The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights
and Labor Programs
The Human Rights & Democracy Fund (HRDF) is the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor’s flagship program. Since Congress established it in FY 1998, the Human Rights & Democracy Fund has been used to fulfill the bureau’s mandate of monitoring and promoting human rights and democracy worldwide.
The HRDF is designed to act as the Department’s “venture capital” fund for democracy and human rights. This flexibility allows the U.S. to respond rapidly and decisively to democratization and human rights crises and deficits. As a result, DRL’s groundbreaking, cutting-edge programs face high risk, but pay great dividends.
Often politically sensitive, HRDF programs have a dramatic effect on democracy promotion and personal liberties. The programs enable the U.S. to minimize human rights abuses, support democracy activists worldwide, open political space in struggling or nascent democracies and authoritarian regimes, and bring positive transnational change. Sometimes DRL’s HRDF programming is the only US assistance available to citizens fighting to change their societies. When possible, however, DRL works closely with other agencies and bureaus to ensure that HRDF programs do not duplicate other assistance efforts. HRDF programs strive for self-sustainability, though a number of programs have received further funding from other resources.
Other DRL Funding Sources
On occasion, DRL will receive additional funds to implement from Congress, Department of State Bureaus, and other U.S. agencies. These have included Congressional Supplemental appropriation, Congressional earmarks, Economic Support Funds (ESF), Partnership to Eliminate Sweatshop Production (PESP) funds, Support for Eastern Europe Democracy (SEED) funds, and funds for Iraq programs.
DRL’s important efforts have brought success and, with success, DRL funding has grown from $7.82 million in FY1998 to over $207 million in FY2010. The vast majority of DRL programs are awarded through an open, merit-based competition. DRL finds such open competitions yield innovative ideas from a variety of partners who bring, among other things, invaluable country- and region-specific experience. (2)
Summary of DRL Administered Foreign Assistance Appropriations (in millions):
Current DRL Programming by Region:
Human Rights Defenders’ Fund
DRL is also supporting a global human rights initiative. Defenders of human rights often risk their own and their families' lives and safety to advocate for universally recognized human rights. In response to increased pressure on human rights and democracy NGOs and activists, the State Department made defending these individuals a priority and established a $1.5 million emergency fund. This Human Rights Defenders Fund draws upon the Bureau's expertise of protecting and assisting human rights defenders who advance democracy and promote human rights, women's rights, fair labor, anti-corruption, independent media and journalism, rule of law and other issues where defense of such issues may result in the risk of safety and/or life. Further information on the Human Rights Defenders Fund can be found at: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/77837.htm.
Lifeline: The Embattled NGOs Assistance Fund
In 2011 the Department of State, together with Australia, Benin, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, launched the Lifeline: Embattled NGOs Assistance Fund. Together they have seeded the Lifeline Fund with almost $5 million to begin a multi-year effort.
The programs of the Fund are to:
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record
The Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record (SHRD) report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 665 of P.L. 107-228, the Fiscal Year 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which was signed into law on September 30, 2002. It requires the Department to report on actions taken by the U.S. Government to encourage respect for human rights. This report complements the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Each year, the SHRD highlights a number of DRL-funded programs that have incredible impact, inspiring success stories, and exceed expectations. The SHRD can be found at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/shrd/.
Regional Program Highlights
DRL supports programming in every region of the world. Through the success of the HRDF and other funding sources, DRL programming has expanded to reach dozens of countries throughout the world. While DRL programs are typically country-specific, a number of programs are regional in focus.(4)
Africa Programs
DRL sponsors 24 democracy, human rights, and labor programs in Africa. Current funding for DRL programs in Africa exceeds $17 million. Program topics include prevention of child soldier recruitment, voter empowerment, improved and expanded media coverage, and human rights monitoring and documentation. The following are examples of the kinds of programs DRL funds in Africa.
Sexual and Gender Based Violence
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRL grantees are working to incorporate communications technology - including satellite phones, cell phones, an early warning system, a reporting hotline, digital mapping, satellite-internet, and video-conferencing - into current programming to increase civilian protection and enhance the investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) cases in remote areas of North and South Kivu. The project will operate an early warning system in Goma and Bukavu that will serve as a central hub for alerting authorities to potential threats or outbreaks of violence in the remote areas of Walikale, North Kivu and Fizi, South Kivu, respectively. An underlying goal of this program is to provide a wider group of Congolese officials, donors, implementers and NGOs with an example of how communications technology can increase the reach and efficacy of assistance not only with regard to SGBV, but also other areas, including health, education, vocational training and food security.
