Minority Rights Group International

Minority Rights Group International "campaigns worldwide with around 130 partners in over 60 countries to ensure that disadvantaged minorities and indigenous peoples, often the poorest of the poor, can make their voices heard. Through training and education, legal cases, publications and the media, we support minority and indigenous people as they strive to maintain their rights to the land they live on, the languages they speak, to equal opportunities in education and employment, and to full participation in public life."

David Astor played a key role in the "formation of the Minority Rights Group in 1961, an organization formed largely by him and Michael Scott to publicize the cause of oppressed minorities in the post-colonial world. The first director was Laurence Gandar. Others involved were Roland Oliver, the Africa expert, and David Kessler, editor of the Jewish Chronicle."


 * Mark Lattimer, MRG's Executive Director

Council members
Accessed February 2008:


 * Kevin Boyle (Chair)
 * Annemarie Mijnsbergen (Treasurer)
 * Chaloka Beyani
 * Miriam Hooker
 * Mukesh Kapila
 * Lekha Klouda
 * Reem Mazzawi
 * John Packer
 * Lydia Ramahobo
 * Stella Tamang

Recent major donors to MRG
Accessed February 2008:


 * Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
 * Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
 * Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
 * Christian Aid
 * Cordaid
 * DanChurchAid
 * Development Cooperation Ireland
 * DOEN Foundation
 * European Commission
 * Ford Foundation
 * Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO)
 * Joffe Charitable Trust
 * Lee Foundation
 * Matrix Causes Fund
 * Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
 * Netherlands Foreign Ministry
 * Open Society Institute
 * Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)
 * Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Sheri Rosenberg Philanthropic Fund
 * Big Lottery Fund
 * Sigrid Rausing Trust
 * Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation (SIDA)
 * Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
 * Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
 * T H Brunner Charitable Trust
 * Eva Reckitt Trust
 * Pilkington General Charitable Trust
 * Trócaire
 * UK Department for International Development (DFID)
 * UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
 * United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
 * United States Institute for Peace (USIP)
 * University of Essex

1983 Details
According to a Minority Rights Group report published in 1983 titled The Tibetans, the following people were linked to the group.


 * Executive Director, Ben Whitaker
 * Deputy Director, Kaye Stearman
 * Development Officers, Jackie Wray and Nicola van der Gaag

Sponsors

 * Lady Butler
 * Milovan Djilas
 * Robert Gardiner
 * Lord Goodman
 * Rt Hon Jo Grimond, PC, MP
 * Sean MacBride
 * Gunnar Myrdal
 * Jayaprakash Narayanj
 * Joseph Needham

Council

 * Roland Oliver - Chairman
 * Elena Borghese
 * Hugo Brunner
 * George W. Cadbury
 * Michael Crowder
 * Lord Kennet
 * Richard Kershaw
 * David Kessler
 * Keith Kyle
 * Scilla McLean
 * Claire Palley
 * Alan Phillips
 * Patricia Robertson
 * Hugh Tinker

Contact

 * Web: http://www.minorityrights.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Saad Eddin Ibrahim
 * Maja Daruwala
 * Fiona Harrison
 * Yash Pal Ghai
 * Scilla Elworthy
 * Global Day for Darfur
 * Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development
 * Ben Whitaker - former executive director
 * Jo Grimond - founding chair
 * Bill Samuel
 * David Hicks - first education officer