NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Freedom House

Freedom House is a United States-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights.^[2] It is best known for its annual assessment of the degree of democratic freedoms in each country which is widely used in political science research.^[3] The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... A research institute is a establishment endowed for doing research. ... This article is about the institution. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Peter Ackerman was born November 6, 1946 in New York City, New York. ... Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... NGO redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Map reflecting the findings of Freedom Houses 2007 survey, concerning the state of world freedom in 2006, which is widely used by researchers and correlates highly with other measures of democracy[1]. Some of these estimates are disputed. ...

The organisation was founded by Wendell Wilkie and Eleanor Roosevelt in 1941, and describes itself as "a clear voice for democracy and freedom around the world". It receives about 75% of its budget from the United States government^[4], but also receives funding from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation and the Soros Foundation, among a list of others.^[5] The organization has been criticized for receiving funding from and allegedly furthering the interests of the US government^[6], while others have offered praise to the group.^[7] Wendell Lewis Willkie (February 18, 1892 - October 8, 1944) was a lawyer, born in Elwood, Indiana on February 18, 1892, the only native of Indiana to be nominated as the presidential candidate for a national party, having never held any sort of high elected office. ... Anna Eleanor Roosevelt known as Eleanor (IPA: ; October 11, 1884 â€“ November 7, 1962) was an American political leader who used her influence as an active First Lady from 1933 to 1945 to promote the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as taking a prominent... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The government of the United States, established by the United States Constitution, is a federal republic of 50 states, a few territories and some protectorates. ... The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a large and influential right-wing foundation with about half a billion US dollars in assets. ... This article lacks information on the subject matters importance. ... A Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe, which fund volunteer socio-political activity, created by George Soros, international financier and philanthropist, and coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the Open Society Institute. ...

Mission Statement

Freedom House also states that "Our diverse Board of Trustees is united in the view that American leadership in international affairs is essential to the cause of human rights and freedom."^[8]

History

The organization was founded by Wendell Willkie, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Field, Dorothy Thompson, Herbert Bayard Swope, and others in 1941. Originally launched in response to the threat posed by Nazism, it now describes itself as a clear voice for democracy and freedom around the world. Freedom House states that it: Wendell L. Willkie Wendell Lewis Willkie (February 18, 1892 â€“ October 8, 1944) was a lawyer in the United States and the Republican nominee for the 1940 presidential election. ... Anna Eleanor Roosevelt known as Eleanor (IPA: ; October 11, 1884 â€“ November 7, 1962) was an American political leader who used her influence as an active First Lady from 1933 to 1945 to promote the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as taking a prominent... Disambiguation:- (Dorothy Thompson (nee Towers) (1923- ) is also the historian wife of the late E. P. Thompson; she is a leading expert on the Chartist movement. ... Herbert Bayard Swope (1882 - 1958) was a U.S. editor and journalist. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal Nazism or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ...

It states that during the 1940s, Freedom House supported the Marshall Plan and the establishment of NATO. Freedom House also states that it was highly critical of McCarthyism.^[9] During the 1950s and 1960s, it supported the U.S. civil rights movement and its leadership included several prominent Civil Rights activists. It supported Andrei Sakharov, other Soviet dissidents, and the Solidarity movement in Poland. Freedom House assisted the post-Communist societies in the establishment of independent media, non-governmental think tanks, and the core institutions of electoral politics.^[9] The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... Map of Cold-War era Europe and the Near East showing countries that received Marshall Plan aid. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... A 1947 comic book published by the Catechetical Guild Educational Society warning of the dangers of a Communist takeover. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all citizens of United States. ... Solidarity (Polish: ; full name: Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity â€” NiezaleÅ¼ny SamorzÄ…dny ZwiÄ…zek Zawodowy SolidarnoÅ›Ä‡) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980 at the then Lenin Shipyards, and originally led by Lech WaÅ‚Ä™sa. ...

More recently, it supported citizens involved in revolutions in Serbia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. It states "In Jordan, Freedom House worked to stem violence against women; in Algeria, it sought justice for victims of torture; in Uzbekistan, a brutal dictatorship, it sought to defend human rights advocates; in Venezuela, it worked with those seeking to protect and promote human rights in a difficult political environment."^[9]

Organization

Freedom House is a nonprofit organization. It is predominantly funded by the United States government^[4], and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., It has field offices in about a dozen countries, including Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Jordan, Mexico, and a number of countries in Central Asia. The government of the United States, established by the United States Constitution, is a federal republic of 50 states, a few territories and some protectorates. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ...

It is controlled by a Board of Trustees, which it describes as composed of 'business and labor leaders, former senior government officials, scholars, writers, and journalists'. While some board members were born outside the United States, and many have been affiliated with international groups, all are current residents of the United States. It does not identify itself with either of the American Republican or the Democratic parties. The board is currently chaired by Peter Ackerman. Ackerman took over chairmanship of the board in September of 2005 from former CIA director James Woolsey. Other notable board members included Steve Forbes, Samuel Huntington, Azar Nafisi, Farooq Kathwari, P. J. O'Rourke, Mara Liasson, and Mark Palmer, Kenneth Adelman, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Otto Reich, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and Zbigniew Brzezinski. GOP redirects here. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas Politics Portal Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Peter Ackerman was born November 6, 1946 in New York City, New York. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... Robert James Woolsey, Jr. ... For the boxer, see Stephen Forbes. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Azar Nafisi speaking at the 2004 National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Azar Nafisi, Ph. ... Farooq Kathwari is a prominent American muslim, and is the CEO and President of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. ... P.J. ORourke speaks at a January 2007 event at the Cato Institute about his latest book. ... Mara Liasson (born June 13, 1955 in New York City) is a national political correspondent for National Public Radio, and a regular panelist on Special Report with Brit Hume and Fox News Sunday on Fox News Channel. ... Mark Palmer (born 1941) is the Vice Chairman of Freedom House and the Council for a Community of Democracies. ... Ken Adelman was the deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for two-and a half years, working with Jeanne Kirkpatrick. ... Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is a businessman, a U.S. Republican politician, the 13th Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977, and the 21st Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2006. ... Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, working on issues of international economic development, Africa and public-private partnerships. ... Otto Reich Otto Juan Reich (born October 16, 1945), a Cuban-American, is former senior official in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. ... Jeane Kirkpatrick Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick (November 19, 1926 â€“ December 7, 2006) was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. ... Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski (born March 28, 1928, Warsaw, Poland) is a Polish-American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman. ...

Freedom House is funded by a number of foundations, including Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation and the Soros Foundation. It also receives funding from the US Government through the National Endowment for Democracy, USAID, and the State Department.^[5] Around 75% of its income is US federal grants.^[4] The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a large and influential right-wing foundation with about half a billion US dollars in assets. ... This article lacks information on the subject matters importance. ... A Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe, which fund volunteer socio-political activity, created by George Soros, international financier and philanthropist, and coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the Open Society Institute. ... This article describes the government of the United States. ... The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983, to promote democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress. ... USAID logo The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. ... Department of State redirects here. ... The government of the United States, established by the United States Constitution, is a federal republic of 50 states, a few territories and some protectorates. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Federal assistance in the United States. ...

Freedom House describes its relationship with the US government as follows: "Freedom House is an independent, non-governmental organization that was initially created in 1941 to urge the U.S. government to adopt policies supporting democracy and human rights at home and abroad. Its reports and analyses are independent of any governmental influence and are enriched by an intellectual atmosphere of scholarly inquiry. In recent years, Freedom House has received grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department for various projects, usually as a result of public competition. Freedom House has also applied for and received funds from other democratic governments and international bodies that promote democracy, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway and the European Union. Freedom House chooses to respond to specific funding opportunities, but never accepts funds from government institutions, including U.S. government agencies, in the form of contracts, and never functions as an extension of any government."^[10]

Reports

Since 1972, (1978 in book form) Freedom House publishes an annual report, Freedom in the World, on the degree of democratic freedoms in nations and significant disputed territories around the world, by which it seeks to assess^[3] the current state of civil and political rights on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). These reports are often^[11] used by political scientists when doing research. The ranking is highly correlated with several other ratings of democracy also frequently used by researchers.^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 370 pixelsFull resolution (1350 Ã— 625 pixel, file size: 20 KB, MIME type: image/png) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 370 pixelsFull resolution (1350 Ã— 625 pixel, file size: 20 KB, MIME type: image/png) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Map reflecting the findings of Freedom Houses 2007 survey, concerning the state of world freedom in 2006, which is widely used by researchers and correlates highly with other measures of democracy[1]. Some of these estimates are disputed. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (827x428, 23 KB) Summary Created using data from Freedom Houses annual survey Freedom in the World. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (827x428, 23 KB) Summary Created using data from Freedom Houses annual survey Freedom in the World. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1350x625, 26 KB) Description: This Map of Electoral Democracies (shown in blue) reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World (PDF). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1350x625, 26 KB) Description: This Map of Electoral Democracies (shown in blue) reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World (PDF). ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Map reflecting the findings of Freedom Houses 2007 survey, concerning the state of world freedom in 2006, which is widely used by researchers and correlates highly with other measures of democracy[1]. Some of these estimates are disputed. ... Map reflecting the findings of Freedom Houses 2007 survey, concerning the state of world freedom in 2006, which is widely used by researchers and correlates highly with other measures of democracy[1]. Some of these estimates are disputed. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... See also: Political Science Notable political scientists Kenneth Arrow - Nobel Memorial Prize winning economist who published influential paper on his widely cited Arrows Impossibility Theorem Robert Axelrod Duncan Black - Responsible for unearthing the work of many early political scientists, including Charles Dodgson Jean-Charles de Borda - 18th century mathematician...

In its 2003 report, for example, Canada (judged as fully free and democratic) got a perfect score of a "1" in civil liberties and a "1" in political rights, earning it the designation of "free." Nigeria got a "5" and a "4", earning it the designation of "partly free," while North Korea scored the lowest rank of "7-7", and was thus dubbed "not free." Nations are scored from 0 to 4 on several questions and the sum determines the rankings. Example questions: "Is the head of state and/or head of government or other chief authority elected through free and fair elections?", "Is there an independent judiciary?", "Are there free trade unions and peasant organizations or equivalents, and is there effective collective bargaining? Are there free professional and other private organizations?" ^[12] Freedom House states that the rights and liberties of the survey are derived in large measure from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.^[12] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ...

The research and ratings process involved two dozen analysts and more than a dozen senior-level academic advisors. The eight members of the core research team headquartered in New York, along with 16 outside consultant analysts, prepared the country and territory reports. The analysts used a broad range of sources of information--including foreign and domestic news reports, academic analyses, nongovernmental organizations, think tanks, individual professional contacts, and visits to the region--in preparing the reports.^[13]

The country and territory ratings were proposed by the analyst responsible for each related report. The ratings were reviewed individually and on a comparative basis in a series of six regional meetings--Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Western Europe--involving the analysts, academic advisors with expertise in each region, and Freedom House staff. The ratings were compared to the previous year's findings, and any major proposed numerical shifts or category changes were subjected to more intensive scrutiny. These reviews were followed by cross-regional assessments in which efforts were made to ensure comparability and consistency in the findings. Many of the key country reports were also reviewed by the academic advisers.^[14] Regardless, such a process contains elements of subjectivity.

The survey's methodology is reviewed periodically by an advisory committee of political scientists with expertise in methodological issues.^[15]

Freedom House also produces annual reports on press freedom (Press Freedom Survey), governance in the nations of the former Soviet Union (Nations in Transit), and countries on the borderline of democracy (Countries at the Crossroads). In addition, one-time reports have included a survey of women's freedoms in the Middle East. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Freedom House generally uses standard geographic regions for its reports, though it groups the countries of the Middle East and North Africa together, separately from Sub-Saharan Africa; and it still uses the arguably outdated concept of Western Europe, to include countries such as Turkey and Cyprus, while categorizing Central and Eastern Europe separately -- a division stemming from the Cold War era which ignores the eastwards expansion of such organizations such the EU and NATO. However, these groupings have nothing to do with the individual country ratings; they're merely used to make nations easier to find when perusing their reports, and also for comparative statistics between the modern day and the ratings of decades past. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Northern Africa (UN subregion) geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

Praise

On its website, Freedom House provides reviews of its reports. Conservative (and critic of the Bush administration) Professor of International Political Economy Francis Fukuyama is quoted on the site as saying, ""An essential source, Freedom in the World works from the assumption that freedom is a universal value, not reserved for the rich.""^[16] Foreign affairs writer Fareed Zakaria: "While there are many sources of economic data, good political data is hard to find. Freedom House's survey is an exception. For anyone concerned with the state of freedom, or simply with the state of the world, Freedom in the World is an indispensable guide."^[16] Francis Fukuyama Yoshihiro Francis Fukuyama (born October 27, 1952, Chicago, Illinois) is an American philosopher, political economist and author. ... Something is of universal value if it has the same value or worth for all, or almost all, people. ... Fareed Zakaria (born January 20, 1964, Mumbai, India) is a journalist, columnist, author, editor, commentator, and television host specializing in international relations and foreign affairs. ...

