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1 1 (April 24, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govzfa0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Inomir t he leIltv eae i 11 Updated April 24, 2018 Global Human Rights: The Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Introduction The State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are an annual U.S. government account of human rights conditions in countries around the globe. The reports characterize countries on the basis of their adherence to internationally recognized human rights, which generally refer to the civil and political rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948). The most recent reports cover the calendar year 2017 and were issued on April 20, 2018. They provide individual narratives for nearly 200 countries and are available on the Department of State website. As with prior reports, the 2017 reports do not compare countries or rank them based on the severity of human rights abuses documented. However, the preface to the 2017 reports highlights China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, stating that the governments of these countries violate the human rights of those within their borders on a daily basis and are forces of instability as a result. Some other changes in emphasis and terminology in the 2017 reports were noted in U.S. and international media coverage. Human Rights Categories Covered in the 2017 Reports Integrity of the Person Civil Liberties Political Participation Corruption and Government Transparency Governmental Attitude toward Human Rights Investigations Discrimination and Societal Abuses Worker Rights Legislative Mandate The statutory requirement for the human rights reports is found in Sections 116 and 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961 (P.L. 87-195), as amended. Both of these provisions were first enacted via congressional amendments in the mid-1970s and have been broadened and strengthened over time through additional amendments. The 1970s was a formative period for human rights-related legislation as Congress sought to enshrine human rights as a priority in U.S. foreign policy. In 1974, Section 502B of the FAA (22 U.S.C. 2304) was enacted to withhold U.S. security assistance from governments that engage in a consistent pattern of gross violations of international human rights. The following year, Section 116 (22 U.S.C. 2151n) was added, introducing similar restrictions for recipients of U.S. development assistance. Accompanying these provisions was language requiring that the Secretary of State transmit to Congress each year a full and complete report concerning the human rights conditions of recipient countries, thereby serving as the legislative basis for the annual human rights reports. An amendment in 1979 further broadened the reporting requirement to cover all U.N. member states. Despite their legislative origin in connection with U.S. foreign assistance, the reports have generally served as an information source for U.S. policy rather than as a direct instrument for restricting aid. The precise role that the reports should play in U.S. policy has been the subject of continued debate. Evolution of the Reports In the early reports, there was concern within the State Department about publicly characterizing the human rights conditions in other countries, particularly U.S. allies. The first reports were criticized for being biased and thin on substance. Over time, with improvements in the breadth, quality, and accuracy of the reports, experts have generally come to recognize them as authoritative. The modern reports are cited by lawmakers, foreign governments, human rights organizations, scholars, and others. The scope of the reports has also broadened as Congress has amended legislation to add or expand human rights topics in response to evolving situations and contexts. Topics that now receive increased coverage include worker rights, the rights of sexual minorities and persons with disabilities, and corruption, among others. In addition, the reports reference separate congressionally mandated reports on international religious freedom (IRF) and trafficking in persons (TIP). Relevant Legislation in the II 5t Congress S. 1177 and H.R. 2643, introduced in May 2017, would amend the FAA to require the human rights reports to cover the institutionalization of children and the subjection of children to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, unnecessary detention, and denial of the right to life, liberty, and the security of persons. S. 1172 and H.R. 2491, also introduced in May 2017, would require that the reports include information on human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Drafting Process The State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) coordinates the drafting and issuance of the human rights reports. Embassy officers use reporting guidance, issued annually by DRL, to formulate initial drafts for each country; the reports are then reviewed and edited by DRL staff, cleared by relevant bureaus within ://crsreports.congress.gos S

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