Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance

Description

Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) programs are foundational to building a peaceful, rights-abiding, and prosperous world. Investment in DRG programming advances human dignity and prosperity and reduces the need for other forms of assistance to mitigate conflict or violence.

Use of Funds

Funding supports a range of issues, such as: combating corruption and strengthening the rule of law; supporting free and fair elections; strengthening independent media; countering disinformation and misinformation; defending human rights; countering authoritarian influence; strengthening civil society and preserving civic space; increasing political and civic participation; promoting labor rights; empowering marginalized voices; and strengthening democratic governance and institutions.

Justification

• The global threat to democracy continues to grow. The past 16 consecutive years show a decline in political rights and civil liberties indicators.
• According to Freedom House, about 38% of the world’s population live in “Not Free” countries—the highest share since 1997.
• The DRG sector leverages evidence-based technical assistance, research, best-practice dissemination, and knowledge exchange to advance its mission. USAID’s Learning Agenda promotes a continuous culture of learning and adapting that is crucial to achieving successful outcomes and improving existing projects and strategies.
• Anti-government protests motivated by economic issues related to inflation were a leading factor in 2022 compared to previous years. Even though protests related to economic crises occur yearly, only 14% secured a significant outcome.