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The United States government's abrupt cuts to nearly all US foreign aid in 2025 harmed the global human rights movement and countless people at risk, Human Rights Watch said in a 42-page paper issued today.
"Every Autocrat's Dream: A Global Snapshot of the Human Rights Harms of US Foreign Aid Cuts" examines the immediate consequences of the aid cuts to the work of human rights defenders around the world. Investigations into abuses were halted, support for victims cut off, and organizations that helped deter violations were forced to scale back or close. "The US government's withdrawal of support from the global human rights movement was music to the ears of autocrats," said Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch. "The foreign aid cuts have made it harder to document human rights violations, protect communities at risk, and hold human rights abusers to account." The US government had been the largest donor to human rights work around the world for decades, until the Trump administration gutted US foreign aid between January and March 2025. Valid criticisms of foreign aid programs notwithstanding, the sudden and massive US funding cuts had immediate detrimental effects worldwide. Human Rights Watch examined the impact of aid cuts on media freedom, access to information, and digital security; combating discrimination and targeted violence; and justice, accountability, and the rule of law. The snapshot includes cases from 16 countries: Afghanistan, North Korea, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Haiti, Myanmar, Thailand, Tanzania, El Salvador, Georgia, Nicaragua, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine. The cases are snapshots of the weeks and months immediately following the aid cuts to illustrate the human rights implications of the Trump administration's decisions in various contexts. While no government is obligated to provide foreign aid, the way the United States terminated assistance caused foreseeable harm and demands accountability, Human Rights Watch said. The US Congress should mandate an independent review to assess the human rights consequences of the 2025 aid reductions and program terminations and restore funding for human rights in future appropriations. Policymakers, donor governments, and private philanthropy should act urgently to rebuild support for the global human rights movement in a sustainable and rights-respecting way. "By cutting funding so quickly and comprehensively, the US government pulled away the lifeline for many people facing abuse," Yager said. "The resilience of human rights groups amid rising authoritarianism and global crises has been extraordinary, but their determination is not a substitute for sustained support. (ANI)
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