Why We Do What We Do

Omega's Theory of Change - downloadable version below

Theory of Change: Omega Research Foundation

Violence and the threat of violence prevents ordinary people from exercising their full range of human rights. In many countries around the world, there is widespread impunity for torture, arbitrary executions, and other grave violations. Human rights and international humanitarian law violations are frequently committed or facilitated by state officials using specialist military, security, and policing (MSP) weapons, equipment, and techniques. Key stakeholders lack sufficient information about these tools and their impact on people’s rights. Without more information, oversight will continue to be insufficient, accountability unobtainable, and the trade in these weapons and equipment will remain largely unregulated.

To address this, the Omega Research Foundation will:

  • Investigate and expose the global manufacture, trade, procurement, testing, and use of MSP weapons, equipment, and techniques and related human rights and international humanitarian law violations.
  • Provide expert analysis and policy proposals to strengthen national, regional, and international controls.
  • Share our specialist knowledge, including through training, briefings, capacity building, and technical assistance.

So that:

  • We strengthen relationships with other NGOs and human rights monitors, journalists, judges and other legal professionals, political figures, private entities, unions, state institutions, law enforcement agencies, and international and regional institutions.
  • These key stakeholders are empowered with knowledge of the manufacture, trade, procurement, testing, and use of MSP weapons, equipment, and techniques, and their human rights impacts for a range of communities.
  • We collectively advocate for change.

So that:

  • Controls related to the manufacture, trade, procurement, testing, and use of weapons, equipment, and techniques are human rights-compliant.
  • These controls are effectively implemented and monitored.
  • Those who perpetrate violations are held to account.

So that:

  • Human rights and international humanitarian law violations are not committed or facilitated by people using military, security, and policing weapons, equipment, and techniques.

So that:

  • People are free to exercise their full range of human rights without the threat of violence and repression.
PDF icon Theory of Change