CONSCIOUS of the fact that poverty, corruption, poor governance, social injustice, human rights violations, and the “scourge of conflicts in Africa constitutes a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the continent and of the need to promote peace, security, and stability as a prerequisite for the implementation of our development and integration agenda”, AU Watch believes that empowering Africans to know and claim their rights, can have a significant impact on the lives of people in Africa. An informed population is an empowered people.

We affirm the core beliefs, values and principles of AU Watch as stated in its constitution.

Ubuntu:The African philosophy of umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (Zulu pronunciation: [ùɓúntʼù]) which is ‘you are because I am’ is AU Watch’s key value proposition. It is the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. As an African-based NGO, our first priority is to the long-suffering African people. At all times, we put the interests of others at the heart of our thinking and practice. Ubuntu symbolises our humanity, solidarity and duty to hold family and community sacred in the pursuit of socio-economic and cultural development of Africa. Ubuntu reflects the vision and values of its founders – pursuing rights-based approaches in our work

Promote Social Justice: We are passionate in our pursuit of social justice and the inclusion of all Africans in the realisation of Agenda 2063. We seek partners who share this passion. We strive to be courageous in this pursuit by tackling difficult problems and addressing the root causes of injustice. We trust our partners and accept that change takes time and sustained effort. We aim to lift up the voices of the most vulnerable and support them to understand and pursue their rights.

Humility and Service: Our mission is simply gargantuan. But we believe in it and working hard to fulfil our objectives. With many years of experience in African development and human rights work, we have learned that if you want to achieve anything of consequence, you will need the help and cooperation of lots of people. We enthusiastically pursue collaborations and partnerships to expand our reach.

Trust: Trust is a founding principle of AU Watch. We believe in transparency and accountability with regards to all matters pertaining to the organisation. Our interactions are open to scrutiny.

Integrity and Impartiality: We are an independent and neutral movement. We recognize and care about the rights and dignity of others. We are open, honest and fair and strive to respect humanity, irrespective of race, gender, religion, or status. Integrity and impartiality are core to our ways of working.

Supporting and Promoting the Value of a Free and Pluralistic Media: We share our expertise with policy-makers, academics and practitioners by supporting and promoting the value of a free and pluralistic media and underlining the importance of communication in achieving development objectives.

Diversity, Tolerance, Respect and Understanding: We value diversity. We actively promote respect for diversity and team work, with our staff, partners and audiences. For us that means establishing and maintaining effective working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity, always seeking to take advantage of the power of synergy.We strive to live up to our commitments, to be fair and transparent in our work, and to act consistently in applying our principles.

Collaboration:We believe in the power of people. We have learned that cooperation helps you to achieve your goals. We, therefore, structure everything we do in such a way that, because we are constantly cooperating with others, they are continually open to helping to achieve the organisation’s goals. We listen, learn and we share, aiming to build capacity both among our colleagues and beyond. Our work enables dialogue and creates space for people to think, speak and participate.

Gender Equity: We recognize that men and women may have different development needs. Therefore, our programs take into consideration these differences so that opportunities are equally distributed.

Publics: Our publics underpin all that we do. They include ordinary citizens like us, vulnerable and excluded communities, media professionals, listeners, and viewers. We provide a platform for people whose voices are often unheard to engage the AU, share their stories and question their leaders.

Authenticity: We strive to support, learn from and value the contributions of all colleagues. We aim for a workplace in which all staff members and volunteers feel respected and able to reach their full potential. We strive for an organisation in which innovation is rewarded, diversity is embraced and both success and failure are shared. We want to work as a team, across programs and offices, in our pursuit of social justice.

Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions and proactively demonstrate that we work with and on behalf of others. We perform consistently to standards and seek to achieve and inspire excellence. We are dedicated to continually drawing from our experience, sharing knowledge and applying it to improve our work.