▁rights ▁ ▁Carter ▁believed ▁that ▁previous ▁administr ations ▁had ▁er red ▁in ▁allowing ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁concerns ▁and ▁Real polit ik ▁to ▁domin ate ▁foreign ▁policy . ▁His ▁administration ▁placed ▁a ▁new ▁emphas is ▁on ▁human ▁rights , ▁dem ocr atic ▁values , ▁nuclear ▁pro l ifer ation , ▁and ▁global ▁pover ty . ▁The ▁Carter ▁administration ' s ▁human ▁rights ▁emphas is ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁bro ader , ▁world wide ▁focus ▁on ▁human ▁rights ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁as ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organizations ▁such ▁as ▁Am n esty ▁International ▁and ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Watch ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁prominent . ▁Carter ▁nominated ▁civil ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁Pat ric ia ▁M . ▁Der ian ▁as ▁Co ordin ator ▁for ▁Human ▁Rights ▁and ▁Human itar ian ▁Affairs , ▁and ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁had ▁the ