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What would it take for China to gain the upper hand in a potential confrontation over Taiwan? Interrupting American telecommunications would be a good start. So the recent news that China successfully infiltrated critical telecommunications systems in Guam home to an American airbase that would be central to any potential confrontation over Taiwan raises urgent questions about Americas cybersecurity and that of its key allies.

Cyber competition and preparation for cyber warfare is at the forefront of the contest between the United States and its democratic partners, on the one hand, and authoritarian adversaries such as China and Russia on the other. And just as autocracies support each other in their malign activities in the digital space, America must lead a coordinated campaign to shore up cybersecurity within the democratic world.

Coupled with direct attacks on American assets, China and Russia use cyber-attacks to undermine the internal politics and institutions of U.S. allies and democratic partners. Pro-Kremlin hackers recently used distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to crash Frances National Assembly website and Polish e-government websites. Pro-Beijing actors have increasingly integrated cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Last year, after U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan, cyber attackers disabled the website of the Taiwanese presidents office and its Ministry of National Defense, and propagandists spread disinformation about the Taiwanese governments actions aimed at undermining confidence in the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic. RedAlpha, a hacking group linked to China, has consistently targeted civil society groups that the Chinese Communist Party calls the five poisons: Tibetans, Uyghurs, Taiwanese, democracy activists, and the Falun Gong.

These activities have already proven to be incredibly disruptive and destructive. A more aggressive campaign could be used to devastating effect in the event of an international crisis, such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, or as a means of interrupting core governmental functions, such as attacks on the machinery of elections. Absent a strategy and associated resourcing to prevent, mitigate, and counter cyber-attacks, China and Russia will continue using existing and evolving tools from DDoS to generative AI to support autocrats and weaken our democratic allies.

Important Steps

The United States has taken important steps to address this threat generally and with respect to democracy assistance in particular. The State Department established a Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, including a unit on International Cyberspace Security (ICS), with the goal of using foreign assistance funding to build cybersecurity capacity globally. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) created its Cyber Cavalry, a mechanism that leverages Americas private sector to deliver cybersecurity technical support to the agencys democracy-building partners and beneficiaries abroad particularly those threatened by malign actors and influences.

While such initiatives represent a step in the right direction, they are far from sufficient. For example, even though 98 percent of the USAID budget is earmarked, or directed for a specific purpose, none of these pre-allocated funds are dedicated for cybersecurity. This means the United States has little, if any, resourcing available to support a strong defensive posture for partners to prevent attacks in the first place. And while the United States has implemented and allocated some resources for cybersecurity assistance to allied governments (through USAID as well as the Department of Defense) and, to a less extent, to vulnerable NGOs, the assistance level needs to be substantially higher and matched equally with a more intentional and more coordinated approach to cyber defense.

Simply put, the U.S. approach to protecting its partners against cyber threats has not kept pace with the scale and scope of cybersecurity challenges. The lack of sustained funding has made it difficult for the United States to develop a forward-looking, coordinated strategy and operational plans with local partners to not only respond to attacks but, more importantly, to firm up defensive posture for future deterrence. To change this, Congress and the relevant agencies and departments within the U.S. government should consider four specific measures.

Sustained and Predictable Funding

To begin with, policymakers must find a way to allocate sustained and predictable funding to bolster the cybersecurity capabilities of key democratic allies, with an emphasis on those in the Global South that lack the required resources or capacity. This could involve Congress establishing a fund that would support partner governments and civil society organizations with their cyber defenses or augmenting existing democracy and governance resources.

Second, the United States can help partner nations strengthen their domestic laws and regulations to improve cybersecurity. Such interventions could support executive branch institutions, judicial institutions, and legislatures, as well as bolster awareness and training within political parties and civil society. (Full disclosure: our organization receives U.S. government funding to implement democracy and governance projects.) Subsequent support could be provided to ensure implementation across national and subnational governments. The U.S. House Democracy Partnership, a congressional diplomacy initiative, could leverage its global platform to spotlight and share comparative examples of quality cybersecurity frameworks with allied governments for consideration and adoption.

Third, the United States should require that the information systems of all partners and implementers meet or exceed minimum standards and requirements for best practices. That might mean, for example, accelerating movement to secure cloud services, and ensuring investment in technology and personnel to match these goals. This could involve an Executive Order applying to foreign aid comparable to that on improving the cybersecurity of the United States. To address resource and capacity constraints, partners should adopt a risk-based approach which prioritizes the most critical assets and systems.

Finally, to understand the threat landscape better, the United States can encourage partner governments and organizations to increase the sharing of cyber incident and threat information. This could include a more coordinated and centralized cataloging of incidents, tactics, and countermeasures. The U.S. should also engage directly with civil society organizations and activists who often are in the crosshairs of China, Russia, or the autocrats they enable to inform U.S. interagency cybersecurity working groups and promote information and resource sharing. These groups can share insights with the United States on the latest tactics the CCP or Kremlin are using to infiltrate their organizational technology infrastructure, which the United States can then use to inform tool and resource development.

The cyber domain is pivotal in the contest between democracies and autocracies. As leader of the free world, it is past time for the United States to spearhead a robust effort to inoculate the democratic world against the predations of its adversaries.

Authoritarianism, China, civil society, congressional authorization, Cyber, Cybersecurity, Democracy, Digital Authoritarianism, Foreign Aid/Foreign Assistance, governance, Russia

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In the Contest Between Democracy and Autocracy, the US Must ... - Just Security

Members of the Los Angeles City Council have disgraced themselves over the past year with scandalsincluding leaked plans to disenfranchise voters of colorforcing out several members. But Angelenos now have an opportunity to improve the design of their government in 2024, at a time when our nation desperately needs solutions for strengthening democracy.

