Jessica Benton Cooney – Medium

Jessica Benton Cooney

Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Supporting Local Media Voices

Five ways USAID is helping journalists amplify critical issues

5 min readMay 2, 2024

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A man and woman each holding microphones interview a man holding a colorful brochure.

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Democracy for Future Generations

Three ways USAID brought democratic renewal to the forefront of the third Summit for Democracy

5 min readApr 3, 2024

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Three people each sit behind a microphone at a long table during a public discussion. A projection on the wall behind them displays the topic of their discussion: “2024 A High-Stakes Year for Democracy.”

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

7 Stories of Human Rights Advocates

USAID staff on the frontlines of leading the fight to uphold rights across the world

6 min readDec 11, 2023

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A photograph of a woman posing next to a USAID flag juxtaposed with a graphic that quotes her saying: “In Serbia, USAID focuses on supporting an enabling environment for civil society — in order to foster Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the ‘Right to the freedom of peaceful assembly and association.’”

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

10 Ways USAID is Building and Defending Democracy and Human Rights

Read about programs in Ukraine, Guyana, Nigeria, Honduras, Bangladesh, Libya, Mali, and Colombia

6 min readDec 7, 2023

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A group of people wearing coats and scarves and sitting on benches while holding a meeting in an underground bunker in Ukraine.

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Meeting the Moment

Four ways USAID is advancing a world where freedom is flourishing and democracy is delivering

5 min readSep 15, 2023

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A confident young woman stands outside at dusk.

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Helping Others Return Home

How a human trafficking survivor is working alongside other survivors to diminish vulnerability to unsafe migration in Bangladesh

5 min readJul 28, 2023

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A man standing in a lush field of tall grass bordered by trees and a roadway looks skyward towards the sun blocked by haze.

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

A Historic Moment

One leader’s key takeaways on the significance of the second Summit for Democracy in Zambia

6 min readApr 28, 2023

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A line of people stand at attention behind a row of desks in an auditorium as the Zambian national anthem is played.

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Four Zambian Civil Society Leaders on Their Aspirations for the Summit for Democracy

“We need to maintain our democracy for ourselves and for the hope of others in the region”

6 min readMar 28, 2023

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A woman on the right paired with this quote on the left: “It’s a huge privilege for the continent that we were chosen as a co-host for the Summit for Democracy — I think it provides us a platform to discuss and debate why democracy matters.”

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Rising to the Moment

Six ways the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal is bolstering democracy, countering corruption, and defending human rights…

6 min readMar 14, 2023

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Rising to the Moment

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Jessica Benton Cooney
in
U.S. Agency for International Development

Strengthening and Safeguarding Democracy

Four ways Summit for Democracy participants are demonstrating progress on their country commitments

6 min readFeb 3, 2023

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Strengthening and Safeguarding Democracy

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Jessica Benton Cooney

Jessica Benton Cooney

Jessica Benton Cooney is the Senior Communications and Outreach Specialist for USAID’s Center for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance.

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