US Department of State Country Reports
US Department of State reports on the human rights situation in all countries and disputed territories in the world. Studies most civil and political rights, labour rights, children's rights and women's rights. Because of the publisher of the reports, the US Department of State, there has always been doubts about the objectivity of the reports. Human Rights Watch yearly publishes a document in which it reacts to the US Department of State Reports (see for the latest reaction: US State Department Human Rights Report 2004: Testimony to US House of Representatives). Human Rights First (formerly the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights) also comments on the human rights reports (see for the latest available reaction: Human Rights First Comments on 2004 State Department Country Reports March 2005). The reports of the US Department of State are judged by both organisations to be increasingly objective and complete. The critique is usualy focussed on the fact the US Government does not seem to integrate the results of the reports in its foreign policy and own behaviour. Also since the 'war on terror' the objectivity of the reports has come under perssure. See also: Steven C. Poe, Sabine C. Carey, "How are these pictures different? A quantitative comparison of the US State Department and Amnesty International Human Rights Reports 1976-1995", Human Rights Quarterly 23 (2001), p.650-677. Fred Grünfeld, Alette Smeulers, "NGO's als informatieverschaffers in vergelijking met statelijke actoren", in C. Flinterman, W. van Genugten (eds.), Niet-statelijke actoren en de rechten van de mens; gevestigde waarden, nieuwe wegen, Boom Juridische Uitgevers Den Haag 2003.