An interim report from the LA Governance Reform Project released earlier this summer provides a crucial starting point for a public conversation to address reforming the Los Angeles City Council in the wake of racism and corruption of the redistricting process that was revealed in an October 2022 report by the Los Angeles Times.

The report makes three important recommendations: ethics reform, the establishment of an independent redistricting commission, and enlarging the size of the council. In the words of the authors, they hope that this process adds momentum to a longer-term commitment to governance reform in Los Angeles, with due consideration for a host of improvements that might make a difference.

As an expert in redistricting and electoral system design, I hope to expand the conversation about what effective electoral reform requires. The groups recommendations on ethics reform and the establishment of an independent redistricting commission are well-reasoned and evidence-based, but I am concerned that the recommendations on increasing the size of the council to 25 members, including four seats elected citywide or at-large, errs too far in the direction of what is deemed politically viable, falling short of what is politically necessary to achieve their stated goals of creating a city structure that is responsive, accountable, representative, and equitable.

The research teams recommendation of a 25-seat council is based on looking only at average council sizes in the United States. This makes our largest city councils, New York (51) and Chicago (50), appear to be outliers. The appropriate comparison is with other large, global cities, which shows what comparative urbanists have known for some time, that council sizes in large US cities are unusually small. The current 15-seat council in Los Angeles is ridiculously small for its population by global standards, among the smallest per-capita councils in the world (see Figure 1).

As Figure 1 shows, Chicago and New York are not outliers compared to other global cities. A 45- or 50-seat council for Los Angeles would bring the city closer to several other economic and cultural capitals like Amsterdam, Dublin, and Rio, but still be well below Paris 163-seat council, or the enormous 231-seat council in Cape Town, South Africa. At the other end of the scale, many of the worlds global cities including London, Mexico City, and Tokyo, are agglomerations of multiple smaller municipalities. Chicago and New York fit well within the normal range of 45-100 seats typical of large, cosmopolitan cities. A 45-seat LA council would be at the low end of global norms, given the citys population and global status.

The small councils characteristic of many US cities partially reflect the legacy of institutional racism, specifically early 20th-century Progressive reformers efforts to exclude ethnic and racial minorities from political power. Equitable racial representation must be a priority in LA council reform, as racial divisions within the city were at the heart of the redistricting scandal.

US cities have achieved approximate proportional representation for protected racial groups through the design of single-seat, minority-opportunity districts, enforced through the Voting Rights Act. However, this solution only works where groups are geographically concentrated and where there are relatively few communities of interest to represent. Los Angeles today is one of the most diverse cities in the world, where hundreds of racial, ethnic, and language groups make up the citys population. It is difficult to see how 21 single-seat districts, in which only one coalition achieves representation in a district, will adequately address the competition over racial representation that Los Angeles faces.

The city of New York increased its council size from 35 to 51 in 1991, facing some of the same problems, and in the hopes of advancing similar democratic goals. The General Counsel to the New York City Districting Commission, an attorney from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, focused specifically on problems of interracial conflict and the inevitable trade-offs required when only one racial group can be represented within a multiracial district. These trade-offs, and the carving up of populations along racial lines to determine who gets represented, were the topic of discussion in the now infamous LA city council phone call.

That NAACP attorney, Judith Reed, recommended that New York adopt multi-seat, proportional districts, which would allow multiple representatives to serve a single constituency, incentivizing multiracial coalitions to work together. Instead, the Commission adopted a single-seat districting strategy, forcing them to address questions like, Is a geographically dispersed minority better off with white voters, who may or may not have any sympathy for Latino interests, or with other minority groups, with whom there is the presumption of destructive competition? Today, New York, like many large US cities, continues to struggle with interracial conflict, low turnout, and largely uncompetitive single-seat districts. They are trying other reforms to induce competition and improve representation, like ranked choice voting schemes in primaries, but the fundamental problems with single-seat representation remain.

Los Angeles has an opportunity to break out of these constraints. Research in the US and abroad has shown that multi-seat districts are less prone to gerrymandering and other forms of manipulation, which is the motivation for reform in LA. Most large, global cities rely on multi-seat, proportional districting and achieve robust representation across racial, gender, language, and other boundaries. Coalitions and parties across the ideological spectrum run, and seat, more candidates of color, and more women, than we often find in US municipal elections. For example, in Amsterdam, five major political parties, including the Greens and Socialists on the left and Christian Unity on the right, in addition to the smaller, ethnic rights DENK party, run and seat candidates of color on the city council. Los Angeles, by contrast, is effectively a one-party regime.

Consider the opportunities that a 45-seat council, built out of eight five-seat districts drawn by an independent commission, would offer residents. Each multiracial district would reflect geographic interests beyond race, while ensuring representation for any coalition, racial or multiracial, successfully organizing just 20 percent of voters, because that is all it would take to win one of five seats.

In line with the LA Governance Reform Projects recommendations, an additional five seats could be elected citywide to incentivize broader coalition building. But instead of using the worst electoral system devised for minority representationat-large plurality votingthese seats could be elected using the same method as the district elections, commonly known as an open list system.

A common method of election in large cities around the world, the list system was first proposed in the US in 1844 by Thomas Gilpin for Philadelphia elections. From a voters perspective, little changes, as you simply vote for a single candidate from a slate of candidates. The vote counts toward the candidate AND the candidates slate (the other candidates they are running with), which determines how many seats the slate wins in each district. Competing candidates of color then do not risk splitting minority voters. Broader, multiracial coalitions that transcend district boundaries are also rewarded with more seats.

Even a modest proposal of eight three-seat districts and one five-seat citywide district, for a total council size of 29, would likely be more equitable for racial representation than the proposal from the Governance Reform Project. Every voter would have a variety of candidates competing for their support, and every district could represent up to three competing electoral coalitions, better reflecting the true diversity of Los Angeles.

