewww.peopleinneed.cz/indexen.php

In the Czech Republic, PIN runs social integration programs and provides informative and educational activities.[2] The organization aims to promote democratic freedom and principles of human solidarity. Since its foundation in 1992, PIN has had a presence in almost 50 countries. Currently, PIN is one of the largest NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe.[3]

People in Need is a member of Alliance 2015,[4] Czech Forum for Development Cooperation (FoRS),[5] EU Monitoring Centre (EUMC),[6] Eurostep,[7] CONCORD and VOICE. The vast majority of revenue comes from individual projects. Among its donors are the Czech government, the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission, EuropeAid, the United States Agency for International Development, UN agencies, and people of the Czech Republic.[8]

History
Founder Šimon Pánek

The organization was founded in 1992 by Šimon Pánek, a student activist during the Velvet Revolution, and by Jaromír Štětina, a war correspondent from conflict areas of former Soviet Union. The organization began its work as Nadace Lidových novin (The Lidové noviny Foundation, in English Popular Newspapers) and changed its name two years later to Nadace Člověk v tísni při České televizi (The People in Need Foundation under the auspices of Czech Television). In 1999 the organisation was given its current name, People in Need. Šimon Pánek has been the director of PIN since 2009. In order to deliver relief aid and development assistance, PIN works to create a tolerant, open society and mobilizes support of the public. PIN's work is most visible during big humanitarian crisis such as the floods in the Czech Republic in 2002, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (Czech people and companies donated more than 130 million CZK)[9] or the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.

In Africa and Asia, PIN implements development projects providing basic human needs and education. In several countries like Belarus,[10] Cuba,[11] Moldova[12] or Ukraine,[13] PIN has supported individuals from the opposition who advocate democratic and liberal rights. In the Czech Republic the organisation concentrates on issues such as the assistance of local Romani living on the edge of the society, the organization of cultural activities (most prominent is the One World Film Festival founded by Igor Blaževič), the distribution of information projects and the involvement in political activism.

In 2007, PIN established major projects in Afghanistan (irrigation, local schools), Sri Lanka (since the 2004 earthquake), Pakistan (reconstruction after the 2005 earthquake in Pakistani part of Kashmir), Angola and Ethiopia (construction of schools), Namibia (help for people suffering HIV/AIDS), Romania and Serbia (endorse groups of ethnic Czechs settled there for generations) and several other countries.[14]

In 2008, two missions were implemented by PIN in Burma (relief and recovery operations after cyclone Nargis) and the DR Congo (support for victims of rape and sexual violence). One year later in 2009 the organization was involved in providing assistance after the devastating floods in the Czech Republic.

People in Need has been operating in Venezuela since 2014 and has been trying to motivate active people in society to remain in the country and continue in their work despite the difficult conditions. PIN provides small grants to a number of organisations and individuals to support their activities. The focus of the projects varies from support of activists operating in deprived areas to support of lawyers defending imprisoned activists.

People in Need has been involved with humanitarian aid, human rights, and developmental projects around the world.

Programs and projects

Humanitarian and development aid

People in Need provides humanitarian aid to people affected by war or natural disasters. In recent years they have been involved in the armed conflict in the East of Ukraine and the largest humanitarian crisis in contemporary society, the civil war in Syria. They provide food, shelter, water, or crisis psychosocial help to those most in need in these countries, whilst also helping to repair damaged homes and provide material and equipment for the winter. They also focus on food distribution, restoration of livelihoods, housing provision (at least one warm room in the house, home repair, rent grants, distribution of fuel and water).[15] In Syria, People in Need also provides local farmers with a number of inaccessible seeds and tools to support their farming activity or, in safer places, provide food vouchers instead of food packages.

As part of their development projects, assistance has been provided in more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Including, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Angola, Mongolia, Cambodia and Romania. They address long-term problems such as the unavailability of quality education, health care or environmental degradation. Focusing on securing basic living needs (water, health, education, nutrition) and promoting social programs, local business development, and supporting civil society and good governance. In Afghanistan, the organization began operating in 2001 after the fall of the Taliban, focusing on addressing long-term problems of livelihood, education and local community development.

