The current Kenyan government has not solved the underlying problems of corruption and inequality, and ethnic resentments are likely to remain until Kenyans elect a clean and inclusive government.

Zimbabwe has been ruled by a unity government since 2008, but President Robert Mugabe and his party continue to usurp power and pillage the country's wealth.

It is imperative that the human rights community build up political will and capacity among local law enforcement bodies.

U.S. President Barack Obama has vocally promoted a human rights agenda. Now, his administration must translate his rhetoric into practice.

USAID has become ineffective because it is underfunded, understaffed, and losing influence. The next president should revive it by either making it autonomous or elevating it to a cabinet-level department.

The U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay has become a stain on the United States' reputation. Shutting it down will cause new problems. Rather than hold terrorism suspects in preventive detention, the United States should turn them over to its criminal justice system.

Secretary Clinton is in Myanmar to gauge recent reforms by the military-backed regime. Experts are calling for further democratization, including strengthening the rule of law and reconciliation with ethnic minority groups.

The latest political crisis in Thailand is another setback to democratization in Southeast Asia. It signals potential new headaches for U.S. policymakers who had come to rely on the region's stability.

Angolans headed to the polls on September 5 for their first election in sixteen years. The country is in the midst of a remarkable oil boom, but average Angolans remain among the world's poorest.

A move to indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir meets a sharp response from Arab and African leaders and raises questions about the future of Sudan's peace process.

Confronted by accusations of a disregard for human rights at home and abroad, Beijing finds the Olympic Games have exposed it to extraordinary international pressure.

One year into its life, the “reformed” UN body dealing with human rights faces criticism that it is as politicized and weak as its maligned predecessor.

An annual clampdown on dress code violations in Iran has renewed attention on the country’s deteriorating human rights situation and the usefulness of outside pressure.

As the central government in Beijing attempts to address grievances raised by mounting social protests, the guarantee of rights on a local level remains in doubt.

Chechnya is rebuilding after years of war, but a new local strongman with Kremlin backing has exacerbated ongoing human rights concerns.

The State Department's annual human rights report highlights abuses abroad, but also draws questions about the actions of the United States itself.

As Islamabad attempts to reform laws related to women, the death of a female politician underscores advances and obstacles to women’s rights in Pakistan.

Inaction in the face of genocide in Darfur breeds death in the region, but also contempt for international laws and voices which have demanded action—so far to no avail.

Sudan continues to refuse a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur. As pressure to act mounts, the international community faces a question: Does its “responsibility to protect” trump Sudan’s national sovereignty?