Public opposition to enlarging the council and demands on the capacity of the mayors office are cited as major impediments to more effective electoral reform. But a larger city council does not require an expanded role for the mayor or mayors staff, as many of the global cities already mentioned rely effectively on a council-manager form of government, with relatively decentralized administrative agencies. As for public opposition to a larger council, that is a question of political will. If the advantages of improved descriptive representation and government accountability are adequately communicated by the reform coalition, I am confident that an initiative on the 2024 ballot would have a fighting chance.

Residents of one of the most diverse cities on the planet could vanquish part of the legacy of institutional racism that continues to plague the politics of our nation. Whether or not a reform coalition is able to mobilize support to adopt meaningful reform depends on the level of community engagement that we will see over the next year. At this stage, Angelenos deserve to at least be informed about how the rest of the world addresses the challenges of equitable racial representation and municipal governance.

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Angelenos Could Lead the Nation in Strengthening Democracy - The Equation

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for U.S. children. Yet the superintendent of Arizona schools pushes for more guns in schools. Students Demand Action called a national student walk-out April 5 in response to their legislatures hypocrisy. One organizer said that if Tennessee lawmakers actually cared about protecting kids they would address what kills kids every single day instead of banning books and drag shows.

On April 6, Tennessee lawmakers flew their racist flag high as they expelled two Black representatives for participating in a peaceful First Amendment protest while hanging on tight to the money of the gun lobby. Their time is running out and now they have just lost two generations of children who have been stalked by gun violence their whole lives.

The Second Amendment was originally written so that state militias could respond in defense of democracy if the government turned into a tyranny. Now the Second Amendment has been perverted to give individuals guns so they can overthrow the government and create a tyranny.

The culture wars attacking womens reproductive autonomy, CRT, LGBT, and drag are an excuse to use violence to destroy democracy. These wars are being fought at the legislature but also on the street. Recently the Bridge, a small religious cult in Tucson supported by the Proud Boys, waged a campaign of intimidation against Bookmans because of a scheduled drag story hour. Because of the threat of violence to individuals, the story hour was cancelled. An injunction was granted against the Proud Boys on June 23 by the Superior Court in Washington, D.C., in relation to the Metropolitan AME church they had been harassing.

Legislators never concerned about shooting before are concerned about the shooting at the religious Covenant school in May in Tennessee because the shooter was allegedly trans. In the past 41 years, 98% of the mass shooters have been men. At least 51% were white with 10% unknown. But you never once heard the white supremacist crowd suggesting we keep guns away from white men. Courts claim that baking a cake or making a website for a gay wedding is endorsing and/or participating in the wedding. But selling a gun to a mass shooter is not endorsing and/or participating in the shooting?

None of this banning books, prohibiting language, refusing to teach about racism, preventing women and LGBT people from determining their own health care, or prohibiting people in costume from reading to kids is about protecting children. The same legislature that banned abortion banned fetal medical care. The same legislature that bans books bans free lunch for hungry kids. The same legislature that protects children by prohibiting sex education at school passes a law to allow children to go to work at age 11. Their goal is not to protect children but to control society and force us all into their dystopian view of the 1950s.

I have participated in many protests since the 1960s. Some of them were against businesses like gun shops and pornography stores. But three things are different from the actions today by the white supremacists. If members of our group decided to break the law, i.e. do civil disobedience, we knew it was against the law and expected to be held accountable. Our goal was to change the law through the democratic process. Those threatening and using violence today have no respect for the law, believe it doesnt apply to them, and violate it with impunity.

We took great effort not to harm individuals but only to target property. This group is just the opposite. Their threats and actions deliberately seek to harm individuals.

We protested actual events the Viet Nam war, Jim Crow, beating women. The white supremacists are protesting lies that they make up. Elementary and secondary public schools never taught CRT. Drag story hour never sexualized or groomed children. Priests, pastors, coaches, child beauty pageants and pornography do that quite well. Yet they use their own lies to threaten harm to others.

Using street violence, white supremacists intend to overthrow democracy as did the Brown Shirts. We must maintain our democratic principles while using the institutions of democracy knowing that some are already corrupted. The times call for all of us to be active, democratic citizens because it appears that the right to guns trumps the right to life.

Dianne Post is an international human rights attorney.

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Violence is being used to destroy democracy - Arizona Capitol Times

Bill Text (PDF)

Washington (July14, 2023) Ahead of Cambodias 2023 general election,Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), along with Representatives Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Lori Trahan (MA-03), today reintroduced theCambodia Democracy and Human Rights Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would hold the Cambodian government accountable for abuses and corruption that undermine democracy and human rights as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen continues to engage in a crackdown against human rights, democratic institutions, and political opposition. Under the leadership of Prime Minister HunSen, the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party has maintained one-party control of the government in violation of the Cambodian constitution, banned political opposition, engaged in corruption and political persecution, and repressed free speech and independent media. The primary opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, has been banned and many of its leaders have been persecuted, executed, or jailed, including Khen Sokha, who has been sentenced to 27 years of house arrest.

Prime Minister HunSen and his cronies have continued to undermine democracy and violate human rights,said Senator Markey.The United States must send a clear message that we will not waver in our commitment to supporting with the people of Cambodia and their constitutional right to democracy. I thank Senators Durbin and Rubio, and Representatives Smith and Trahan, for joining me in our shared effort to empower the Cambodian people and uphold bedrock principles of democracy across the globe.

