Human Rights | Council on Foreign Relations

Maternal and Child Health

Women This Week: First Study Post Overturn of Roe v. Wade on Permanent Contraception

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers May 11 to May 17.

Blog Post by Noël James May 20, 2024 Women Around the World
Ukraine

Ukraine Tries To Halt Russian Advance, Biden Woos Kenya, the Fate of Assange, and More

Ukraine rushes to push back against a new Russian offensive in its northeast Kharkiv region; U.S. President Joe Biden invites Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit, the first U.S. state visit for an African leader since 2008; London’s High Court decides on whether to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to stand trial; and tens of thousands protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, after its parliament passes the controversial “foreign agents” bill.

Podcast with Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins May 16, 2024 The World Next Week
India

Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: India's 2024 General Elections

Lisa Curtis, senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at Center for a New American Security, and Milan Vaishnav, senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discuss the geopolitical implications of India’s general elections and the influence of religion on politics in India. Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and adjunct senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, moderates the discussion.

Webinar by Lisa Curtis, Milan Vaishnav and Alyssa Ayres May 15, 2024 Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars

Maternal and Child Health

Women This Week: Women and Girls Facing Severe Challenges as Israel Plans Rafah Invasion

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers May 4 to May 10.

Blog Post by Noël James May 10, 2024 Women Around the World
Media

Publishing in a Polarized World

In a wide-ranging conversation, Foreign Affairs Editor Dan Kurtz-Phelan joins Why It Matters to discuss nonpartisan publishing in a polarized political climate, the state of press freedom around the world, and the future of journalism.

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra and Daniel Kurtz-Phelan May 10, 2024 Why It Matters
Women and Foreign Policy Program

Virtual Roundtable: The Transformative Power of Girls’ Education

Virtual Event by Kakenya Ntaiya, Jennifer O'Donoghue and Ann Norris May 7, 2024 Women and Foreign Policy Program

Sexual Violence

Women This Week: Reparations for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Ukraine

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers April 27 to May 3.

Blog Post by Noël James May 3, 2024 Women Around the World
Censorship and Freedom of Expression

World Press Freedom Day 2024: Mounting Threats, Renewed Purpose

In this special episode to mark World Press Freedom Day, Jeffrey Gedmin, cofounder and editor-in-chief of American Purpose and former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the global state of press freedom. They cover the challenges that a growing number of journalists face in exile or imprisonment, the U.S. role in upholding freedom of the press, and more.

Podcast with Robert McMahon , Carla Anne Robbins and Jeffrey Gedmin May 2, 2024 The World Next Week
Sustainable Development Goals (UN)

Renewed Efforts are Urgently Needed to Fight Increase in Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Without accelerated efforts, there is no chance of getting anywhere close to eliminating FGM/C by 2030.

Blog Post by Ann Norris April 30, 2024 Women Around the World
European Union

Women This Week: European Parliament Combating Violence Against Women

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers April 20 to April 26.

Blog Post by Noël James April 26, 2024 Women Around the World
United States

The U.S.-ASEAN Relationship: A Conversation With U.S. Ambassadors

Panelists discuss the strategic opportunities and challenges of the U.S.-ASEAN partnership in addressing pressing regional and global issues, including trade, maritime security, human rights, climate, and technology.

Virtual Event by Edgard D. Kagan, Marc E. Knapper, Ted Osius, Heather Variava and Calvin Sims April 23, 2024
Maternal and Child Health

Women This Week: Shortages of Essential Goods for Women and Children in Gaza

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers April 13 to April 19.

Blog Post by Noël James April 19, 2024 Women Around the World
Health

Women This Week: Heightened Levels of Malnutrition for Women and Children

Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers April 6 to April 12.

Blog Post by Noël James April 12, 2024 Women Around the World
Genocide and Mass Atrocities

Remembering the Rwandan Genocide

Thirty years ago, Rwanda’s government began a campaign to eradicate the country’s largest minority group. In just one hundred days in 1994, roving militias killed around eight hundred thousand people. Would-be killers were incited to violence by the radio, which encouraged extremists to take to the streets with machetes. The United Nations stood by amid the bloodshed, and many foreign governments, including the United States, declined to intervene before it was too late. What got in the way of humanitarian intervention? And as violent conflict now rages at a clip unseen since then, can the international community learn from the mistakes of its past?

Podcast with Gabrielle Sierra , David J. Scheffer and Claude Gatebuke April 10, 2024 Why It Matters
Sexual Violence

Arthur C. Helton Memorial Lecture: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Violence in Conflict

The United Nations recognized rape as a war crime in 2008 through the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1820. Despite this step, sexual violence remains a widespread practice in wars and conflict zones globally. Panelists discuss the extent of sexual violence used as a tool of war and policies that can address it and help prevent future atrocities. The Arthur C. Helton Memorial Lecture was established by CFR and the family of Arthur C. Helton, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who died in the August 2003 bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad. The Lecture addresses pressing issues in the broad field of human rights and humanitarian concerns. The audio, video, and transcript of this meeting will be posted on the CFR website. **For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio and video of this virtual meeting will be posted on the CFR website.**

Virtual Event by Phoebe Donnelly, Madeleine Rees, Rachel B. Vogelstein and Sheryl Sandberg April 8, 2024 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Lecture