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.
Theory of change
Click the table below to explore how our work contributes towards achieving our vision.
VISION
People are free to exercise their full range of human rights without the threat of state violence and repression.
GOAL
Human rights and international humanitarian law violations are not committed or facilitated by people using military, security, and policing weapons, equipment, and techniques.
LONG TERM OBJECTIVES
1. Manufacture and Trade
Manufacture, trade, procurement, and testing of weapons, equipment, and techniques are human rights compliant, transparent, and accountable.
2. Use of Force
Use of force by states is human rights compliant, transparent, and accountable.
3. International Standards
International Standards on the use of force and the manufacture, trade and procurement of weapons or equipment exist, are up to date, relevant, and implemented.
OUTCOMES
Outcome 1.1 +
State laws, policies, and procedures regulating manufacture, trade, procurement, and testing are human rights compliant.
Outcome 1.2 +
State laws, policies, and procedures are effectively implemented and monitored.
Outcome 1.3 +
Actors involved in the provision of law enforcement and security goods and services behave lawfully.
Outcome 2.1 +
State laws, policies, and procedures regulating use of force are human rights compliant.
Outcome 2.2 +
State laws, policies, and procedures are effectively implemented and monitored.
Outcome 2.3 +
Law enforcement and security personnel behave lawfully.
Outcome 3.1 +
International standards reflect evolving good practice.
Outcome 3.2 +
International and regional human rights institutions hold accountable those that violate international standards.
OUTPUTS
Draft legislation and standards (e.g., Torture Trade Instrument), implementation tool kits, guides for human rights monitors, global maps of manufacture, trade and use of equipment (e.g., of arbitrary use of force), technical briefs on protocols and procedures (e.g., use of force protocols).
ACTIVITIES
Research and investigations, data collection, mapping and sharing data through Omega Data Platform, advocacy and policy advice, capacity-building and training, technical assistance.