Criticisms

The methodology Freedom House uses for its reports has been criticised by social scientist K. A. Bollen for its perceived bias towards countries with pro-US positions.^[17] Bollen argues that by relying on 'experts' or 'judges', the methodology falls into what is described as 'systematic measurement error': "Regardless of the direction of distortions, it is highly likely that every set of indicators formed by a single author or organization contains systematic measurement error. The origin of this measure lies in the common methodology of forming measures. Selectivity of information and various traits of the judges fuse into a distinct form of bias that is likely to characterize all indicators from a common publication."^[18]

Other activities

In addition to these reports, Freedom House participates in advocacy initiatives, currently focused on North Korea, Africa, and religious freedom. It has offices in a number of countries, where it promotes and assists local human rights workers and non-government organizations.

On January 12, 2006, as part of a crackdown on unauthorized nongovernmental organizations, the Uzbek government ordered Freedom House to suspend operations in Uzbekistan. Resource and Information Centers managed by Freedom House in Tashkent, Namangan, and Samarkand offered access to materials and books on human rights, as well as technical equipment, such as computers, copiers and Internet access. The government warned that criminal proceedings could be brought against Uzbek staff members and visitors following recent amendments to the criminal code and Code on Administrative Liability of Uzbekistan. Other human rights groups have been similarly threatened and obliged to suspend operations. A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization that is not part of a government and was not founded by states. ... Tashkent (Uzbek: , Russian: ) is the capital of Uzbekistan and also of the Tashkent Province. ... Namangan (Russian:ÐÐ°Ð¼Ð°Ð½Ð³Ð°Ð½), is a city (1994 pop. ... Samarkand (Tajik: Ð¡Ð°Ð¼Ð°Ñ€Ò›Ð°Ð½Ð´, Persian: â€Ž , Uzbek: , Russian: ), population 412,300 in 2005, is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. ...

Freedom House is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a global network of more than 70 non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations around the world and defends journalists, writers and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression. International Freedom of Expression eXchange. ...

The Financial Times has reported that Freedom House is one of several organisations selected by the State Department to receive funding for 'clandestine activities' inside Iran.^[19] In a research study, with Mr. Ackerman acting as chief adviser, Freedom House sets out its conclusions: "Far more often than is generally understood, the change agent is broad-based, non-violent civic resistance - which employs tactics such as boycotts, mass protests, blockades, strikes and civil disobedience to de-legitimate authoritarian rulers and erode their sources of support, including the loyalty of their armed defenders."^[19] The Financial Times (FT) is a British international business newspaper. ...

On June 8, 2006, the vice-chairman of Freedom House's board of trustees^[20] asked the US Senate to increase the share of NGO funding aimed at helping support non-violent foreign democratic activists organize for potential overthrows of their non-democratic governments. Palmer argued in favor of shifting funding away from NGOs working in already democratic nations to this effort.^[21] is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... NGO is an abbreviation or code for: Non-governmental organization Nagoya Airport (IATA code) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Regarding regime change, the organization states "Freedom House works directly with men and women around the world to expand the political rights and civil liberties they experience in their countries. More specifically, Freedom House focuses on initiatives that contribute to long-term stability and growth in countries, such as strengthening civil society, promoting open government, defending human rights, and facilitating the free flow of information and ideas. While these activities - and the liberties they represent - may be threatening to some repressive governments, Freedom House does not initiate or sponsor regime change or popular revolutions. We help men and women of good will to improve their own societies."^[10] This article is about the act of overthrowing a government. ...

Criticism

As noted in the section on organization above, Freedom House receives most of its funding from the US government, and prominent US government officials reside on its board, most notably neo-conservatives. These ties to state power and rightist institutions have been criticized.^[22] The organisation states that its board of trustees contains Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are a mix of business and labor leaders, former senior government officials, scholars and journalists.^[10] Neoconservatism describes several distinct political ideologies which are considered new forms of conservatism. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Board of directors. ...

