People In Need

People in Need (PIN, Člověk v tísni in Czech) is a Czech organization that does relief work and creates development projects around the world. It works in regions that are in crisis. At the same time, it supports human rights and democratic freedom. PIN is a nonprofit and non-governmental organization.^[1]

PIN cooperates with many other organizations such as: Alliance 2015, the Czech Forum for Development Cooperation (FoRS), the European Union Monitoring Center (EUMC), UNHCR, UNICEF, and many others.

PIN had a budget of over 13 million of Euro in 2008 and about 500 staff all over the world.^[2]). It works or worked in more than 40 countries.

PIN organizes the One World Film Festival each year to show human rights documentaries.

The organization was founded in 1992 by Šimon Pánek and by Jaromír Štětina. Pánek had been a student activist during the Velvet Revolution. Štětina was journalist who wrote about wars.

Structure

Relief and Development Department

The Relief and Development Department of PIN Archived 2010-11-21 at the Wayback Machine helps victims of natural disasters and wars, works against poverty worldwide, and supports universal education. In 2009, the Relief and Development Department was working in eighteen countries in Asia (for example Afghanistan Archived 2012-01-22 at the Wayback Machine, Cambodia Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, Sri Lanka Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine), Africa (e.g. Ethiopia Archived 2011-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, Angola Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, Namibia Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine) and Europe (e. g. Romania Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, Ukraine, Czech Republic Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine). Programs focus on education, health care, clean drinking water, hygiene, and support for jobs that can continue for a long time.

Human Rights Department

People in Need supports people who oppose the government and the develop civil society in countries where the government its power to control many parts of daily life. People in Need also gives the Homo Homini award to a person protected human rights and developed democracy without using violence.

Other Departments

PIN has had programs to fight against poverty and social exclusion in the Czech Republic since 1999. They helped people from poor areas with housing, unemployment, or debt problems. Social Integration Programmes (SIP) started in 2006 and now works in more than 50 cities and towns in the Czech Republic. PIN also offers informative and educational programs in schools to teach about poverty and migration.

Criticism

People in Need has been active in Chechnya and Ingushetia since 2000. In 2005, the Russian weekly Argumenty i Fakty claimed the organization supports Chechen separatist and terrorists.^[3] PIN said it did not.^[4] Then, Russia made the organization leave, but PIN was allowed back in 2007.^[5]