Countering threats to human rights
Authoritarianism
What's Happening
Autocratic leaders are increasingly gaining power—and weakening human rights—around the world.
What We're Doing
To counter this trend, we’re using our expertise and influence in government to uncover abuses, hold institutions accountable, and make sure people across continents and circumstances can live without fear of oppression.
Current Efforts
Our Work in Ukraine
Human Rights First has been meaningfully engaged on human rights issues in Eastern Europe for decades, and particularly active with Ukrainian allies since the first Russian invasion in 2014. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine…
Challenge bad actors
Targeted sanction protocols like the United States' Global Magnitsky sanctions and programs of other nations confront abusers of human rights and corrupt actors.