227: Measuring Impact of the US Retreat from International Religious Freedom Assistance

The US has been an international leader in international religious freedom, with both foreign policy and significant foreign aid supporting pluralistic and broad protections for freedom of religion and belief (FoRB). Due to this pluralistic approach grounded in America's purported founding values, the US has strengthened and protected the rights of ethnic, religious, and ethnoreligious minority groups, including Indigenous peoples, who are generally neglected by the international community. As the US retreats from multilateralism and reduces foreign aid, it is unlikely that other donor countries will step forward to support truly pluralistic and universal FoRB protections. This presentation will focus on how the FoRB and evaluation communities can assess the likely impact of the US retreat, and how such an assessment can inform a targeted global advocacy response.