White Privilege Culture Reported At Amnesty International Secretariat

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2021) Amnesty International has a culture of white privilege with incidents of overt racism, The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing an internal review at the London-based secretariat of the non-governmental human rights organization following the Black Lives Matter Movement.

According to the confidential report commissioned by Amnesty International to the UK consulting firm Howlett Brown, several such behaviours and statements, some of which could reasonably be categorised as overt racism, were identified during the investigation.

They found, for example, that staff at the international secretariat used racist language, including derogatory highly offensive phrases, aggressive and dismissive behaviour, particularly over email and often directed to staff in offices in developing countries, and that black staff were particularly aware of their capability being questioned consistently and without justification.

The review, which according to The Guardian was published in October but not press released, also noted that several staff had complained that their religious beliefs were not adequately understood or respected.

The news outlet also cited a statement by Amnesty International in which the coalition leadership team said the findings were a timely reminder that discrimination, racism and anti-black racism exist in the organisation, and pledged to address white privilege wherever it exists.