MIT Professor Noam Chomsky, a libertarian socialist who sympathizes with anarcho-syndicalism, claimed in 1988 that Freedom House "had interlocks with AIM, the World Anticommunist League, Resistance International, and U.S. government bodies such as Radio Free Europe and the CIA, and has long served as a virtual propaganda arm of the (U.S) government and international right wing."^[6] He justifies this claim by presenting a series of national elections that he claims were staged and that the Freedom House observers praised. He also criticizes Freedom House's claimed expenditure of "substantial resources in criticizing the media for insufficient sympathy with U.S. foreign-policy ventures and excessively harsh criticism of U.S. client states." Chomsky further argues that "Its most notable publication of this genre was Peter Braestrup's Big Story, which contended that the media's negative portrayal of the Tet offensive helped lose the war. The work is a travesty of scholarship, but more interesting is its premise: that the mass media not only should support any national venture abroad, but should do so with enthusiasm, such enterprises being by definition noble." MapÃºa Institute of Technology (MIT, MapÃºaTech or simply MapÃºa) is a private, non-sectarian, Filipino tertiary institute located in Intramuros, Manila. ... Avram Noam Chomsky (Hebrew: ××‘×¨× × ×•×¢× ×—×•×ž×¡×§×™) (born December 7, 1928) is an American linguist, philosopher, political activist, author, and lecturer. ... Libertarian socialism is a political philosophy dedicated to opposing coercive forms of authority and social hierarchy, in particular the institutions of capitalism and the state. ... Anarcho-syndicalist flag. ... The World League for Freedom and Democracy (formerly the World Anti-Communist League) is an international right-wing political organization founded in 1966 in Taipei, Taiwan, under the initiative of Chiang Kai-Shek. ... Cover of Radio Liberty booklet The Most Important Job in the World Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a radio and communications organization which is funded by the United States Congress. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...

Freedom House reports have criticized both the United States and its major allies to a certain extent, for example in its 2006 report on the U.S. and Israel. It criticized the US for its policies on interrogation and detention during the War against Terror and urged they should be brought into compliance with international law.^[23]^[24] Israel earns good scores in political and civil rights ^[25], despite international perception that the Israeli state violates the rights of Arab populations.^[26] The occupied Palestinian territories do not receive good scores.^[27] Freedom House has also been critical of some traditional US allies, such as Saudi Arabia and Chile under Pinochet, classifying them as "Not Free". It was also strongly critical of apartheid South Africa and military dictatorships in Latin America.^[28] War on terrorism ... General Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte1 (born November 25, 1915) was head of the military government that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...

2001 NGO Committee Meeting at the United Nations

In May 2001, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations heard arguments for and against Freedom House. Representatives of Cuba alleged that the organization is a U.S. foreign policy instrument linked to the CIA and "submitted proof of the politically motivated, interventionist activities the NGO (Freedom House) carried out against their Government". They also claimed a lack of criticism of U.S. human rights violations in the annual reports. Cuba also claimed that these violations are well documented by other reports, such as those of Human Rights Watch. Other countries such as China and Sudan also gave criticism. The Russian Federation representative inquired "why this organization, an NGO which defended human rights, was against the creation of the International Criminal Court".^[29] NGO redirects here. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ...

At the meeting, Germany pointed out that Freedom House had also criticized his Government’s decision to ban Nazi propaganda on the Internet, which the organization said violated the freedoms of speech and press. That criticism, in his view, was not justified since such legislation was important in light of recent history. At the same time, that did not lead his Government to doubt the good work being done by the organization.^[29]

The United States representative claimed that alleged links between Freedom House and the CIA were "simply not true". The representative agreed that the NGO receives funds from the United States Government, but said this is disclosed in its reports. The representative said the funds were from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was not a branch of the CIA. The represenative said his country had a law prohibiting the government from engaging in the activities of organizations seeking to change public policy, such as Freedom House. His country was not immune from criticism from Freedom House, which was well documented, he said. The US representative further argued that Freedom House was a human rights organization which sought to represent those who did not have a voice. He would continue to support NGOs who criticized his Government and those of others.^[29] The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the US government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. ...

The Family Jewels documents detail illegal or inappropriate conducted by the CIA from the 1950s to the mid-1970s.^[30] The documents state that USAID, the U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid, provided money for joint training programs for foreign police/security personnel during the 1970s.^[31]^[32] The documents thus mention one of Freedom House's sponsors, but not the organisation itself. The Family Jewels is the informal name used to refer to a set of reports that detail activities conducted by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. ... The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the US government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Development aid. ...

Praise

Former US President Bill Clinton, giving a speech at a Freedom House breakfast: William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Writing in the conservative National Review Online, John R. Miller, a research professor at the George Washington University’s Elliott School, states that National Review (NR) is a biweekly magazine of political opinion, founded by author William F. Buckley, Jr. ...

