The Amnesty International, the well-known human rights organization, is to launch a global campaign called “Demand Dignity” to protest abuses that fuel poverty.

Releasing its "Report 2009: State of the World's Human Rights," the organization’s Secretary General Irene Khan said, “… we will mobilize people to seek accountability of national and international actors for human rights abuses that drive and deepen poverty. We will challenge discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and demand concrete measures to overcome the factors that impoverish and keep people poor. We will bring the voices of people living in poverty to the centre of the debate to end poverty and insist that they are allowed to participate actively in decisions that affect their lives.

“We also “demand dignity” for prisoners of poverty so that they can change their own lives.”

Ms.Khan said, "The economic downturn has aggravated abuses, distracted attention from them and created new problems…

“In the name of security, human rights were trampled on. Now, in the name of economic recovery, they are being relegated to the back seat."

"Billions of people are suffering from insecurity, injustice and indignity," Khan added. "This crisis is about shortages of food, jobs, clean water, land and housing, and also about deprivation and discrimination, growing inequality, xenophobia and racism, violence and repression across the world."

Amnesty cited specific trouble spots, including:

-- Surging food prices leading to more hunger and disease.