Andrew Friedman

Senior Fellow, Human Rights Initiative
Andrew Friedman

Andrew Friedman is a senior fellow in the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Andrew came to CSIS from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where he served as a democracy officer with USAID’s Bureau for Africa, providing technical and strategic guidance for democracy, rights, and governance work across the region. He also co-led USAID's Executive Committee on the 2021 Summit for Democracy and coordinated the anti-corruption session of the Civil Society Forum at the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit. While with USAID, Andrew joined CSIS's Africa Policy Accelerator, where he also served as a board member. Prior to his time in government, he served as a legal and democratic governance consultant working with various UN agencies, including the Secretariat, UN Women, and multiple UN Development Program Country Offices on constitutional and legal reform, good governance, transitional justice, and human rights. He also occasionally teaches courses in international law, serving as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Law. He is also a member and contributor to both the International Academy of Constitutional Law and the African Network for Constitutional Lawyers, and he was recognized with an Amicus Mundi award from We The Action for pro bono work assisting in the passage of laws expanding the rights of sexual assault survivors in U.S. states.

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Event Summary: Ocean Security and Human Rights Forum

The Center for Strategic and International Studies Stephenson Ocean Security Project and Human Rights Initiative held the Ocean Security and Human Rights Forum with the US Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing & Labor Rights Coalition on Thursday, June 5, 2025.

Blog Post by Lily Kennedy, Whitley Saumweber, Andrew Friedman, Steve Brock, Kelly Kryc, Martina Vandenberg, Nathan Rickard, Allison Gill, and Marla (Max) Valentine — June 17, 2025

Ocean Security and Human Rights Forum

Join to learn about the changing nature of US ocean policy between the Trump and Biden Administrations and how these changes will affect regional security relationships and our ability to secure domestic supply chains to ensure fair markets and support labor rights at home and abroad.

Event — June 5, 2025

Support Civil Society, Counter Autocracy

The United States should provide robust and long-term support for civil society. Ending this support cedes the space to dictators looking to build a more authoritarian world.

Commentary by Andrew Friedman — April 28, 2025

Audio Briefs

Support Civil Society, Counter Autocracy

An audio version of “⁠Support Civil Society, Counter Autocracy⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS's Andrew Friedman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Andrew Friedman — April 28, 2025

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

What Are the U.S. Department of State Human Rights Reports?

An audio version of “⁠What Are the U.S. Department of State Human Rights Reports?⁠,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Anne Frederick, Lily Kennedy, Andrew Friedman, and Michelle Strucke. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Anne Frederick, Lily Kennedy, Andrew Friedman, and Michelle Strucke — April 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

What Are the U.S. Department of State Human Rights Reports?

The U.S. Department of State is anticipated to release its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. As many expect the Trump administration to modify this year’s reports, this CQ unpacks the reports’ relevance, history, and changes from previous administrations.

Critical Questions by Anne Frederick, Lily Kennedy, Andrew Friedman, and Michelle Strucke — April 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

What Does Duterte’s Arrest Mean for Heads of State Facing Justice?

An audio version of “What Does Duterte’s Arrest Mean for Heads of State Facing Justice?,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Andrew Friedman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Andrew Friedman — March 12, 2025

Audio Briefs