(Washington) – Steep cuts made by the United States government in almost all of its foreign aid in 2025 have harmed the global human rights movement and countless individuals in danger, Human Rights Watch revealed in a 42-page report released today.
This report, titled “Every Autocrat’s Dream: A Global Snapshot of the Human Rights Harms of US Foreign Aid Cuts,” examines the immediate consequences of these budget cuts on the work of human rights defenders worldwide. Investigations into abuses have been interrupted, support for victims has been significantly reduced, and organizations contributing to the prevention of violations have been forced to limit or even cease their activities.
“The withdrawal of U.S. government support from the global human rights movement has been a real boon for autocrats,” said Sarah Yager, director of Human Rights Watch’s Washington office. “Foreign aid cuts have made it harder to document human rights violations, protect threatened communities, and hold violators accountable.”
The United States government has been the major donor for human rights defense initiatives worldwide for decades, until the Trump administration dismantled American foreign aid between January and March 2025. Even though some programs faced legitimate criticism, the sudden and massive reductions in foreign aid had immediate harmful effects on a global scale.
Human Rights Watch examined the impact of these budget cuts on media freedom, access to information, and digital security; on combating discrimination and targeted violence; as well as on justice, accountability, and the rule of law. This overview includes case studies conducted in 16 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, North Korea, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
These case studies focus on the weeks and months immediately following the aid cuts, aiming to illustrate the human rights repercussions of decisions made by the Trump administration in different contexts.
While no government is required to provide foreign aid, the way the United States ended this assistance has caused visible harm and demands accountability, according to Human Rights Watch. The U.S. Congress should demand an independent review to assess the human rights consequences of aid reductions and program eliminations planned for 2025, and restore funding allocated to human rights defense in future budget laws. Lawmakers, other donor countries, and philanthropic actors should urgently act to rebuild support for the global human rights defense movement in a sustainable and rights-respectful manner.
“By ending funding so swiftly and drastically, the U.S. government has cut off crucial lifelines for many people facing abuses,” concluded Sarah Yager. “The resilience of human rights defense organizations in the face of authoritarianism and global crises has been extraordinary; however, their determination cannot replace sustainable support.”
