Protecting and Advancing Individual Human Rights and Freedom
The United States was founded on the revolutionary principle that each person is “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Every individual possesses an inherent, God-given dignity that can never be taken away or extinguished. And because of this intrinsic dignity, each person also possesses “certain unalienable rights,” which no government can give or take away.
Today, these fundamental rights and freedoms face significant threats. An axis of revisionist regimes—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, supported by their allies and terrorist proxies—is actively trying to reshape the global order in ways that will favor repression and tyranny, undermining the basic civil and political rights each person is owed. Around the world, people continue to be trapped in exploitation by human traffickers in exploitation and persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Inspired by the legacy and values of Senator John McCain and Ambassador Cindy McCain, the Human Rights & Freedom Program works to combat these threats and defend the individual rights and freedom of each person. We work with American policymakers and other strategic partners to protect those facing repression, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure America’s adversaries are unsuccessful in their attempts to undermine liberty.
1 – International Labour Organization (ilo.org)
2 – Freedomhouse.org
Advancing Fundamental Rights:
Combatting Human Trafficking & Protecting International Religious Freedom
Two of the most basic unalienable rights we have are the right to be free from slavery and the freedom of religion. As Senator John McCain once said, “There is no right more fundamental to a free society than the free practice of religion,” and “we must also do more to ensure governments that tolerate human trafficking crack down on this modern form of slavery.” However, across the globe, many people are continued to find themselves persecuted for their faith or exploited by human traffickers.
Defending American Values from the Axis of Upheaval
The greatest threat to our fundamental rights and freedom is a world dominated by the Axis of Upheaval—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, supported by their allies and terrorist proxies. These adversaries are actively trying to reshape the global order to spread repression and tyranny. Our program is advocating for a strong American foreign policy to counter this threat and tip the global balance of power back towards freedom.
Building a Consensus on Civil and Political Rights
Human rights has become increasingly polarized and controversial, all while fundamental rights all sides can agree about—like the freedom of religion and protections from slavery—continue to be under significant threat. To ensure human rights remains a U.S. policy priority consistent with our founding principles, we are working to rebuild consensus around the importance of defending civil and political rights around the world—the rights Senator McCain spent his life fighting to protect.
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