USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) leads USAID’s efforts to invigorate democracy, enhance human rights and justice, and bolster governance that advances the public interest and delivers inclusive development. We shape policy and development agendas, generate knowledge and evidence that drives innovation, catalyze partnerships and coalitions, and mobilize cutting-edge programs and technical assistance to enable USAID’s Missions and partners to accelerate democratic development globally.
VISION:
A world where freedom is flourishing and democracy delivers for all.
OFFICES:
The Office of Global Trends and Technology responds to emerging trends and threats to democracy, including digital repression, polarization, information manipulation, transnational authoritarianism, and develops new ways to advance the development and dissemination of democracy-enhancing technology. This office supplies intellectual leadership on democratic resilience and countering authoritarianism, and seeks to infuse new approaches and methods into the DRG Bureau’s and the global cadre.
The Office of Elections and Political Processes provides technical leadership and support on elections and political transitions to USAID Missions and Washington Bureaus, other USG entities, and the broader DRG community. This office supports USAID development programs that promote democratic and transparent elections, political processes through strengthened electoral administration, domestic and international election observation and monitoring, the prevention and mitigation of electoral violence, civic and voter education, political party strengthening, and political participation, and also supports electoral cybersecurity and information integrity program designs.
The Office of Justice, Rights, and Security focuses on the rule of law, human rights, and security sector reform. It supports the independent, efficient, and transparent administration of people-centered justice; improves access to justice; prevents and ensures accountability for human rights violations, including trafficking in persons and mass atrocities; and constrains the arbitrary exercise of power by governments and security forces.
The Governance Office supports resilient, transparent, and accountable executive and legislative institutions at all levels of government. It strengthens governments’ capacity to provide responsive services, mobilize and spend public resources, and promote locally-owned development and inclusive economic growth.
The Office of Civil Society, Labor, and Media provides technical leadership and support on strengthening the capacity, effectiveness, and sustainability of civil society, media, and labor to USAID Missions and Washington Bureaus, other USG entities, and the broader DRG community. The office supports USAID development programs that promote respect for the freedoms of association, assembly, and expression, including those that advance internet freedom, positive youth development, and digital democracy, and that prevent and mitigate mis-dis- and mal-information.
The Anti-Corruption Center leads USAID’s efforts to transform the fight against corruption within countries and transnationally through a multipronged, multisectoral approach. To advance this mandate, the Center mobilizes broad-based coalitions and partnerships, elevates anti-corruption considerations in policy making, catalyzes innovation and experimentation, and serves missions and the broader community with cutting-edge and responsive technical support, programming, and thought leadership.
The Office of Policy, Learning, and Integration leads on and coordinates the Bureau’s engagement on U.S. Government-wide, Agency-wide, and sector-wide policies, strategies, and initiatives. Second, it advances the thoughtful integration of DRG and other sectors in order to promote democratic resilience in concert with other Agency goals. Third, it offers the global DRG cadre access to high-quality data, evidence, and learning – and supports the cadre in making use of these for activity design, implementation, and evaluation. Fourth, it houses regional experts who shape regional strategies, advocate for the alignment of DRG resources to needs and opportunities, and serve as key interlocutors with DRG staff in USAID Missions and Bureaus.
The Office of Management and Cadre Support serves as the hub for management support and engagement with USAID’s global DRG staff (the “cadre”), by promoting resilience, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, as well as professional development for DRG staff across all hiring mechanisms. In addition to broad support to the cadre, this office houses the Backstop 76 Coordinator for Foreign Service Democratic Governance and Peacebuilding Officers.
The Program Office (PO) manages the myriad program functions for the DRG Bureau to operate effectively. This includes: a) strategic planning, project design,and procurement management; b) all aspects of budgeting and financial management; c) statutory compliance, performance monitoring and reporting; and d) strategic communications and outreach, and legislative support. The PO defines Bureau-wide processes, sets standards, develops systems, and liaises with intra/interagency stakeholders (e.g. State/F, Office of Budget and Resource Management, Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Legislative and Public Affairs (Congress, etc.).