Bringing Media to “Information Dark” Areas
Another DRL project created the Darfur News and Information Service (DNIS) a news, information, and education shortwave broadcast service in Arabic, Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa for internally displaced persons and other vulnerable populations in (Northern) Sudan. DNIS promotes human rights, political dialogue, and peace processes by providing relevant, timely, and objective news, information, and educational programs for Darfur citizens so they can make informed decisions regarding issues that affect them. The project is continuing with the addition of two full-time journalists to allow DNIS to sustain the production of daily news broadcasts and in-depth news and information programming, as well as adding Friday broadcasts and increasing the quantity of field reporting and in-depth interviews and features. In addition, the program will continue the production of a radio drama series that highlights social and civic issues in an engaging format. The innovative text feedback system, begun during the current grant, will expand its ability to obtain direct comments and information from residents of Darfur and related refugee camps, and the project may also look to utilize voice service via mobile phone.
Improving the rights of marginalized groups
A DRL program in Tanzania strengthens the Tanzanian government's understanding of international human rights norms and increases the technical capacity of government officials to develop comprehensive human rights legislation that protects marginalized groups. DRL’s program partner will implement four complementary activities: 1) draft legal memoranda that outline international human rights standards and the rights of marginalized groups, analyze comparative state practice, and detail methods to strengthen the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance; 2) develop three in-depth handbooks on human rights and minority protections; 3) provide legislative assistance to the government by reviewing and analyzing existing and proposed human rights legislation; and 4) facilitate a series of workshops and consultations with the Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance to develop and enforce legal mechanisms that promote accountability and tolerance. Upcoming programs will continue to support efforts to improve rights for marginalized groups.
Angola: DRL's current program in Angola seeks to strengthen the local Beneguelan government. DRL's partner seeks to implement a project to improve public administration, democratic local government, and decentralization in Benguela Province. Activities focus on strengthening the participation of municipal and communal governments (MCG) in budgetary and administrative decision-making in Benguela Province; promoting collaboration by the provincial planning department and MCGs in administrative planning and participatory budget design; and integrating good governance practices within current government institutions.
Burundi: DRL's current program in Burundi provides technical assistance to anti-corruption institutions. DRL's partner works to provide technical assistance to anti-corruption institutions in Burundi through the promotion of international standards and need-based technical assistance. The project will develop the audit and monitoring skills of the Ministry of Good Governance and enhance their ability to identify and report on public financial management; and increase anti-corruption awareness and monitoring capacities within civil society to bolster public demand for and support of well-crafted anti-corruption laws and procedures that will move government towards the responsible management of public funds for the benefit of all Burundian citizens.
Cote d'Ivoire: DRL's current programs in Cote d'Ivoire work towards election reforms and fighting corruption. One DRL-partner works to provide technical advice to key stakeholders on reforms to the voter registration and electoral processes as well as capacity building support for the Commission Electorale Independante (CEI). Activities include roundtable discussions on voter registration and electoral framework issues, a strategic planning seminar for election administrators, and training in basic election administration skills for the Commission Electorale Independante (CEI).
Another program partner seeks to build awareness and capacity to combat low-level, pervasive corruption and human rights abuses through highly targeted awareness and mobilization campaigns. The implementer reaches groups particularly vulnerable to extortion attempts through specialized education and training, and reinforcement of support to victims of abuses; builds on existing relationships with Ministry of Health officials and local health workers to reduce onsite inflation of official prices for drugs and services at hospitals and health centers; trains check point guards and officials and collaborate with the General Secretariat in charge of Good Governance and the Inspector General's Office of the Finance Ministry to fight corruption by stigmatizing the practice of requiring bribes at checkpoints.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: DRL's current programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo seek to stem gender-based violence, end impunity and provide capacity building to the justice sector and local NGOs. One implementer works to stem gender based violence and end impunity in the DRC. To achieve this goal, the organization establishes a legal aid clinic to represent victims of gender based violence; trains members of the judges' association to improve its capacity to adjudicate gender based crimes; and builds the capacity of the Bar Association to provide continuing legal education on gender based crimes to its members as well as develop its legal capacity to deliver legal aid to victims. Working with both national and international NGOs, the implementer will identify victims of gender based crime and provide legal aid and education to victims and their communities.
Another DRL-grantee provides capacity building support for the justice sector and NGOs in the DRC. The goal of the project is to support the democratic process in the DRC by advancing the protection of human rights in key areas of the justice sector and bolstering the efforts of effective civil society groups that are committed to building a democratic society. Activities focus on the provision of technical assistance to government ministries and personnel and works with civil society organizations to improve implementation of human rights guarantees for those citizens seeking access to justice. The implementer develops training courses in human rights for judges and police, trains facilitators to conduct the courses, provides advice to the Ministry of Justice and civil society groups on international and regional treaty monitoring, and organizes a high-level forum in which human rights defenders and policy makers discuss human rights priorities and policy changes.
Ethiopia: DRL's current programs in Ethiopia work towards impartial trial monitoring, alternative dispute resolution, expanding constructive dialogue and women's issues. One DRL-partner works to train Ethiopian legal professionals in conflict management and dispute resolution techniques under the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) model in order to improve the capacity and independence of the Ethiopian judiciary. The implementer relies heavily on a previous program model which trained Kenyan legal professionals on ADR. The program leverages some of the Kenyan trainers to train Ethiopian participants.
Guinea: DRL initiatives in Guinea focus on civic education, political participation and political election journalism. One program in Guinea focuses on political and election journalism. DRL's partner organization will teach print and radio journalists from four regions of Guinea on how to cover elections with an emphasis on "citizen journalism" (citizen issues as the focus of a campaign instead of the candidates' agendas). The organization will use teams of international and Guinean trainers and offer training in media business management to independent newspapers and new independent broadcast media organizations. The journalists will interview citizens about issues that are important to them and hold public roundtables for citizen input.
Another DRL program in Guinea works to educate civil society groups (community leaders, women & youth) on their democratic and voter-participation rights; train community leaders to manage affairs transparently; provide media campaigns and increased civic awareness through community radio; and train youth and women groups managing radio stations, programming, and marketing. The goals for the project include: increased voter participation, particularly that of youth and women, in 2007 legislative elections; increased transparency and accountability in community development and planning; and overcoming points of civil unrest and political destabilization that may result.
Liberia: DRL programs in Liberia focus on combating impunity and strengthening the Liberian Truth Commission. DRL's partner will support and strengthen the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Activities include: providing consultant services to the TRC on methods for large-scale data collection and the use of quantitative analysis of statements taken about human rights violations; working with the TRC to design and implement a data collection and analysis plan that will address key questions about the nature of the past conflict and human rights abuses that occurred; providing statistical expertise to complete a detailed analysis profiling overall patterns and trends of victims and violations reported to the TRC; and assisting the TRC in defining evidence-based questions to be answered through the analysis of the data.
Another DRL program in Liberia seeks to strengthen the rule of law and combat impunity. To attain this goal, the project will build judicial capacity in four underserved counties in the country; conduct a public education campaign in partnership with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) on citizen's rights and responsibilities under the law; and create dialogue around traditional justice practices and their relationship to the statutory system and international human rights standards.
Sudan: DRL's program in Sudan targets gender based violence (GBV) in the country. The program implementer will open eight women's centers in internally displaced persons camps (IDP) throughout Darfur, Sudan. The eight women's centers will provide an array of services, including: literacy classes, health education, income-generating activities and treatment for sexual violence. Victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence will be able to receive medical, psychosocial and case management services from the centers, while being protected from the stigma of sexual violence under the guise of the centers' multi-faceted support activities. DRL's partner organization will also create two senior level positions within its organizational structure, including a Global Sexual Violence Emergency Technical Advisor who will recruit and train treatment specialists and collaborate closely with the UN agencies and NGOs to improve the international community's response to violence against women using Darfur as a test case and a Darfur Sexual Violence Specialist who will conduct site visits to IDP camps to ensure standardization of treatment.
The program implementer will also provide leadership to other NGOs and humanitarian organizations working with victims of sexual violence by providing regular communication with the complex set of actors and stakeholders on the ground in Darfur and internationally (Washington, New York, Geneva, Khartoum etc.) on recent developments related to sexual violence and protection for women and girls and by training and communication on providing holistic care to victims of sexual violence.
Zimbabwe: DRL's current program in Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen civil society and support human rights. The DRL-partner works to strengthen civil society and support human rights by increasing regional and international public awareness about the need for political and electoral reform in Zimbabwe. The implementer strives to advance the rule of law and protection of human rights by supporting regional human rights advocacy efforts. Also, the organization aims to strengthen the leadership and strategic capabilities of local civic organizations.(6)
East Asia and Pacific Programs
DRL currently funds over 50 democracy, human rights, and labor programs in East Asian and Pacific countries (EAP). Current funding for DRL programs in EAP exceeds $93 million. Program topics include democracy education and advocacy, women’s empowerment, human rights enforcement, and the promotion of civil society. The following are examples of the kinds of programs DRL funds in East Asia and the Pacific.
Strengthening Civil Society and Documenting Human Rights
In Burma, a DRL grantee worked to increase the capacity of local community based organizations to document in-country human rights violations and engage in human rights advocacy efforts. In total, 89 individuals from more than nine ethnic groups were trained in human rights principles, advocacy strategies, and how to collect, analyze, and document human rights violations. Their documentation work ultimately resulted in reports that contained valuable information about human rights violations and their impact on health outcomes in Burma’s Kachin, Eastern, and Western border areas, garnering international media coverage from news organizations such as The Guardian, The Nation (Thailand), BBC Burma, and Voice of America.
Awareness and Advocacy Training on Rights
In Cambodia, a DRL project used innovative means to help spread awareness on land rights among the underserved and largely illiterate populations there. Despite frequently impassable roads and inclement weather in the target areas, DRL partners conducted 67 road shows with more than 63,000 people in attendance. The program also trained more than 100 grassroots civil society workers as Party Assistants who served as land law resources for the public and helped resolve land disputes. In one instance, a trained Party Assistant helped a community of 300 households resolve a dispute with former soldiers who claimed they owned the land before the war. As a result of the project, 288 of the 300 households successfully retained their land and all cases were settled amicably.
Women’s Empowerment
In Laos, a DRL project is working to promote rural women’s political participation and expansion in the role of civil society in Laos. Specifically, the project will use a training of trainers model to create a group of provincial-level trainers who promote women’s issues and women’s political participation among their constituencies. The initial trainings will be conducted by Chinese gender and rural women’s rights experts using examples of Chinese policies and programs as a politically safe context for implementing the lessons from the trainings. Additionally the program will provide an opportunity for Lao officials to travel to China to meet with women’s CSOs and other groups who promote women’s political participation and rights protection.
Burma: DRL supports programs in Burma that provide educational scholarships and exchanges to Burmese students and promote democracy and human rights. One DRL-implementer provides training to Burmese journalists and media professionals; financially supports Burmese students to receive advanced degrees in preparation for their future leadership roles; and builds the capacity of Burmese NGOs.
Cambodia: DRL programs in Cambodia focus on land rights, professionalism and development of the media, as well as civic participation. One DRL partner seeks to improve land tenure security by informing citizens of their rights to acquire and preserve full ownership of their land and by assisting in the peaceful resolution of land disputes. Activities include fostering a network of party assistants to advise and assist citizens in resolving land disputes; comprehensive public awareness campaigns; and two community pilot programs which provide comprehensive documentation of land history.
Another DRL grant recipient seeks to develop two radio series that focus on connecting the rule of law, democracy, local governance and land disputes with civic responsibilities and the elections. The radio series will be broadcast via satellite to nine partner radio stations, with a goal of reaching 80% of Cambodia. Among other topics, the radio shows will profile local leaders and organizations that champion reform efforts or run for office based on local governance issues.
China: DRL supports creative projects intended to foster democracy, human rights, transparency, freedom of information and expression, religious freedom, judicial independence, criminal and civil rule of law, civil society, freedom of the press, electoral reform, public participation, labor rights, and media reform in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. DRL facilitates projects that will have a direct and lasting impact by promoting reforms and structural changes such as rule of law development and greater public involvement in government decision making.
East Timor: DRL supports conflict resolution and electoral assistance in East Timor. DRL's partner seeks to build civil society, including the ability of local groups to monitor and resolve election-related conflicts, and works to develop the capacity of electoral officials to effectively investigate and adjudicate official election complaints. Activities include: partnering with local organizations to develop a credible mechanism for complaint submission and adjudication; informing the public through civic education; developing an early warning system for conflict through monitoring and analysis; and providing local solutions to conflict through civil society groups and local empowerment.
Indonesia: DRL's Indonesia programs address combating gender based violence, promoting youth civic participation, and women's political participation. One DRL partner provides training and technical support to three local NGOs in Jayapura on awareness raising strategies. The organization provides gender based violence support services, as well as grant application and administration training. The program seeks to spread awareness of the causes of GBV and its negative impact by educating 10,000 community members, forming 100 support groups and supporting the reduction of GBV in the area by 40%.
Another DRL Indonesia program established a training of trainers program within the women's wings of the major Indonesia political parties, in order to strengthen participation and empower women in politics. Activities include conducting a baseline assessment to establish current status of women's political participation in Indonesia and to identify key barriers through focus groups; implementing targeted training of trainer programs within the existing infrastructures of the women's wings of Indonesia parties; providing oversight and guidance to trainers during peer-to-peer trainings; fostering intra-party networking; and building coalitions and inter-party relations among women at the provincial and local levels.
Laos: DRL's Laos program seeks to improve procedures for village elections and to provide training for election officials. The program implementer also contributes to the development of regulations that bring government decision-making closer to the people.
Malaysia: DRL supports programs in Malaysia that focus on youth civic participation and the intersection of democracy and human rights in the Islamic context. One DRL program implementer provides an interactive civic education program for lower secondary school and university students of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The program encourages regional cooperation and discussion to address the need for improvement in civic education curricula. The program also provides prominent educators, public policy makers and Ministry of Education officials with examples of new methods of teaching civic education through observing hands-on, interactive teaching and learning, and ways to implement civic education curricular programs. At the end of the program, students present their solution to a local public policy problem or issue.
Another Malaysia program advances the elements within the Government of Malaysia's Islam Hadhari policy that promotes the principles of democracy and human rights. The program provides a key opportunity to build support of leaders and civil society for the elaboration of Islam Hadhari into policies grounded in concepts of human rights and democratic values.
North Korea: DRL supports programs in North Korea that address democracy, human rights and the rule of law through support for local NGOs and independent media.
Philippines: DRL's programming in the Philippines addresses such issues as promoting religious tolerance in Muslim Mindanao, supporting the Commission on Human Rights, and enhancing independent media. One DRL partner seeks to strengthen the capacity of institutions in Muslim Mindanao and other parts of the Philippines to respond to human rights violations. By building and expanding upon the initial success of the Martus human rights abuse documentation database, the project enhances the linkages between the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, its field office, and the greater NGO community that is focused on combating human rights abuses.
Another DRL program seeks to reduce sensationalist and divisive reporting in the Filipino media. While encouraging media that highlights the human cost of on-going political, economic, and violent conflict, the program encourages reconciliation and reasoned debate. The objective of the project is to contribute to democracy and human rights by transforming a negative and polarizing media into a constructive and responsible force for social and political cohesion. The program implementer will train, build capacity, and empower a cross-faith and sustainable network of professional journalists in the Philippines.
Thailand: DRL supports a number of initiatives in Thailand, with topics focused on empowering worker and human rights advocates and NGOs, promoting media that supports reform and reconciliation, increasing the political participation of communities and minorities, and improving the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
One DRL program in Thailand supports new media reporting and information distribution aimed towards building national dialogue in the post-coup political reform processes. The project's goals include independent media reporting on constitutional and political reform, media reporting on root causes of conflict in southern Thailand and increased capacity and networking of independent media.
Another DRL-supported program seeks to provide rural communities and minority groups with the knowledge and skills required to effectively participate in local governance, as well as amend selected laws, regulations, and procedures in order to better facilitate public participation in local governance. While this project aims to increase participation in democratic processes, the larger and more long-term result of the program will be the program's contribution to improved s