Miller nevertheless criticized the organization in 2007 as not paying enough attention to slavery in its reports. He wrote democracies such as Germany and India, but mostly repressive regimes, needed to be held to account for their lack of enforcement of laws against human trafficking and the bondage of some foreign workers.^[7]

The Government Information Office of Taiwan, which disseminates information internationally about the goals and accomplishments of Taiwan, has described Freedom House as "the most authoritative human rights organization in the United States.^[34]

Notes

^ Freedom House: Frequently Asked Questions
^ Voice of America:Cuba After Fidel - What Next?
^ ^a ^b ^c The Limited Robustness of Empirical Findings on Democracy using Highly Correlated Datasets
^ ^a ^b ^c 2005 Freedom House Annual Report, page 26, indicating 75% US federal funding
^ ^a ^b Freedom House: 2004 Annual Report
^ ^a ^b Manufacturing Consent. Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman, "Manufacturing Consent" Pantheon Books (1988).
^ ^a ^b ^c Miller, John R., "Does 'Freedom' Mean Freedom From Slavery? A glaring omission., article in National Review Online, February 5, 2007, accessed same day
^ ^a ^b Freedom House: About Us
^ ^a ^b ^c Freedom House: A History
^ ^a ^b ^c Frequently Asked Questions
^ Illumnia Login The political science journal database Illumina lists between 10 and 20 peer reviewed journal articles referencing the "freedom in the world" report each year
^ ^a ^b Methodology
^ Freedom House Methodology
^ Freedom House Methodology
^ Freedom House Methodology
^ ^a ^b FH: Freedom in the World
^ * Bollen, K.A. (1992) Political Rights and Political Liberties in Nations: An Evaluation of Human Rights Measures, 1950 to 1984. In: Jabine, T.B. and Pierre Claude, R. "Human Rights and Statistics". University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812231082. Page 189
^ * Bollen, K.A. (1992) Political Rights and Political Liberties in Nations: An Evaluation of Human Rights Measures, 1950 to 1984. In: Jabine, T.B. and Pierre Claude, R. "Human Rights and Statistics". University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812231082
^ ^a ^b Bush enters debate on freedom in Iran. Retrieved on 2006-04-06.
^ FH Board of Trustees: Mark Palmer
^ Promotion of Democracy by Nongovernmental Organizations: An Action Agenda - Testimony by Ambassador Mark Palmer before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 8, 2006.
^ FH Files.Diana Barahona, "The Freedom House Files" Monthly Review, March, 2007
^ FH: 2006 Freedom in the World Report
^ Freedom House Urges President Bush to Bring U.S. Policies on Interrogation and Detention into Compliance with U.S. and International Law
^ FH: 2007 Map of Freedom in the World
^ Jimmy Carter: Israel's 'apartheid' policies worse than South Africa's
^ [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2007&country=7318 FH: 2007 Map of Freedom in the World: Palestinian Authority-Administered Territories Israel
^ Comparative scores for all countries from 1973 to 2006
^ ^a ^b ^c UN: NGO Committee hears arguments for, against Freedom House
^ DeYoung, Karen; Walter Pincus. "CIA to Air Decades of Its Dirty Laundry", Washington Post, 2007-06-22. Retrieved on 2007-06-22.
^ Family jewels, page 218
^ Family jewels, pages 600-603
^ Remarks at a Freedom House breakfast - President Bill Clinton speech
^ Taiwan's democratic achievements win accolades from Freedom House's 2007 report

National Review (NR) is a biweekly magazine of political opinion, founded by author William F. Buckley, Jr. ... is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Illumina is the second album by Alishas Attic to be released world-wide in 1998. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Karen DeYoung won the Pulitzer Prize, and is the associate editor for The Washington Post. ... ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Family Jewels cover. ...

Contents

Mission Statement

History

Organization

Reports

Praise

Criticisms

Other activities

Criticism

2001 NGO Committee Meeting at the United Nations

Praise

Notes

See also

External links

Official Links

Freedom House Reports

Related Links

Contents

Mission Statement var ACE_AR = {Site: '756743', Size: '300250'};

History

Organization

Reports

Praise

Criticisms

Other activities

Criticism

2001 NGO Committee Meeting at the United Nations

Praise

Notes

See also

External links

Official Links

Freedom House Reports

Related Links

Mission Statement