They promote freedom where it’s most at risk: in countries ruled by authoritarian regimes. Individuals who suffer under authoritarianism are more likely to: lack food and clean drinking water; lack access to basic education; live in extreme poverty; face war and civil strife; become a refugee; lack freedom of speech and voting rights; and face constant threats of imprisonment, torture, violence, and death.

Grounding their work in a deep commitment to individual liberty, HRF aims to raise awareness about the nature and vulnerability of freedom around the world. In addition to strengthening the work of grassroots activists in closed societies, their programs provide education about what constitutes a free society, why freedom matters, and how freedom is nurtured, developed, and sustained.