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.

Using Sanctions Against Human Rights Abusers and Kleptocrats

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
Using Sanctions Against Human Rights Abusers and Kleptocrats

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
Using Sanctions Against Human Rights Abusers and Kleptocrats

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

Event Recap

Feb 26, 2019

Using Sanctions Against Human Rights Abusers and Kleptocrats

By Global Business & Economics

On Tuesday, February 26, the Atlantic Council’s Global Business & Economics Program’s Economic Sanctions Initiative hosted a public discussion featuring Ms. Andrea Gacki, Director of the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), on the Global Magnitsky Act’s uses, misuses, and lessons for business.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Feb 4, 2019

Protests are a permanent feature of Iran

By Nazila Fathi

July 15, 2009 was a historic day in Iran’s recent history. Some three million people marched in silence on Enghelab (Revolution) Street in the capital of Tehran to convey their anger at the Islamic Republic in the most peaceful manner. The regime had disconnected cell phone services in a failed effort to prevent the march, […]

Civil Society Human Rights

Event Recap

Jan 28, 2019

Nobel Peace Prize laureate on sexual violence in the DRC

By Africa Center

On January 28, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted Dr. Denis Mukwege, founder and medical director of Panzi Hospital and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, for a discussion on the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Introducing the distinguished guest, Atlantic Council […]

Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo

New Atlanticist

Jan 22, 2019

Transitional justice in Tunisia—a transition to what?

By Eric Goldstein

Transitional justice, in a country that once seemed a propitious setting for it, is at risk of petering out amid indifference or worse from leading politicians.

Democratic Transitions Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Dec 18, 2018

Progress toward peace in Yemen, but hard work remains

By Afrah Nasser

To be sure, there are plenty of daunting issues that need to be addressed in order to achieve a lasting peace in Yemen. These issues were not addressed in the talks in Sweden.

Human Rights International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Dec 10, 2018

Why human rights matter

By Iain Levine

Even the most basic value that underpins human rights—that every human life has equal worth—is threatened by those who talk and tweet of “the other” in ways that question their very humanity.

Civil Society Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Nov 29, 2018

Trump administration’s new Nicaragua sanctions strategically target the top

By Samantha Sultoon

The new Nicaragua sanctions executive order (EO) is strategically scoped to expand the previous US sanctions actions taken in December and June under the Global Magnitsky human rights abuse and corruption authority.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Nov 15, 2018

United States sanctions seventeen Saudi officials over Khashoggi murder

By Ashish Kumar Sen

“While sanctions are an important way of sending a message, they are also a blunt instrument that authoritarian leaders find ways to work around," said Richard LeBaron, a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Human Rights

In the News

Nov 12, 2018

Nia in The Washington Post: Caring about human rights beyond borders is not interventionism. It’s our global duty.

Read the full article here

Human Rights

New Atlanticist

Oct 26, 2018

Here’s how to address the Central American migrant challenge

By Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Escaping inhospitable conditions in their home countries, men, women, and children hope to find a safer, better future in the United States. Here's how the United States should respond.

Central America Human Rights
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Experts

Fellow

Godfrey Odongo

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa East Africa

Fellow

Sarah Oh

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Crisis Management Digital Policy

Fellow

Fabio Petito

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights

Staff

Emilia Pierce

Deputy Director, Operations and Finance

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Conflict

Fellow

Priya Pillai

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Conflict

Fellow

Elizabeth H. Prodromou

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Civil Society Human Rights
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