AU WATCH

Values and Policies

Committed. Independent. Impartial. Inclusive. Resourceful.

Our staff and volunteers of thousands of people, drawn from diplomacy, media, the academy and civil society, are based in chapters and field offices around Africa.

Our Culture

Talented, committed and responsible people from diverse backgrounds are essential for us to fulfil our purpose of reimagining anAfrica that is human rights compliant. We strive to unleash the power of our employees, volunteers and partners and we cultivate an organization that is inspired, curious and empowered.

At AU Watch, we believe that how we promote and protect human rights is as important as what we do. We want to achieve good results in a way that treats all our publics fairly and helps to strengthen our communities.

We are committed to having the most sustainable impact for the communities and the people with whom we engage. All our actions aim to have impact which improves the living conditions of the people, contributing to reaching dignity every human being is entitled to.To achieve the most impact, we commit to effectiveness, relevance, inclusiveness and sustainability.

Success Starts Here
Our values are part of our DNA. They guide the way we work with our business partners, within our communities and with each other.

Our values were developed through conversations with clients, employees and our numerous partners across the human and development terrain about what it means to be part of the AU Watch family, and what we need to value in order to be successful. By living our values, we will be better able to fulfil our purpose and satisfy the changing needs of our publics.

Commitment to the Cause of Human Rights:

Guided by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other regional and international human rights instruments, our unrelenting mission is to secure human rights in Africa.we are committed to having the most sustainable impact for the communities and the people with whom we engage.

Freedom

We believe strongly that the concept of human freedom encompasses various freedoms: political freedom, freedom of expression, political participation and equality of opportunity – and we will be uncompromising in protecting them.

Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness and Inspiration is the fuel that keeps our feet close to the fire;thinkers, writers and doers who see possibilities, not problems; entrepreneurs who see challenges, not limitations; Savvy professionals who get things done and find ways to make things work. Support heroes who believe, dream and defy the odds. To be resourceful is to come up with solutions, not excuses.We strive to inspire all those around us through our vision, values, approaches, choices, practice, actions and advocacy.

Integrity and Impartiality

We are committed to upholding the truth about violations, ensuring that we always maintain our very high values and principles of accuracy, impartiality and objectivity.

Enterprising-spirit

We never rest on our achievements. Promoting and protecting human rights in Africa can be tough. We recognise that we must adapt constantly in a fast-changing world, always meeting our clients and publics needs and spotting opportunities to promote and protect human rights. So, we engage in our work with a spirit that creates value and overcomes challenges.we believe everyone can develop their own entrepreneurial spirit. That is why we have made it a core value. We combine this with the value of resourcefulness because we expect our people to follow through on their best ideas and make them happen.

Collaboration

We believe in the power of people. Grand accomplishments are never achieved alone. 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 organization’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.

 

Curiosity and Rebellion

We are rebellious and idealistic at heart. We aspire to be kind and responsible to our environment and society, while being an inspiration for others.

We value and encourage creativity. We understand that progress is driven by the inquisitive and the curious. We recognize that creativity exists in many forms, with ideas brimming at every level, from “shoot for the moon” ambitions, right down to our daily work. We embrace innovation and act we courage. We are not afraid to challenge established norms, pursuing the right outcomes, knowing it is rarely easy. We want our people to have the courage to stand up for their ideas and challenge the status quo. Creativity can often mean simply looking at things in a different way and our collaborative culture allows us to build on ideas and continually improve the work that we do.

Authenticity & Innovation

Innovation is at the heart of what we do. We strive to support, learn from and value the contributions of all colleagues. We encourage people to experiment and take smart risks. Our aim is to foster creative thinking that leads to practical solutions to business challenges. We strive for an organization in which innovation is rewarded, diversity is embraced and both success and failure are shared.

Independence

We are an independent African-based, non-partisan organization. We protect our independence fiercely and as such do not accept any funding, directly or indirectly that has the potential of compromising our judgment, objectivity and independence. We do not support any political movement and maintain strict neutrality in armed conflict.

Efficiency and Effectiveness

Resources available to us are used optimally to ensure that programs are well delivered. We take a networking approach that takes advantage of available resources through other players.

Responsible

We ensure the efficient and responsible delivery of all our human rights and development programs and the resources that have been entrusted to us.To fulfill this responsibility, we, as an organization and as individuals, commit to being accountable, transparent and compliant towards beneficiaries, communities, as well as towards donors, partners and stakeholders.We endeavor to ensure that our actions do not harm people, their culture, dignity or potential.

Shaping the Politicsof Agenda 2063

AU Watch’s media, education, communication and advocacy work make real change in Africa, incrementally over time and often against long odds. Every day, our work on the AU and AU Member States informs policy discussions, highlights opportunities for effective early action, guides media coverage and draws attention to what the AU and its Members should be doing for Africa. We understand that impact is always hard to quantify.

Act today I Invest in tomorrow

We go the last mile: AU Watch’s mission is to empower all of us to question what our states managers say they are doing on our behalf, and to have a say in the way we are being governed. AU Watch develops and implements programs that target the most vulnerable amongst populations that have suffered from gross human rights violations and socio-economic hardship. AU Watch’s approach is to empower all of us to have a say in the affairs of Africa.

Our Methodology

AU Watch promotes and protects human rights in Africa through an interdisciplinary combination of legal and socioeconomic research and analysis. Together with civil society groups around the world, AU Watch monitors the activities and policies of the AU and its Members (as they relate to the AU) holding them accountable to the standards they have set for themselves.
We defend people’s civil, political, social and economic rights in pursuit of our vision. We partner with and support human rights defenders who work in Africa’s most repressive regions.

• Field Research
• Critical Thinking Writing & Analysis
• Media, Communication, Advocacy
• Collaboration & Partnerships
• Community mobilization
• Litigation and Public Campaigns
Events

We strive to inspire all those around us to through our vision, values, approaches, choices, practice, actions and advocacy. We look for inspiration in our team, partners and the world around us, and seek to inspire those we have contact with. We walk our talk and commit to motivating people, to create new possibilities and sustainable change together with us by investing in people’s potential.