Cambodian democracy is suffering at the hands of an oppressive ruler and his cronies who are dead set on violating the nations constitution, and arresting, threatening, and harassing political opponents and peaceful activists,said Senator Durbin.For example, Theary Seng, a Cambodian-American democracy and human rights activist, who escaped Cambodias killing fields as a child, was convicted on fabricated charges of treason for peaceful opposition to the ruling regime. The introduction of the bipartisanCambodia Democracy and Human Rights Actand its consequential sanctions sends a clear message that the U.S. Senate stands against Prime Minister Hun Sens human rights violations and with the people of Cambodia.

As dictator Hun Sen continues to violate human rights and undermine Cambodias democracy, the U.S. must impose sanctions on corrupt members of the regime,said Senator Rubio.Under Hun Sens authoritarian grip, Cambodia is being exploited by Chinas genocidal regime. This bipartisan and bicameral bill would push for accountability in support of the Cambodian people.

The people of Cambodiawho suffered one of the worst genocides the world has ever seencontinue to be victimized by the despotic regime of Hun Sen. Now the Peoples Republic of China seeks to establish a naval and air presence in the country, as part of its neocolonial, hegemonistic drive to dominate Southeast Asia and beyond. Our legislation seeks to counter both despotism within the country and the imperialistic ambitions of Xi Jinpings China,said Representative Smith.

On the eve of Cambodias general election, theCambodia Democracy and Human Rights Actreaffirms Americas support for free, fair elections and the upholding of democratic values in Cambodia,saidRepresentativeTrahan, Chair of the Congressional Cambodia Caucus.For years, Prime Minister Sens crackdowns on democratic institutions, journalists, and political opponents have moved Cambodia in the wrong direction. Im proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation, which seeks to hold any official accountable for efforts to undermine the fundamental rights of the Cambodian people.

A copy of the bill text can be foundHERE.

Specifically, theCambodia Democracy and Human Rights Actwould:

Senator Markey and his colleagues first introduced the legislation as theCambodia Democracy Actin 2020. Last year, as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, Senator Markey and Senators Rubio and Durbinapplaudedthe unanimous passage of theirCambodia Democracy and Human Rights Actby the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 2018, Senator Markey and then-Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)successfully passedtheirGardner-Markey Asia Reassurance Initiative Act,legislation that imposes conditions upon U.S. assistance to the Government of Cambodia related to democracy and regional security In 2017, Senators Markey and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and then-Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (MA-03)wroteto Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging the Trump administration to persuade Cambodia to release Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Kem Sokha, cease harassment of Cambodias main opposition party, and to respect the freedom of the press and the rights of all Cambodians to freely and peacefully assemble, protest, and criticize the government.

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Sens. Markey, Durbin, Rubio and Reps. Smith, Trahan Announce ... - Ed Markey

Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs by Command of His Majesty

July 2023

Seventy-five years on from the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UK continues to stand with our partners to secure a stable and peaceful international order. Our resolve to ensure that everyone can enjoy their rights is unwavering.

With Russia waging its brutal war against freedom in Ukraine, we need to take hope from the international community coming together to demand justice. We have shown that actions have consequences and those responsible for human rights violations must pay the price.

As we survey the global human rights landscape in 2022, we should be emboldened by positive developments. Peaceful elections happen because brave individuals have called for change. We welcome every win on the human rights frontier.

But we must not be complacent. The overall trend is still bleak; the world is more volatile and polarised. Authoritarianism is on the rise and unscrupulous actors are working together to weaken agreed international norms.

The UK continues to speak out for truth. We have maximised the impact of all our diplomatic and development tools to protect fundamental freedoms. We make a positive and tangible impact on peoples lives around the globe every day.

The multilateral system is the bedrock of global peace and prosperity. The international human rights institutions are a remarkable force for good. We use our influence in fora such as the UN, Council of Europe and G7 to highlight human rights violations and to galvanise swift action.

In response to the monstrous attack on Ukraine, the UK led efforts to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council and the Council of Europe. We pressed the UN to establish a Commission of Inquiry, which found that war crimes had been committed in Ukraine, and referred Russia to the International Criminal Court.

In Iran, there are reports of more than 22,000 people detained, including children. There are harrowing reports of torture and abuse in regime prisons. Irans crackdown on protestors led to over 500 deaths, including 70 children. We will not shirk our responsibility to ensure the guilty are held accountable. In concert with our partners, we have coordinated sanctions on Iranian officials.

With violent conflict continuing to devastate the lives of innocent Sudanese people, the UK is working with our international partners to support the path to lasting and genuine peace. We continue to support the Sudanese in their path to democracy. Those who have committed human rights abuses must be held to account.

Stepping up our life saving humanitarian work is one of the themes of our International Development Strategy. We prioritise those in greatest need to prevent the worst forms of human suffering and drive a more effective international response to humanitarian crises. It is no coincidence that this is often in countries with bitter human rights crises, such as Afghanistan and Yemen.

We know the changing context means we have to go further and faster to reinvigorate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, as set out in the Integrated Review Refresh. We are delivering reliable investment through up to 8 billion of UK-backed financing a year by 2025, while helping to build a bigger, better and fairer international financial system that rises to meet development challenges. We provide countries with the means needed to lift themselves out of poverty. We help them build accountable, effective and inclusive state institutions that seek to protect the human rights of their whole population.

Women and girls should be free to reach their full potential. We will not tolerate efforts to reverse hard-won gains on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Our new Women and Girls Strategy shows how we are building a global network of partners committed to progressing gender equality. Women and girls will remain firmly at the centre of the FCDOs operations and investments. We will always strive to amplify their voice.

The report details some encouraging progress in many countries on LGBT+ rights, but it also identifies where many others are slipping backwards. The UK Government respects that all countries are on their own path. However, we will continue to stand against prejudice and support LGBT+ communities in the face of discrimination, as we have by co-chairing the Equal Rights Coalition with Argentina for 3 years, and we will continue to play a key role in its work.

