The U.S. Agency for International Development has launched its new democracy, human rights, and governance policy, providing guidance for those working on the agency’s multibillion-dollar democracy portfolio.
Last year, USAID obligated $1.8 billion toward democracy, human rights, and governance work, funding 830 activities across more than 100 countries. That includes monitoring elections, strengthening independent media, and elevating anti-corruption measures through policy, among other activities. In 2023, nearly $260 million of USAID’s democracy-related funds were channeled to Ukraine, according to data from ForeignAssistance.gov.
“Democracy is in need of liberation. The data is sobering — it has been now for years and years,” said USAID Administrator Samantha Power, speaking at the policy’s launch event in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. “It is more important than ever that we, collectively, focus our resources in as smart a way as we can, in as proven a way as we can, in as impactful a way as we can.”
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
