Purpose and Acknowledgements

Unlike the 196 Country Reports, Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2003-2004 highlights U.S. efforts to promote human rights and democracy in only 101 countries and entities – those with the most human rights abuses. References to Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet have been incorporated into the China report, and Western Sahara is mentioned in the Morocco report. Also unlike the Country Reports for 2003, this report includes Iraq. To make this report consistent with the criteria in the legislation, this report also includes a number of additions: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Iraq, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Thailand, and Turkey, as well as a number of deletions: Bahrain, Ghana, Oman and Qatar.

Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2003-2004 reflects the dedicated effort of hundreds of State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and other U.S. government employees, as well as the employees of numerous non-governmental organizations. Our embassies and consulates prepared the initial drafts of the reports. After the missions completed their drafts, the texts were sent to Washington for careful review by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, in cooperation with other State Department offices and other Departments and agencies. As they worked to analyze and edit the reports, the Department officers drew on their own knowledge of U.S. government programs and activities.

Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2003-2004 will be used as a resource for shaping policy, conducting diplomacy and making assistance, training and other resource allocations. It will also serve as a basis for the U.S. government’s cooperation with private groups to promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights and democracy.

Within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, the editorial staff of the report consists of: Editor in Chief – Robert P. Jackson; Senior Advisors – Ambassador Michael G. Kozak and Elizabeth Dugan; Editors – Lena Auerbach, Jared Banks, Jarrett Basedow, Connie Braxton, Kent Brokenshire, Sally I. Buikema, Deborah J. Cahalen, Daniel Cain, Stuart Crampton, Kara Cumberland, Jeannette Davis, Patricia A. Davis, Adrienne Faraci, Carol G. Finerty, Sajit J. Gandhi, Jean M. Geran, Saba Ghori, Karen Gilbride, Sondra Govatski, Patrick Harvey, Sandra Hodgkinson, Donna Ifill, Ann Marie Jackson, Yvonne Jackson, Jeffrey M. Jamison, Christina Jun, Lisa Kaplan, Catherine Kuchta-Helbling, Joanna Levison, Leonel G. Miranda, Peter Mulrean, Michael Orona, Susan O’Sullivan, Sarah Fox Ozkan, LeRoy G. Potts, Lisa Rende-Taylor, Wendy B. Silverman, Rana Siu, Vonzella Taylor, and Danika Walters;  USAID Photo Librarian  - Patricia Adams; Graphic Designer – Regina Cross; and Web Editor - Joan Francischelli.