Social integration programs
Social integration Program in the Czech Republic

Since 1999 PIN has regularly worked to reduce poverty and social exclusion in the Czech Republic. It especially helps in poorer areas by providing social outreach projects, namely housing advice, advisory service for debtors, and limiting unemployment. In the past years, PIN has expanded to offer job and legal counseling, tutoring, social service assistance, police apparatus, and encourages meaningful leisure activities for children.

In summer 2006 the organization established a separate social integration department (in Czech: Programů sociální integrace, PSI). The aim of this department is to provide a comprehensive range of services for socially excluded individuals and families. Additionally, advises local councils in towns and municipalities where most socially excluded populations are located. Their approach attempts to address the issue on both the individual and local levels.

Currently, the program employs over 200 people, including 130 social workers, job counselors, lawyers, and educators who are further supported by over 300 volunteers. It operates in more than 60 cities and municipalities across the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Social exclusion is closely linked to the problems of debt and the debt trap, which is associated with illegal loan-sharks and so-called quick loans offered by non-banking companies and even legitimate banking establishments. Hence, People in Need began negotiations with the Czech Banking Association in 2010, and reached an agreement regarding the elimination of unfair terms for credit agreements at all Czech banks. In 2011, PIN completed a nearly three-year campaign of indexing predatory lending to the Roma in Slovakia. Thanks to the campaign, the vast majority of companies modified the provision of loans.[16]

Promotion of human rights

A major part of the work of PIN is to advocate for dissidents, opposition activists, and the development of a civil society in countries controlled by authoritarian regimes. In regard to its experience with communist and former communist regimes, PIN works in Cuba,[11] Moldova,[12] Russia,[17] and Ukraine.[13] Burma[18] continues to be a country of concern. People in Need has been working on the country since 1997 when the organization began to support members of civil society groups.

PIN's primary focus is to support political prisoners (and their families), human rights defenders, and independent journalists. Therefore, the organization encourages civil society initiatives. Families of political prisoners, from harshly repressive regimes such as Burma and Cuba, are provided with financial and humanitarian assistance as well as moral endorsement. A substantial part of the financial aid is provided from the "Friends of People in Need Fund".[19]

The organization actively forwards its views on development in areas affected by war or human rights violations.

Education and outreach

Educational programs are focused on students and teachers of Czech primary and secondary schools, universities and other professional groups (such as employees at employment centers or the police). Educational programs are implemented through presentation of documentary films accompanied by conversations (e.g. One World at schools),[20] an information service about intercultural education and global development (variations program) for teachers, as well as the promotion of ties between institutions and NGOs working in the field of social exclusion (Social Integration Programs).

People in Need focuses on appropriate information to the Czech public, the government and the media. Long and short-term campaigns are implemented in film screenings, discursive evenings, creative competitions, and trips for journalists who address specific issues such as development cooperation (Rozvojovka, Stop child labor). Campaigns include public actions or projects involving the gathering of information and materials on migration and foreigners living in the Czech Republic.

The organization publishes what calls the 'Predator Index',[21] a ranking of companies that provide unguaranteed loans, with inappropriate terms and conditions for the debtor. The index is compiled on the basis of clarity of contract and conditions, the presence of default interest in excess of statutory regulations, the cost of a delayed payment in the form of penalties, the cost of the loan in the case of timely payment and the proper use of the arbitration clause.

One World Film Festival

People in Need organizes the biggest human rights film festival in Europe, held in the Czech Republic, called One World (Czech: Jeden Svět),[22] which received honorable reference for its work on education of human rights by UNESCO in 2007.[23] During the festival People in Need further presents the Homo Homini Award to a person who conduced a significant contribution towards the protection of human rights and non-violent promotion of democracy.

