Democracy, Human Rights & Labor (DRL)

DRL develops and implements U.S. policy on democracy, human rights, international labor, and religious freedom. It leads efforts to integrate foreign assistance programming with priority foreign policy objectives and is responsible for the annual distribution of approximately $100 million of democracy and human rights foreign assistance. DRL helps build global consensus in support of democratic rule and universal human rights principles and carries out project proposal evaluation, grant administration, budget negotiations, technical coordination, and project performance review and compliance for democracy promotion and human rights grants. DRL is best known for publishing the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which provide a comprehensive assessment of human rights around the world today.

• Office of Country Reports and Asylum Affairs (DRL/CRA): is responsible for, among other things, preparing the Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, and Profiles of Asylum Claims and Country Conditions. The office is solely authorized to coordinate and convey to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), which consists of immigration courts and judges, the Department’s advisory opinions on case- specific claims to asylum in the United States.
• Office of International Religious Freedom (DRL/IRF): supports the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, a position established by law. This office is the principal advisor to the President and the Secretary of State on international religious freedom policy. DRL/IRF develops and implements U.S. policy on religious freedom abroad, including in multilateral forums.
• Office of Policy Planning and Public Diplomacy (DRL/PPD): supports bureau principals by providing concrete strategic planning support for all Congressional, public affairs, public diplomacy, and program planning activities. In coordination with the program unit, this office oversees the compilation, drafting, and submission of all strategic planning documents, including budget proposals and performance assessments for DRL grants programs.
• Office for Africa (DRL/AF): responsible for democracy and human rights issues facing the African region.
• Office for East Asia and Pacific (DRL/EAP): responsible for democracy and human rights issues facing the East Asian and Pacific region.
• Office for Near East Asia (DRL/NEA): responsible for democracy and human rights issues facing the Middle East region.
• Office for Western Hemisphere (DRL/WHA): responsible for democracy and human rights issues facing the Western Hemispheric region.
• Office for South Central Asia (DRL/SCA): responsible for democracy and human rights issues facing the South Central Asian region.
• Office of Global Programming (DRL/GP): manages the Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF), and additional programs and earmarks appropriated in the Democracy Fund, Economic Support Funds, FREEDOM Support Act funds, the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund and other Iraq supplemental appropriations, Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act funds, and other such appropriations as deemed necessary to meet DRL foreign policy objectives.
• Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs (DRL/MLGA): formulates and implements U.S. Government human rights and democracy policies in multilateral organizations, including the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC); the UN General Assembly; the UN Security Council; the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; the European Union; the Organization of American States; the African Union; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and other regional organizations.
• Office of International Labor Affairs (DRL/ILA): advises on policies and initiatives promoting core worker rights, specifically the four “fundamental rights” identified by the International Labor Organization.