Human Rights Initiative

The CSIS Human Rights Initiative, launched in 2014, promotes a proactive, resilient global human rights agenda that reinforces democratic values as a central component of a comprehensive foreign policy

It seeks to generate innovative solutions for government, civil society, and the private sector to build respect for human rights and works to integrate human rights priorities across U.S. foreign policy interests. Current focus areas for the Human Rights Initiative include exploring how respect for human rights can help build sustainable and inclusive democracies; analyzing how to align and leverage private sector interests to further human rights priorities; and responding to egregious current human rights abuses.

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Building Sustainable and Inclusive Democracy

The HRI analyzes how the United States and other like-minded governments can build a resilient, proactive human rights agenda—one that helps inoculate liberal democratic institutions against contemporary threats, and affirms the strategic value of integrating human rights across U.S. foreign policy priorities

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Technology and Human Rights

The Human Rights Initiative considers both the promise and threat that technology poses for human rights and how it impacts civil society

Photo: EYERUSALEM JIREGNA/AFP via Getty Images

Business and Human Rights

The HRI aims to reshape the thinking of governments and businesses on the role of the private sector in strengthening human rights protections around the world, raising expectations of companies to respect international norms, and pressing for accountability by governments when they do not

Photo: SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images

Responding to Egregious Human Rights Abuses

The Human Rights Initiative analyzes and draws attention to situations where widespread human rights abuses are occurring or likely, and strives to propose policy solutions and illuminate comparative lessons learned

Featured Analysis

Photo: MIGUEL GARCIA SAAVED/Adobe Stock

Photo: MIGUEL GARCIA SAAVED/Adobe Stock

Shifting Power: The Next Phase of U.S. Foreign Assistance

This moment of tremendous flux creates an existential question for development practitioners. That is, will the same model move forward, content to do “less with less,” or will a new model take hold that aims to maximize the available resources through a new approach? Either effort requires considerable consultation and input from those most impacted by foreign assistance.

Commentary by Hadeil Ali and Andrew Friedman — October 7, 2025

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Audio Briefs

Shifting Power: The Next Phase of U.S. Foreign Assistance

An audio version of ⁠“Shifting Power: The Next Phase of U.S. Foreign Assistance⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Hadeil Ali and Andrew Friedman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Hadeil Ali and Andrew Friedman — October 14, 2025

Audio Briefs

Shifting Power: The Next Phase of U.S. Foreign Assistance

This moment of tremendous flux creates an existential question for development practitioners. That is, will the same model move forward, content to do “less with less,” or will a new model take hold that aims to maximize the available resources through a new approach? Either effort requires considerable consultation and input from those most impacted by foreign assistance.

Commentary by Hadeil Ali and Andrew Friedman — October 7, 2025

Audio Briefs

What Is the U.S. Posture Toward the United Nations?

An audio version of “⁠What Is the U.S. Posture Toward the United Nations?⁠,” a new critical questions by CSIS’s Allison Lombardo. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Allison Lombardo — September 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

What Is the U.S. Posture Toward the United Nations?

President Trump delivered withering criticism of the United Nations at UNGA this week, but the future of U.S. contributions to the United Nations remains unclear. What will the future hold for U.S. support to the United Nations?

Critical Questions by Allison Lombardo — September 25, 2025

Audio Briefs

Local Tools for Global Competition: An Ambassadors Fund for Governance

An audio version of “⁠Local Tools for Global Competition: An Ambassadors Fund for Governance⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Andrew Friedman and Derek Mitchell. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Andrew Friedman and Derek Mitchell — September 8, 2025

Audio Briefs

Local Tools for Global Competition: An Ambassadors Fund for Governance

Without good governance, foreign investment is unsustainable. Commercial diplomacy must pair with efforts to improve governance, fight corruption, and uphold the rule of law. We propose an Ambassadors Fund for Good Governance to support local, context-driven initiatives.

Commentary by Andrew Friedman and Derek Mitchell — September 8, 2025

Why U.S. Junior Professionals in the UN Still Matter

Individual Americans’ contributions can be an easy way to retain some U.S. inroads to a UN that will soldier on even without the United States as an active participant.

Commentary by Allison Lombardo and Ella Lipin — August 20, 2025

Audio Briefs

Why U.S. Junior Professionals in the UN Still Matter

An audio version of "⁠Why U.S. Junior Professionals in the UN Still Matter⁠," a new commentary by CSIS's Allison Lombardo with Ella Lipin. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Allison Lombardo and Ella Lipin — August 20, 2025

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

Commercial Diplomacy Needs Good Governance

An audio version of “⁠Commercial Diplomacy Needs Good Governance⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Andrew Friedman. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Andrew Friedman — August 7, 2025

Audio Briefs