Giving Now: Accelerating Human Rights for All

Dirty dollars,tainted donors, and poverty porn have caused a social backlash against philanthropy. Patricia Illingworth argues that approaching philanthropy through a human rights lens can improve the quality of giving, resolve urgent quandaries, and mitigate the social injustice that philanthropy can perpetuate. She makes the case that people and organizations have human rights responsibilities that should guide philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Dirty dollars, tainted donors, and poverty porn have sparked a societal backlash against philanthropy. As the wealth of an increasing number of billionaires concentrates, it becomes evident that the same system that generated their riches also perpetuates profound inequality, social injustice, and human suffering. Philanthropists frequently attach conditions to their donations, seeking to create a better world according to their vision. Some donors contribute with tainted funds, support hate groups, or use their money to launder their reputations. Nonprofits that overlook these warning signs often find themselves complicit in the consequences associated with dark dollars.

In her book, Patricia Illingworth offers practical solutions to address this problem. Through the use of case studies, she argues that adopting a human rights lens in philanthropy can enhance the quality of giving, address urgent dilemmas, and mitigate the social injustice that philanthropy can perpetuate. Illingworth, a philosopher and lawyer, makes the case that individuals and organizations have human rights responsibilities that should guide philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. When philanthropy begins to acknowledge, respect, and protect human rights, it will regain its social license and contribute to making the world a better place.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190907044