We are proud of the UKs heritage and culture on human rights and democracy. But no country has all the answers to these global challenges. Every country can and must improve. We will continue to engage others with humility about our ongoing journey on these issues.

We will continue to work with old allies and new friends to make the vision of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights a reality.

When we work together, we see justice served. And we can give every person the freedom to thrive and prosper.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, countries came together vowing that such atrocities should never happen again. From that global exercise, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was born.

Over the subsequent decades, countries have worked together to strengthen the worlds human rights architecture through a collection of agreements that guarantee the rights of every individual.

However, as we detail in this 2022 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, for far too many people, the hatred, depravity and atrocities of the Second World War have not been consigned to history. Too many repressive governments have chosen to disregard their international commitments, and rule through discrimination, persecution and violence.

The UK Government holds an unwavering conviction that the human rights of every person still matter.Our Annual Report details how we are working with our allies to stand up for the marginalised and repressed across the full range of our human rights work.

Turning to 2022, I wanted to highlight some key aspects of our work and programmes. As the Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, I am particularly proud of what we have achieved in 2022. We hosted a landmark international conference to intensify global action and signal our sustained resolve to tackle these crimes. During the last 6 years, I have been determined to ensure survivors are at the heart of our approach, as such, survivors were central to our conference and led discussions across all areas. The UK also announced our new 3-year strategy, backed by up to 12.5 million of new funding that will help save and rebuild countless lives. We also formally launched the Murad Code at the UN Security Council to advance the interests of survivors.

I would like specially to thank Kolbassia Haoussou and Nadine Tunasi; 2 courageous survivors for their support and engagement.

In October, I visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, together with HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has also inspired so many through her direct engagement, campaigning and commitment to preventing sexual violence in conflict. During our visit, we met with our dear friend, Nobel laureate, Dr Denis Mukwage, who through his courageous and exemplary leadership at the Panzi Hospital has helped survivors to rebuild their lives, both physically and through providing vital emotional support and mental health provisions.

We also witnessed the vital efforts of TRIAL International to enhance survivor access to justice, and the far-reaching impact of UK funded support to survivors, delivered by the Global Survivors Fund.

In relation to media freedom, the UK Government has also continued to focus on the importance of protecting journalists and media organisations as a key pillar of the human rights infrastructure. The media freedom coalition we launched with Canada in 2019 welcomed Norway and Sweden into its membership, and I was pleased to attend the meeting of the coalition in Estonia.

Turning to Freedom of Religion or Belief, in July I was honoured to host the 3rd International Ministerial Conference in London. Around 50 countries attended the conference to coordinate and strengthen global action, which again demonstrated the UKs strong leadership on this important and fundamental human rights issue.

We also continue to focus on and implement the recommendations of the Truro Report to ensure the FCDOs architecture is aligned to deliver, and coordinate with my friend and colleague, Fiona Bruce MP, the UK FoRB Envoy, in her role as Chair of the International Freedom of Religion or Belief Alliance.

The UK has demonstrated its commitment and focus on human rights across the world. The 2 conferences we convened in 2022 also reflected our ability to pull together not just governments, but civil society, leaders, and survivors to strengthen our collective responses.

Across the full range of human rights, when discrimination is not identified and addressed, we often witness marginalisation, persecution, worse still, violence and attacks on individuals and communities. Therefore, it is important to act.

We should also acknowledge and recognise that different countries move at different speeds. Some face quite unique challenges. I believe we should be cognisant of where progress is being made and, as a constructive partner, lean in and share expertise and insight in order to accelerate further progress. There are occasions where I have seen private, effective, diplomacy unlock issues and cases. There are of course other times where through collaboration, and collective and public action, we have called out the most serious human rights violations.

Whatever the approach or the issue, and accepting that protecting and strengthening human rights poses difficult challenges, we can affect change through our advocacy and perseverance. Ultimately, if our work leads to changing the trajectory for the better for the lives of individuals and communities, then its worth every second of our time.

The UK supports a rules-based open international order, a world where democracy and freedoms grow and where autocracy is challenged. As Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Were a country that stands up for our valuesthat defends democracy by actions not just words. [footnote 1]

However, 2022 saw ongoing authoritarian practices challenging the international order, and continuing the global decline in democratic freedoms. The NGO Freedom House [footnote 2] recorded that global freedom had declined for the 17th consecutive year.

Throughout 2022, the UK continued to deliver on the Integrated Review commitment to increase our efforts to protect open societies and democratic values where they [were] being undermined. As the Foreign Secretary set out in his speech on Human Rights Day in December 2022,[footnote 3] transparent, democratic governance is in the interests of all people, all economies and the long-term stability of every nation.

The UK took action to strengthen and protect democracy and freedom around the world, including through its policy and programme work on democratic governance, and through its funding of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy which uses expertise to support people around the world to strengthen democracy in their communities. Much of this work involves engagement with civil society partners on issues including elections, transparency and open government, womens political empowerment and digital democracy.

The UK worked with partners through the German G7 Presidency to underscore the enduring importance of democratic values. This culminated in the 2022 Resilient Democracies Statement, which was strongly supported by the UK, and built on the outcomes of the UK G7 Presidency in 2021 and its focus on open societies and democracy.

The UK is committed to taking a long-term approach to addressing the causes of democratic decline and to championing democratic governance. The Governments Strategy for International Development,[footnote 4] published in May, outlines this patient approach to development which affirms our support to freedom and democracy and the effective institutions which underpin development.

In light of the potential risks posed by authoritarianism, the UK launched a Ministerial Taskforce on Defending Democracy in November. This taskforce will look at foreign threats to our elections and electoral processes; disinformation; physical and cyber threats to our democratic institutions and those who represent them; foreign interference in public office, political parties and universities; and transnational repression in the UK.