Winners of the Homo Homini Award

Past winners of the award include the following:[24]

One World Festival/Jeden Svět 2011

Criticism

Russian criticism, Chechnya and Ingushetia Since the end of the 1990s, People in Need maintained several projects in Chechnya and Ingushetia. In 2005, the Russian Weekly Argumenty i Fakty named the organization – as well as other NGOs and the UN – supporters of Chechen separatists and terrorists.[26] PIN denied any involvement.[27] In the same year Russia expelled the organization from working in the region. Two years later, in 2007, People in Need was allowed to come back and keep working in Chechnya and Ingushetia.[28]

Cuban criticism, ECOSOC During a meeting of ECOSOC in 2006, the Cuban ambassador accused PIN of being financed by the US and conspiring against the government of Cuba and keeping in contact with Cuban emigrants who have a so-called terrorist past. After the vote, PIN was not recommended for consultative status with the ECOSOC.[29][30]

Kosovo, South Ossetia PIN was moreover criticized by some Czech journalists for expressing too much political concern: after the Kosovo war, it supported Kosovar Albanians, but not the local Serbs. Similarly, after the South Ossetia war in 2008, relief from PIN was delivered only to Georgian civilians.[31]

Donetsk In November 2016 Donetsk People's Republic expelled PIN from its territory, due to "carrying out provocative activity, corruption schemes and sneering attitude to the people of the DPR".[32] PIN denied any wrongdoing.[33]

Government financing and dependence Another criticism in the Czech Republic concerns the status of PIN as independent and non-governmental since the revenues come mainly from governmental sources.

See also

References
  1. "People in Need's 2017 Annual Report" (PDF). clovekvtisni.cz.
  2. "About us | People in Need". Clovekvtisni.cz. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. "People in Need | Demas". Demas.cz. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  4. "alliance2015.org". alliance2015.org. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  5. "Czech Forum for Development Cooperation (FoRS)". Fors.cz. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  6. "European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia". Europa.eu. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  7. "Weekly". Eurostep. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  8. Archived 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  14. See the 2007 Annual Report.
  15. "www.peopleinneed.cz". peopleinneed.cz. Retrieved on = 2018-05-16.
  16. "Predátorský index: Napoví, kdo nabízí nevýhodné půjčky - Aktuálně.cz". Aktualne.centrum.cz. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  17. "EDUCATION". Clovekvtisni.cz. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  18. "BURMA/MYANMAR". Clovekvtisni.cz. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  19. Archived 25 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  20. "ONE WORLD IN SCHOOLS". Clovekvtisni.cz. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  21. Archived 20 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  22. "Film Festival One World 2011". Oneworld.cz. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  23. "UNESCO - University of Pretoria's Centre for Human Rights wins 2006 UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education". Portal.unesco.org. 11 December 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  24. "PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF THE HOMO HOMINI AWARD". People in Need. Archived from the original on 1 May 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  25. "One World 2020". One World 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  26. Бхйрнп Яслаюрнб, Лняйбю (23 March 2005). "юПЦСЛЕМРШ Х ТЮЙРШ — б МЮЬХУ ЯРПЕКЪЧР ЮБРНЛЮРШ ннм? - "юПЦСЛЕМРШ Х ТЮЙРШ", № 12 (1273) НР 23.03.2005". Gazeta.aif.ru. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  27. "ČLOVĚK V TÍSNI NESPOLUPRACUJE S TERORISTY". Clovekvtisni.cz. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  28. "ECONNECT - Člověk v tísni může zpět do Ruska". Zpravodajstvi.ecn.cz. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  29. Protocol from the meeting, with decision not to recommend PIN in: NGO Committee recommends six organizations for consultative status Archived 20 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), 24 January 2006
  30. "Cuba strikes back: Czech NGO denied ECOSO, confidential cable, US embassy in Prague". Dazzlepod.com. 10 February 2006. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012.
  31. "Lidé v Cchinvali jsou v tísni, kde je Člověk v tísni?". legacy.blisty.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  32. People in Need provoked in Donetsk, claim the separatists. Pánek refuses the expulsion, iDNes, 28 November 2016, in Czech language
  33. PEOPLE IN NEED HELPED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN DONETSK AND WAS ALWAYS TRANSPARENT IN ITS WORK, press release by PIN, 9 December 2016
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