U.S. Department of State Fiscal Year 2020 Agency Financial Report

Office of International Religious Freedom: Commitment to Unalienable Rights in Action S ecretary Pompeo in a speech on September 30, 2020 said, “(O)ur founders regarded religious freedom as an absolutely essential right of mankind and central to our founding.” He earlier this year in connection with the work of the Commission on Unalienable Rights had remarked “… it’s important for every American, for every American diplomat, to recognize how our founders understood unalienable rights.” Some elements of the State Department are engaged directly in making our most lofty ideals a reality for the American people and individuals throughout the world. Established by law in 1998 and located within the Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF) promotes the freedom of religion, conscience, and belief around the world. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elon Carr travel widely and are strong, public advocates for religious freedom. A key responsibility of the Office is annual publication of the International Religious Freedom report, which describes the status of religious freedom around the world and informs the U.S. Government’s designations of countries and entities of particular concern and special watch list countries each year. IRF’s work is coordinated with that of regional bureaus and the Department’s broader efforts, which include more than $20 million in annual foreign assistance funds to advance global respect for religious freedom. This past year, the Office has worked to serve the Department by developing the online distance learning course Promoting International Religious Freedom to explain why and how the United States promotes religious freedom worldwide, illustrate how religious freedom may be violated, and prepare U.S. personnel to engage with foreign interlocutors and religious actors on issues related to religious freedom. U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel D. Brownback delivers remarks to the media in Washington, D.C., June 10, 2020. Department of State 2020 A gency F inanci al R eport U ni ted S tates D epartment of S tate | 113