Increasingly, people exercise their rights, access and share information, express views and hold governments to account in the digital and online space.The UK worked with international partners to strengthen international norms around human rights and fundamental freedoms in the digital age and to reinforce support for a free, open, interoperable, secure and pluralistic internet that enables inclusive participation in democracy and where people can exercise their human rights. This included the UKs active membership of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), in which the UK contributed to the Ottawa Agenda, a new set of recommendations for the promotion of internet freedom in the next decade.[footnote 5]

Countering politically motivated internet shutdowns and restrictions was a key priority. There were 187internet shutdowns across 35 countries in 2022.[footnote 6] The UK joined the FOC Taskforce on Internet Shutdowns. At RightsCon and the United Nations (UN) Internet Governance Forum, the UK brought together countries, industry and the private sector to explore ways to address the challenges.The UK is proud to be chairing the FOC Taskforce on Internet Shutdowns in 2023, alongside the NGOs Access Now and the Global Network Initiative.

In October, the FOC issued a joint statement condemning the measures undertaken by Iran to restrict access to the internet following nationwide protests over the killing of Mahsa Amini.This was the first FOC statement to focus on shutdowns and restrictions in just one country, and the UK pushed hard for it to be approved by consensus, in order to set an important precedent.

At the Tallinn Digital Summit in October, with Estonia and NGO Access Now, the UK publicly launched its Technology for Democracy Cohort as part of the US-led second Summit for Democracy process.This brought together over 150 civil society, government and private sector participants to work on 3 priority areas: internet shutdowns and restrictions; emerging technology and democracy, and technology for good governance.

On 4 November, the UK announced that it would host the annual UNESCO celebration on the importance of universal access to information in 2023, which will focus on the important nexus between internet connectivity and access to information, both of which are essential to the free flow of information and exercise of rights online.

In 2023, the UK will continue to champion digital democracy as part of its work to support healthy information ecosystems.The UK will advocate for a global internet that is open to all, and for human rights and fundamental freedoms to be at the centre of the development and use of digital technologies. Working with international partners, the UK will address internet shutdowns and restrictions through co-chairing of the FOC Taskforce on Internet Shutdowns, co-leadership of the Technology for Democracy Cohort, and through multilateral fora including the G7 and UN Internet Governance Forum. The UK will also continue to work actively with its partners in the Council of Europe on the development of a new treaty on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Democratic and open societies cannot flourish without credible and inclusive elections. Elections are a key test of a functioning democracy.They enable voters to hold those in public office to account. The UK helped to support democracy by providing assistance to electoral processes.

UK support began early in the election cycle and included ODA spend of 7.5 million over 2-and-a-half-years through the Kenya Elections Support Programme. Technical assistance to the Independent Elections and Boundary Commission helped it improve elections planning, management, and strategic communications. Training for the judiciary focussed on dispute resolution processes, while support to police and security services was designed to improve training, organisation, operating procedures, and inter-agency cooperation.

In addition to these programmatic interventions, the UK pursued a busy and proactive diplomatic effort, both bilaterally and in concert with the wider international community. The UK took a lead role coordinating donor activities and messaging, encouraging both presidential candidates and their supporters to engage constructively in the electoral process and respect the rule of law. As election day approached, the UK team on the ground supported monitoring activities in constituencies across the country and in the central tallying centre.

Election day was largely peaceful. On 15 August, William Ruto was announced as the winner of the presidential race, a result which was subsequently challenged by his opponent, Raila Odinga. The Supreme Court upheld the result, rejecting all the claims put forward as justification for nullifying the result.

Despite a highly contested presidential election, both domestic and international observation missions highlighted some significant improvements in process. Long-term, tailored and effective UK technical support and political engagement contributed to this. However, the most impressive contribution came from the Kenyan people themselves in their commitment to, and respect for, a peaceful democratic process.

Staff from the British High Commission in Nairobi talking to Kenyan security officers on election day in August.

Election observation helps support strong, transparent and accountable political processes and institutions overseas. The UK continued to support election observation missions run by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).In the course of the year, the UK funded observers to OSCE missions in Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kazakhstan.

Parliamentary elections were held in Bahrain in 2022 and were monitored by Bahrain-based civil society groups. The elections were peaceful and orderly, with an increased turnout and proportion of elected women MPs and representatives from across society. However, no international observers were allowed, and the UK continues to encourage Bahrain to consider inviting observers for future elections. Some political societies also remained banned, leading to criticism from international rights groups that there was a continuing environment of political repression.

The Community of Democracies (CoD) was established in 2000. Its founding document, the Warsaw Declaration, defines the essential practices and norms for the effective establishment of democracy, and emphasises the interdependence between peace, development, human rights and democracy. The Governing Council comprises 28 Member states including Canada, Chile, India, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea and the USA. Member states commit to abide by the common democratic values and standards outlined in the Warsaw Declaration, and to make tangible contributions to strengthening the Community of Democracies.

On 17 November 2022, the UK and a number of other Governing Council Member states, including Argentina, Canada, Estonia, Finland, the Republic of Korea and the USA, supported a CoD statement expressing solidarity with the people of Iran, especially women, protesting against oppression by the Iranian authorities, including gender-based discrimination, human rights violations and abuses, and disproportionate use of force.

In November, the Minister for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, confirmed to the CoD that the UK wished to renew its membership of the organisations Governing Council. He reaffirmed the UKs commitment to working with the other 27 participating states and to the democratic values and standards outlined in the Warsaw Declaration. The UKs membership is an important platform to support its Integrated Review commitment to democratic values.

