How we are structured and governed

Map of the UK

Amnesty International UK is one of over 50 nationally organised sections that make up Amnesty International worldwide membership organisation.

We have more than 260,000 financial supporters in the UK, working together to improve human rights worldwide. We have offices in London, Belfast, and Edinburgh and around 130 staff and 65 volunteers.

See our structural chart and find out about the Board, Committees and Senior Management Team

How we are governed

Amnesty International UK is divided into two legal entities, each with their own constitution.

control arms campaigning outside parliament in LondonUK Section The Section is responsible for operations including campaigning, communications, fundraising and administration. Find out more | Download the constitution (PDF)

Gift aidCharitable Trust For historical legal reasons, the Charitable Trust was formed to carry out activities deemed charitable under English law. Find out more

If you would like to contact us about the governance of Amnesty International UK, please email governance@amnesty.org.uk

Elections for the 2014-17 Board - change to timetable

Our Board is made up of 12 elected members, who each serve voluntarily for three consecutive years. The process for the election of members to serve 2014-17 is going to work to a slightly different timetable to previous years with some key changes:
  • The call for nominations will be earlier, on 27 December 2013
  • The deadline for receipt of nominations will be earlier, on 15 January 2014
  • Ballot papers will be issued earlier, on 14 February 2014

Download the full information and timetable (PDF)

Our 12-month Governance Taskforce

The 2013 Annual General Meeting decided to establish a task force to review governance of Amnesty International UK. Read the full remit of the Task Force (PDF). 

It was decided that membership of the Task Force should be made up of two members of the Board, two Trustees of our Charitable Trust, one non-Board member of the Active Member Sub Committee, one non-Board member of the International Issues Sub Committee, the Chair of the Standing Orders Committee and six members drawn from the wider membership. The members are: 
  • Mike Reed, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Chris Ramsey, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Mike Parkinson, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Peter Pack, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Naomi Hunter, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Clive Briscoe, Governance Task Force Member 
  • Eilidh Douglas, Governance Task Force Member (Co-opted Youth Representative)
  • Tom Hedley, Board Representative
  • Hannah Perry, Board Representative
  • Sarah O'Grady, Trust Representative
  • Malcolm Dingwall-Smith, Active Members Sub-Committee Representatives
  • Elizabeth Mottershaw, International Issues Sub-Committee Representative
  • Allison Cosgrove, Standing Orders Committee Representative
One vacant non-Board Trustee is yet to be confirmed.

Board elections and tenure

Following the Chair of the Board's resignation on 13 August 2013, Sarah O'Grady, Vice-Chair of the Board will lead the Board until its next meeting on the 21 September at which point the Board will elect a new Chair. The term of the new Chair will be until May 2014 when the Board will elect a new chair in line with its normal practice. 

The structure of Amnesty UK

A chart showing the structure of Amnesty UK

More information: