Department of State
267 Articles
The “Khashoggi Ban”: What It Does and Doesn’t Mean
The "Khashoggi Ban" is a positive step for accountability for transnational repression, but it is undermined by the Biden administration’s reluctance to act against Saudi Crown…
Letting Diplomacy Lead US Counterterrorism: What Would That Look Like?
The goal should be to establish diplomacy and aid as co-equal tools, to make counterterrorism more comprehensive, sustainable and, eventually, less violent.
How Domestic Civic Movements Could Reshape US Foreign Policy
Nonviolent and inclusive, they can provide the energy, dynamism, and power-shifting ability needed to address the world’s interconnected crises.
US Can Restore Leadership on Human Rights by Promoting Accountability in Sri Lanka
The Biden administration should press the UN Human Rights Council for action and impose its own measures, including further sanctions.
Give Local Civil Society a Say in U.S. Security Assistance
Certain guidelines can help in navigating the challenges of creating a more prominent and consistent role for those who stand to gain or lose most.
US Re-Engagement in UN Human Rights Council Brings Influence, Leverage, Amb. Donahoe Says
On Sri Lanka and other issues, the Biden administration's decision sends the message that the protection of human rights is a deeply rooted priority.
Diplomats, Top Experts’ Reactions to Biden Foreign Policy Speech
Former Ambassadors, head of Human Rights Watch, former senior US official and others' views on President Biden's foreign policy address at the Department of State on Thursday.
Genocide against the Uyghurs: Legal Grounds for the United States’ Bipartisan Genocide Determination
Secretary of State Blinken and his predecessor agreed on at least one thing: Chinese treatment of Uyghurs constitutes genocide. But does the situation meet the legal definition…
Transforming the US Human Rights Report to Reflect Gender Rights — and Security
The Trump administration damaged the annual report's credibility. It is critical to rethink the data, especially on women and girls.
Blinken Sails Through Queries on Iran, China, Russia, NATO, and More in Secretary of State Confirmation Hearing
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Republicans and Democrats alike were mostly welcoming as they probed his approach to the world's trouble spots.
Toward A More Responsible US Arms Trade Policy: Recommendations for the Biden-Harris Administration
Biden pledged a foreign policy that would restore U.S. moral leadership. Ending U.S. complicity in human rights abuses, civilian harm, and humanitarian crises through the structural…
US Human Rights Policy: How to Really Build Back Better
The Biden administration must create a system in which human rights and democracy policymaking is embedded and integrated in its decision-making machinery.