Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Updated on Nov 09, 2023

Edit

Comment

Employees 100 (as of 2003)

Formed 1977; 40 years ago (1977) Jurisdiction Executive branch of the United States Annual budget $38.5 million (As of 2003) Bureau executive Virginia L. Bennett, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (Acting) Parent department U.S. Department of State

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) is a bureau within the United States Department of State. The bureau is under the purview of the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.

DRL's responsibilities include promoting democracy around the world, formulating U.S. human rights policies, and coordinating policy in human rights-related labor issues. The Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism is a separate agency included in the Bureau.

The Bureau is responsible for producing annual reports on the countries of the world with regard to religious freedom through its Office of International Religious Freedom and human rights. It also administers the U.S. Human Rights and Democracy Fund.

The head of the Bureau is the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

The bureau was formerly known as the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, but was reorganized and renamed in 1994, to reflect both a broader sweep and a more focused approach to the interlocking issues of human rights, worker rights, and democracy.

Organization

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor is divided into twelve unique offices.

Office of Country Reports and Asylum Affairs – Prepares the State Department's annual reports, including the Country Reports on Human Rights

Office of International Religious Freedom – Supports the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Office of Policy Planning and Public Diplomacy

Office for Africa – Monitors human rights in Africa

Office for East Asia and the Pacific – Monitors human rights in East Asia

Office for Near East Asia – Monitors human rights in the Middle East

Office for Western Hemisphere – Monitors human rights in Latin America

Office for South Central Asia – Monitors human rights in Central Asia

Office of Global Programming

Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs – Formulates and implements U.S. government policy on human rights in multilateral organizations, including the UN Human Rights Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the African Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Office of International Labor Rights – Advises on policies and initiatives in tandem with the International Labour Organization

Executive Office

References

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA