How We're Run

   

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has been working on behalf of persecuted and oppressed ethnic and religious minorities, indigenous peoples and nationalities for more than 45 years. In order to enforce their rights and to help prevent or stop genocide or expulsion, we have to grapple with political parties, governments, international institutions, and also economic enterprises.

 

The DZI’s Seal of Approval: Your donation will make a difference

Our human rights work is primarily funded through donations and regular contributions of our members and supporters, allowing us to remain independent of party politics and other ideological limitations.

The German Central Institute for Social Issues (Deutsches Zentralinstitut für soziale Fragen, DZI) has granted the Society for Threatened Peoples the DZI’s Seal of Approval, assuring that donations are used efficiently and according to the statutory. We were awarded the certificate, which acknowledges reliability and donation-worthiness, regularly since the year 2007.

 

Organizational structure

The STP’s main office is located in Göttingen, Germany. The legal form is that of a registered society (eingetragener Verein, e.V.).

 

General Assembly

The General Assembly elects the Federal Board every two years. In addition, the General Assembly elects the auditors, who annually, on behalf of the organization, examine the use of the donation funds as well as the work of the federal office. Any member who has joined the association at least three months before the date of the annual meeting of its General Assembly and has paid its full fee has one vote.

 

Federal Board

The honorary Federal Board takes care of all the activities of the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and manages both the federal office in Göttingen as well as our office in Berlin. The Federal Board consists of the federal Chairman and four other board members who are elected in the General Assembly for the period of two years in order to represent the members. The board is responsible for planning the society’s policy work and for drawing up the annual budget. The members of the board are also responsible for the annual report and for preparing the annual meeting of the General Assembly. Further, they represent the STP at conferences, congresses and in press conferences at home and abroad.

 

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board consists of personalities whose public activities are especially helpful to represent our goals. Based on their expertise, the members of the Advisory Board are seen as advisors to the Executive Board and the General Assembly. The Federal Board decides who is to join the Advisory Board.

 

Experts

There are at least 40 experts working for us on a voluntary basis all over the world. They provide the STP's consultants with advice, establish contacts with affected persons and contribute their specific, in-depth knowledge of individual countries and regions as well as of ethnic or religious minorities – without financial interests.

 

Regional groups

The STP would not be able to do its work without the voluntary help of many people. Thus, the regional groups are an important and irreplaceable part of our human rights organization. There are voluntary regional groups of the STP in 15 cities throughout Germany. These groups – which are supported by the STP’s board and the main office – organize information events and vigils. Further, they bring about creative initiatives to raise funds for projects and campaigns. The regional groups are obliged to follow a special statute that governs their position and the scope of their activities.  Every year, all members of the regional groups are invited to take part in the Regional Group Meeting.

 

Important documents

Our organizational structure is governed by our statute, while the basic program covers the fundamental ideas and guidelines of the STP.  Both are available in German for download here:

Statute (pdf)

Basic Program (pdf)

 

Work reports

Every year, on occasion of the meeting of the General Assembly, we publish a work report. The reports of the recent years can be downloaded here (only available in German):

Work Report 2017 (pdf)

Work Report 2016 (pdf)

Work Report 2015 (pdf)

Work Report 2014 (pdf)

Work Report 2013 (pdf)