Rights Group Eyes Greater Global Reach With Soros Gift

Human Rights Watch seeks to use the $100-million pledged last week by the billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros to expand its global influence and ensure its long-term financial health, according to The Washington Post.

The New York nonprofit group, which investigates and reports on human-rights abuses in more than 90 countries, hopes to expand its international work force by 40 percent and build regional headquarters in nations that are emerging political and economic powers—some of which have criticized Western rights groups as tools of American policy.

“We need to be able to shape the foreign policies of these emerging powers, much as we have traditionally done with Western powers,” Kenneth Roth, executive director of the group, said. “Our aim is to enlist places like Brazil, South Africa, India, and Japan, all governments that are democracies.”

Mr. Soros discusses the Human Rights Watch contribution and his plans for a string of similar-sized gifts in an interview with The Baltimore Sun.

Read a Chronicle of Philanthropy article about the Soros donation, including an interview with Mr. Soros.

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