The UK will continue to work with other member states and the CoD civil society pillar, the International Steering Committee, to support and strengthen democracy worldwide and to speak out where democracy and civil society are repressed.

The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is the UK public body dedicated to strengthening democracy overseas. It is an arms-length body funded by, but operating independently from, the FCDO who provided 6.5 million grant-in-aid in FY2022 to 2023. Last year was WFDs 30th anniversary, and it continued to work with parliaments, political parties, electoral bodies, and civil society in over 40 countries and territories to build inclusion, accountability, and stronger democratic practices.

WFD contributed to tackling both the climate crisis and rising authoritarianism around the world. WFD helped to advance crucial climate change legislation in Indonesia and Georgia. It developed tools that assisted parliaments to scrutinise policy decisions on public debt, including work with county assemblies in Kenya and in the Solomon Islands on financial oversight and scrutiny. Its work to support the Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council) of Ukraine has continued throughout the Russian invasion.

WFD continued its work to protect the vulnerable and marginalised. Its campaign to eradicate violence against women in politics in Montenegro reached more than 2-thirds of the population. Through its Global Equality Project, WFD also worked with local partners to help ensure the protection of the rights of LGBT+ people, women, girls, and other individuals belonging to marginalised groups, through reforms in policy and legislation.

WFDs work to support electoral systems and processes around the world included analysis of and/or support for elections in Kenya, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Nepal. WFD recruited election observers for observation missions to Serbia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kazakhstan. Additionally, following WFD support, Sierra Leones parliament topped the Open Parliament Index on public accountability in West Africa.

The Speaker of parliament opening the Civil Society Office in the parliament of Sierra Leone, with support from WFD.

WFD also worked with Indonesia in holding the Bali Democracy Forum, with a particular focus on civil society engagement. The FCDO also attended at senior official level as part of the UKs overall efforts to support regional democracy initiatives and underscore the universality of democratic values.

Women and girls have the right to participate in political and civic processes without discrimination of any kind.Womens and girls political empowerment iscritical to, and a key indicator of, apeaceful, prosperous and democratic society.

The UKs International Development Strategy calls for a world where all girls and women will be empowered to have voice, choice and control over their lives, free from the threat of violence. The UKs International Women & Girls Strategy, due to be published in 2023, will put women and girls at the heart of the UKs work, and will recognise the importance of womens leadership, perspectives and knowledge, local, national and global progress.

Throughout 2022, the FCDO supported the political empowerment of women around the world. This included commissioning a local organisation to monitor hate speech and cyberbullying against female candidates standing in parliamentary elections in Zambia.

Through WFD, the UK supported female MPs in Nepal to scrutinise legislation and represent their constituencies more effectively, including supporting women parliamentarians in their efforts to advance a motion requiring a 50/50 gender balance in all candidate lists.The UK also worked with women MPs in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines to develop gender responsive budgets, including within Covid recovery plans, and helped women legislators in Morocco to advance their parliaments use of gender analysis.

In Malaysia, the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur funded a project to support budget equity and gender equality. The project facilitated training, networking opportunities and resources for parliamentarians, ministry officials and womens rights organisations from across 7 countries to strategically advocate for and enact measures to achieve gender-responsive budgeting. Programme participants identified priorities, including increasing decision makers use of sex disaggregated data. This led to practical outcomes such as a redrafted gender data toolkit to support Malaysian ministries engaged in budgeting.

In March, the UK joined the Global Partnership for Action on Online Gender-based Harassment and Abuse.The UK worked with others to understand better what works to address the growing problem of technology facilitated gender-based violence and will report on progress at the US-led Summit for Democracy in March 2023.

Looking ahead to 2023, the UK will begin implementation of its Women and Girls Strategy. This will include amplifying the work of diverse grassroots womens organisations and movements, championing their role as critical agents for change, and strengthening the political, economic and social systems that play a critical role in protecting and empowering women and girls.

In 2022, the UK continued to champion gender equality and stand firm in the face of systematic attempts by regressive actors to roll back on womens and girls rights.

The UK used its membership of the UN Human Rights Council and other multilateral bodies to promote womens and girls rights and the broader equalities agenda. This included advocating for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, the protection of LGBT+ rights, girls education and ending all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls in particular. The UK made use of its diplomatic influence and convening power to increase international support for womens rights and gender equality.For example, in September 2022, former Minister of State for Development, Vicky Ford, spoke at the launch of the Alliance for Feminist Movements, where she endorsed the critical role of womens rights organisations in tackling global issues.

To celebrate International Day of the Girl on 11 October, the FCDO hosted a high-level reception alongside the Latvian Ambassador to the UK, Ivita Burmistre, to showcase the commitment the FCDO places on the empowerment and protection of girls. At the event, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Chargs dAffaires were accompanied by young women, chosen from a range of backgrounds from across the UK, who acted as Ambassadors for the Day. This initiative gives girls aged 19 to 29 the opportunity to accompany an Ambassador for a day, in order to promote female leadership and empowerment in young women. British Embassies across the world took part in this initiative, including in Brazil, Denmark, Lebanon and Turkey.

The FCDO hosted a reception to celebrate International Day of the Girl in October 2022, where former Minister of State for Development, Vicky Ford, the Latvian Ambassador and HRH Princess Beatrice provided remarks.

In 2023, the FCDO will publish the UKs first International Women and Girls Strategy which will reflect the Governments commitment to use all its combined levers to stand up for women and girls. The UK is clear that women and girls should face no constraints on realising their full potential. They should have control over their own bodies and control their own choices.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is rooted in gender inequality and sustained by the harmful social norms that uphold unequal power dynamics within society.Data and research suggest that the prevalence and magnitude of VAWG has remained largely unchanged over the last decade and, in some contexts, is worsening due to conflict, the impacts of climate change and food insecurity.[footnote 7]

The UK takes a long-term approach that builds strong and resilient womens rights organisations that can prevent and respond to gender-based violence both in times of peace and conflict.

