Supporting Democratic Reform

Mission Statement Founded in 1941 by Eleanor Roosevelt and others, Freedom House is the oldest non-profit, non- governmental organization in the United States dedicated to promoting and defending democracy and freedom worldwide. Freedom House supports the global expansion of freedom through its advocacy activities, monitoring and in depth research on the state of freedom, and direct support of democratic reformers throughout the world. Advocating Democracy and Human Rights: For over six decades, Freedom House has played an important role in identifying the key challenges to the global expansion of democracy, human rights and freedom. Freedom House is committed to advocating a vigorous U.S. engagement in international affairs that promotes human rights and freedom around the world. Monitoring Freedom: Despite significant recent gains for freedom, hundreds of millions of people around the world continue to endure dictatorship, repression, and the denial of basic rights. To shed light on the obstacles to liberty, Freedom House issues studies, surveys, and reports on the condition of global freedom. Our research is meant to illuminate the nature of democracy, identify its adversaries, and point the way for policies that strengthen and expand democratic freedoms. Freedom House projects are designed to support the framework of rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Supporting Democratic Change: The attainment of freedom ultimately depends on the actions of courageous men and women who are committed to the transformation of their societies. But history has repeatedly demonstrated that outside support can play a critical role in the struggle for democratic rights. Freedom House is actively engaged in these struggles, both in countries where dictatorship holds sway and in those societies that are in transition from autocracy to democracy. Freedom House functions as a catalyst for freedom by working to strengthen civil society, promote open government, defend human rights, enhance justice, and facilitate the free flow of information and ideas. Contents Message from the Chairman ................... 2 Message from the Executive Director .......................... 4 Supporting Democratic Reform .............. 6 Supporting Civil Society ............................... 6 Dispatches From the Field: Afghanistan and Central Asia................. 9 Defending Human Rights & Safeguarding Justice................................ 9 Promoting Free & Professional Media ..... 12 Promoting Open & Transparent Governance ...................... 14 Tapping U.S. Expertise ............................... 15 Map of Freedom 2003 ............................ 16 Monitoring Freedom ............................. 18 Freedom in the World ............................... 18 Freedom of the Press ................................ 19 Nations in Transit ....................................... 20 Countries at the Crossroads ...................... 21 Survey of Women’s Freedom .................... 21 Advocating Democracy & Human Rights ..................................... 22 Freedom House and the United Nations ......................... 22 Democracy Gains at the United Nations ............................ 23 Millennium Challenge Account ................. 23 Center for Religious Freedom................... 24 Fiscal Year 2003 Contributors ................ 26 Financial Reports ................................... 27 Freedom House and Affiliate Combining Balance Sheets .................... 27 Combining Statements of Activities and Changes in Net Assets .................... 27 Board of Trustees ................................... 29 Office & Staff Directory ......................... 30 1 Message from the Chairman R. James Woolsey Can the fundamental simultaneously documenting and seeking values of freedom—in to counter widespread human rights particular basic violations by tyrants of all stripes. political rights and At home and abroad, over the years we civil liberties—be have worked to promote the spread of protected and promoted in a world that democratic values and ideas and to bring is beset by conflict, turmoil, and about democratic transitions within uncertainty? Throughout its 63-year countries by cooperating with history, Freedom House has been courageous leaders like Russian physicist dedicated to the principle that the Andrei Sakharov and the Czech answer to that question is: Yes. Republic’s Vaclav Havel, as well as the We have upheld the banner of human many unrecognized but equally rights, democracy, and civil liberties as a courageous democracy activists and single standard at times of war and human rights advocates in countries peace. We have advanced the view that around the world. Today, through our democracy, freedom, and the rule of law offices in Washington and New York, and are the best path to establish a stable, with over a dozen field offices and secure and just world. programs in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, East-Central Europe, and Grave threats to freedom sometimes Central Asia, Freedom House is on the necessitate the use of force, but the core ground providing support to the people of Freedom House’s approach since 1941 who struggle daily for freedom and has been to challenge those who human dignity. threaten freedom with the values and ideas of liberty and to provide direct Freedom House tracks the ebb and flow support to those who are pushing for of liberty through our landmark global reform within their countries. While comparative survey. But we also work to supporting the Allied military effort help promote nonviolent democratic during World War II, Freedom House change around the world and to give believed that Nazism and fascism needed democratic activists the tools and support also to be defeated with the values of they need to push for democratic openness, free speech, and democracy. progress in their own societies. After the defeat of Hitler, Freedom House We are staunch advocates of a U.S. was an outspoken advocate of de- foreign policy that puts a priority on colonization and the democratic promoting democratic change and reconstruction of post-World War II human rights and strengthens new and Europe and Asia. During the Cold War, emerging democracies. We work to Freedom House was active in the U.S., advocate that more foreign aid be opposing the tactics of Senator Joseph targeted to expand freedom. We have McCarthy even as we recognized the championed the Community of global threat to security and freedom Democracies, an organization linking posed by Communism. We pressed for states governed by democratically civil rights and the elimination of racial elected leaders. We are committed to discrimination at home, while 2 Freedom House Annual Report 2003 Message from the Chairman continuing our advocacy work to create a Freedom House is committed to meeting caucus of the democracies at the United these challenges and making the most of Nations. the opportunities that now exist for the global expansion of freedom. This record of ideas, advocacy, and partnership with democratic reformers As you read this annual report, I hope has helped make Freedom House a you will see practical, common sense distinct and sensible voice for democracy approaches focused on the expansion of and human rights for over a half-century. freedom. I hope you will see in Freedom I believe that Freedom House’s history House a place where ideals and realism has prepared us well intersect. I hope for the new era in you will recognize which the security of We have upheld the in us an the world is organization that threatened by global brings together a terrorism and the banner of human broad spectrum of extremist ideologies opinion on behalf and repressive states rights, democracy, of the goal of that fuel terrorism. democracy and human rights for In the last thirty and civil liberties as everyone. Above years, amid war, all, I hope you will terror, and strife, we join us and support have seen the a single standard at us in our work. number of free countries nearly times of war and double. Today, free and democratic societies account for peace. nearly half of the world’s states. Democratic ideas and democratic values are gaining adherents among all peoples and all civilizations. However, there are still critical challenges that need to be addressed. The largest freedom gap exists in countries with a majority Muslim population, especially in the Arab world. Fifty percent of all people living in Not Free societies live in China. Even in countries that have made progress, much remains to be done to truly guarantee freedom for all. 3 Message from the Executive Director Jennifer L. Windsor Since 1941, Freedom potential recipient countries who have House’s work has been requested concrete recommendations for inspired by the exact areas of improvement. same conviction: that In addition to our global surveys, every society should Freedom House also produces specialized enjoy the liberties we take for granted. reports on and advocates for change in Our advocacy efforts are focused on particular countries of concern. For encouraging continued attention and example, Freedom House sent an priority to issues of freedom in U.S. assessment team to Hong Kong to study foreign policy. The research and the potential negative impacts of a publications produced by Freedom House proposed national security law on civil provide a unique comparative lens to liberties and produced an in-depth track the advance or retreat of freedom report. Since

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