Bruno Kreisky Foundation

for Human Rights

The International Helsinki Federation (International Organisation)

The International Helsinki Federation (IHF) is a private organization that focuses on upholding the decisions made at the Helsinki Conference for Safety and Cooperation in Europe in 1975. The IHF pressures the nations who signed the Helsinki Federation to uphold their promises and obligations. They typically focus on Policy VII from Helsinki. This law guarantees the rights of individuals within society to religion, thought, and other basic freedoms.

There are 46 national committees in OSCE countries. The International Helsinki Federation also took particular interest in the work of the KSZE Meetings in Vienna because they focused on going through actual human rights’ violations. They worked closely with many of the delegations, including both Western nations, and those of Eastern Europe. Making human rights violations public was their main focus. Their work helped to initiate discussions at the KSZE Meetings and put issues into an international perspective.

The International Helsinki Federation was forced to file for bankruptcy on November 27, 2007 after the corrupt money laundering of their former financial manager. The archives of the organization are being made available for public use.