Alicia Herbert OBE, Special Envoy for Gender Equality, visiting the Council of Europe in December 2022 to mark the UK ratifying the Istanbul Convention.

In 2022, the UK used its position in multilateral fora to uphold protections on ending violence towards women and girls. The UK ratified both the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women (Istanbul Convention) and the International Labour Organisations Convention C190 on violence and harassment in the world of work. In July, the UK co-sponsored the Canadian-led UN Human Rights Council resolution renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, which expanded it to include girls.

In Mongolia, the UKs contribution to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women has helped support womens rights organisations to provide disability-inclusive services to survivors of intimate partner violence.

The FCDO has supported projects around the world, including providing7.3 million to the Stopping Abuse and Female Exploitation programme in Zimbabwe. The programme continued to devise a cost-effective and scalable intervention to reduce and respond to VAWG and reach those at greatest risk, including women with disabilities. The UK also supported the Golees Foundation in Costa Rica, which works to empower young women and girls from vulnerable communities through social transformation projects.

The UKs Global Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, meeting with the Golees Foundation in Costa Rica, November 2022.

In March 2022, the UK became a founding member of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-based Online Abuse and Harassment, to drive forward solutions to address and prevent the growing scourge of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, in collaboration with other likeminded actors.

Tackling gender-based violence will remain a priority for the UKs work overseas. In 2023 the UK will continue to support and amplify the work of womens rights organisations to prevent and respond to this violence around the world.

Helen Grant MP, the Prime Ministers Special Envoy for Girls Education, and Alicia Herbert OBE, Special Envoy for Gender Equality, visiting South Sudan in February. They met with activists who use art to illustrate the impacts of gender-based violence on women and girls.

The global scale of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is appalling. The international community has made progress, but sexual violence continues in conflict-affected areas on a shocking scale, and impunity has continued to be the norm for perpetrators. The UK is a global leader on action to tackle CRSV, which is a key government priority. The UK has committed 60 million to PSVI since it was launched in 2012.

The UK has worked closely with the government of Ukraine to respond to reports of CRSV committed by Russian forces.This has included deploying UK experts to support the Office of the Prosecutor Generals CRSV strategy, war crimes training for prosecutors, police and judges, and procuring 30,000 kits to enable forensic examination of CRSV cases.

In April 2022, the Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Minister for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, jointly launched the Murad Code at the UN Security Council with Nadia Murad, a Yazidi human rights activist and CRSV survivor. The Murad Code developed by the Institute for International Criminal Investigations is a code of conduct for documenting the experiences of CRSV survivors ethically and effectively. It has been translated into Ukrainian, as well as other languages.

In Colombia, UK funding supported the All Survivors Project to advocate successfully for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace to open a macro-case into CRSV committed by armed groups and government forces that recognises men and children as victims as well as women. This was an important step in the transitional justice process that will strengthen accountability for CRSV in Colombia.

In December, the UK introduced sanctions which included 18 designations targeting individuals involved in violations and abuses of human rights, 6 of whom were perpetrators responsible for conflict-related sexual violence and related crimes, from Mali, Myanmar and South Sudan. The UK will continue to build on this in 2023 and demonstrate a commitment to take action against those that seek to supress women or use sexual violence as a weapon of war.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad and HRH Duchess of Edinburgh during their visit to the DRC in October.

In October, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad accompanied Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Edinburgh, on a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The visit raised awareness of the need to address sexual violence in conflict and gain a practical insight into experiences of tackling it. This visit was part of Her Royal Highness long-standing commitment to championing PSVI.

From 28 to 29 November 2022, the UK hosted the international Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference in London. Over 1,000 delegates attended, including survivors, civil society, multilateral partners and representatives from at least 57 countries. Following the launch of PSVI 10 years ago, the conference and its headline initiatives set out below sent a strong message of sustained international resolve to tackle this global scourge.

the UK launched a new Political Declaration which clearly signals that these heinous crimes must end and outlines the steps needed to achieve this. The Political Declaration was endorsed by 53 countries and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Patten, with 40 countries making national commitments detailing the tangible actions they will take to tackle CRSV

the Foreign Secretary launched the UKs new PSVI Strategy, backed by up to 12.5 million of new funding, which includes up to 8.6 million for a new initiative on survivor-centred accountability - ACT for Survivors. The strategy focuses on what the UK will do to deliver a strengthened global response, prevent sexual violence in conflict, promote justice, and support survivors. It outlines the UKs ambition to use diplomacy, development and defence levers to tackle these appalling crimes

ahead of the conference, the Foreign Secretary announced a further 3.45 million for the UN Population Fund, to boost survivor centred gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health services in Ukraine and the nearby region, and to ensure continued access to expert support for survivors of sexual assault

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad launched a new partnership between the UK and the International Criminal Court to explore how new technologies, such as virtual reality, could help to address some of the challenges faced by CRSV survivors when seeking justice. This could include a virtual reality introduction to the courtroom to help survivors familiarise themselves with the setting, reducing stress and managing expectations

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad also launched a Platform for Action Promoting the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of CRSV a framework outlining steps the UK and partners will take to empower this vulnerable group. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo committed to review its laws, policies and practices to understand how it could help children born of CRSV, while the UK committed to use a PSVI team of experts to support this review

to help maintain the momentum generated by the conference, the UK launched an International Alliance on PSVI, comprised of governments, civil society and survivors. This will be a key forum for coordinating international action to prevent and respond to CRSV. The International Alliance, which has 20 members, has UN support. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict will participate in Alliance meetings and UN Women have confirmed their membership

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