Human Rights

Human Rights

The freedom for individuals to live, work, and improve their lives without fear of violence, oppression, or discrimination is a right that applies to all human beings, regardless of their race, sex, gender, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristic. These rights have been enshrined in treaties and constitutions around the world that bind governments to respect and protect these liberties.

Countering China’s crackdown on Hong Kong

MENASource Mar 19, 2025

Inside Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s diplomatic offensive with Syria’s Christians and Ismailis

By Gregory Waters

HTS’s diplomatic offensive demonstrates the leadership’s political approach, which evolved over years of engaging with the Christian and Druze communities in Idlib.
Democratic Transitions Freedom and Prosperity
Countering China’s crackdown on Hong Kong

UkraineAlert Mar 6, 2025

US peace initiative can help bring Ukraine’s abducted children home

By Kristina Hook, Iuliia Hoban

Securing the return of the thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia since 2022 must play a part in the peace efforts recently initiated by US President Donald Trump, write Kristina Hook and Iuliia Hoban.
Civil Society Conflict
Countering China’s crackdown on Hong Kong

New Atlanticist Feb 28, 2025

Egyptian senator: The mass displacement of Gazans will only fuel Hamas’s extremist ideology

By Mohamed Farid

Displacing Palestinians from Gaza would perpetuate cycles of violence, deepen regional instability, and undermine Israel’s security.
Conflict Human Rights

Content

Issue Brief

Dec 17, 2020

Countering China’s crackdown on Hong Kong

By Anna Downs and Ash Jain

The implementation of the national security law has stifled the democratic movement in Hong Kong. This action sparked a series of democratic protests that China quickly attempted to dismantle—alarming observers worldwide. Can democracies mitigate the impact of the new national security laws on Hong Kong? Should Chine face penalties from the international community? Or will aligned democracies fail to defend other vulnerable democratic nations against Chinese malign influence?

China Civil Society

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Dec 14, 2020

The issue Ukraine’s first lady should champion vocally

By Laryssa Horodysky and Melinda Haring

A recent report by Amnesty International has highlighted the growing domestic violence crisis in war-torn eastern Ukraine. Coronavirus lockdown conditions are expected to add to the problem.

Coronavirus Human Rights

In the News

Dec 11, 2020

Friedlander tells Vox of ties between the Magnitsky Act and the Biden administration

By Julia Friedlander

Read the full article here.

Europe & Eurasia Human Rights

Past events

Dec 10, 2020

Free World Commission convenes lawmakers from leading democracies to discuss China challenge

By Atlantic Council

On December 9, 2020, the Free World Commission, comprised of lawmakers from leading democracies, held a virtual hearing on China and called for democracies to work together to address the challenges to the rules-based order posed by Beijing. The hearing was co-chaired by MP Tom Tugendhat from the United Kingdom and Rep. Tom Malinowski from […]

China Human Rights

Press Release

Dec 10, 2020

Atlantic Council Announces Launch of Strategic Litigation Project

By Atlantic Council

New effort from Middle East Programs and the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative seeks to inject fresh thinking into how governments and practitioners can apply legal tools to further foreign policy interests and advance human rights and democracy around the world.

Human Rights International Norms

Report

Dec 10, 2020

Closing the accountability gap on human rights violators in the Islamic Republic of Iran through global litigation strategies

By Gissou Nia

Gissou Nia presents recommendations for new laws, amendments to existing laws, and the creation of enforcement mechanisms to aid in the effort to combat impunity for the IRI’s human rights violations and atrocity crimes.

Human Rights International Norms

GeoTech Cues

Dec 7, 2020

Reimagining a just society pt. 1 | Is a different world possible?

By Carol Dumaine

The GeoTech Center’s mission is to define practicable initiatives to ensure new technologies and advances in data capabilities benefit people, prosperity, and peace in open societies. Its overarching goal is a “world comprised of just societies.” The GeoTech’s mandate is an ambitious one and, while focused on applying new technologies to solutions to global problems, is anchored in an explicit assumption that its efforts will promote just societies.

Civil Society Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

Dec 4, 2020

Boats over troubled waters: Caribbean nations struggle with response to Venezuelan migration crisis

By Angela Chávez Keri and Beatriz Godoy Rivas

Given the small territory and population size of these island nations, the flow of migrants is disproportionately impacting their societies, and it is testing the weight of their institutions and resources, while also enhancing domestic issues like inequality and poverty.

Caribbean Coronavirus

In the News

Dec 3, 2020

Nawaz quoted in Business World on East Pakistan’s Separation

By Atlantic Council

Human Rights Pakistan

Report

Nov 23, 2020

How the West should deal with Russia

By Alexander Vershbow, Daniel Fried

The United States must deal with Russia as it is, not as it wishes it to be. What does a policy framework to address both Russia’s dismal current realities and its better future potential look like?

Arms Control European Union
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Experts

Fellow

Nizar El Fakih

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Corruption Human Rights

Fellow

Andrew G. Farrand

Nonresident Senior Fellow, North Africa Program

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Marie Forestier 

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic French

Fellow

Bahar Ghandehari

Junior Policy Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Afghanistan English

Staff

Lauren D. Gilbert

Deputy Director

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

East Asia Human Rights

Fellow

Rachel Gillum

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Digital Policy Human Rights
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