Two Australian schools have set up alternatives to Amnesty International where individuals may campaign and champion human rights without belonging to a group that promotes abortion “rights.” From CathNews:
Two Sydney Catholic schools have set up the Benenson Society, to enable Catholics to continue to campaign for human rights after they have left Amnesty International due to Amnesty’s decision to promote abortion rights.
Loreto Kirribilli and St Aloysius College decided to establish the society at a recent meeting held at the girls’ school and will use the white rose as a symbol of the newly formed group.
Named after British Lawyer Peter Benenson, a Catholic, who founded Amnesty International in 1961, the Benenson Society aims to give students the opportunity to be involved in the promotion of human rights through the raising of awareness and by lobbying governments on behalf of prisoners of conscience, for the end of torture and the death penalty, and asserting the rights of all to basic freedoms.
While the two schools will initially sponsor the society, similar school and university groups are being invited to affiliate. Talks have also taken place with other groups such as Amnesty and Caritas Australia, Human Rights First, Christians Against Torture, Consistent Life and Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
The charter and membership registration for the Benenson Society are available at the schools website.
The Benenson Society is hosted at St. Aloysius’ College, a Jesuit school. You can find the society’s charter, as well as other documents. Here is a link to St. Aloysius’ memorandum on withdrawing its support for Amnesty International.
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