Global Witness

Global Witness campaigns to achieve real change by challenging established thinking on seemingly intractable global issues. Global Witness works to highlight the links between the exploitation of the natural resources and human rights abuses, particularly where the resources such as timber, diamonds and oil are used to fund conflict.

"Global Witness was not just the first organisation that sought to break the links between the exploitation of natural resources, and conflict and corruption. We gave birth to the concept, and have remained its leading practitioner. Established in 1993 by the three founding directors working from the front rooms of their homes, Global Witness now numbers over forty staff divided between its offices in London and Washington DC, and has built a truly impressive track record of success." 

Writing in 2007, Rick Hines and Keith Harmon Snow provide a useful critique of Global Witness's work.

Directors
Accessed October 2008:


 * Patrick Alley
 * Charmian Gooch
 * Simon Taylor

Trustees of the Global Witness Trust
Source pdf
 * Jeremy Bristow
 * Caroline Digby
 * David Edgerton
 * Clare Elliot
 * Lorna MacKinnon
 * Chris?Mitchell
 * Tony Stevenson

Funders
Trusts and foundations
 * Ajahma Charitable Trust
 * Blue Moon Fund
 * Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
 * DOEN Foundation
 * Fledgling Fund
 * Ford Foundation
 * Joffe Charitable Trust
 * Jocarno Fund
 * Open Society Institute
 * RH Southern Trust
 * Roddick Foundation
 * Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation
 * Sigrid Rausing Trust
 * Staples Trust

Development organisations
 * Concern Worldwide
 * Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos)
 * Oxfam Novib
 * Trocaire

Governments Source
 * Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
 * Irish Aid – Irish Department of Foreign Affairs
 * Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida)
 * UK Department for International Development (DFID)

In 2005, they also received funding from the NED for their work to "advocate for good governance of natural resource management in Liberia. Global Witness will work with its Liberian partners to prepare for the upcoming elections by disseminating press releases, articles, and targeted advocacy materials which promote transparent natural resource management." 

Contact details
London head office: 6th Floor, Buchanan House 30 Holborn London, EC1N 2HS UK Phone: +44 (0)207 4925820 Fax: +44 (0)207 4925821 Email: mail AT globalwitness.org Web: http://www.globalwitness.org

US office: 529 14th Street NW Suite 1085 Washington, DC 20045 US Phone: +1 202-621 6665

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Victor Bout
 * Sasha Lezhnev
 * Amy Barry - former head of communications
 * Fiona Napier

External articles

 * "Global Witness to Sue British Government Over 'Conflict Minerals'", Voice of America, July 26, 2010.

External resources

 * Video about corruption and conflict, Global Witness, accessed November 2010.
 * "The role of Liberia's logging industry on national and regional insecurity", Global Witness, January 2010.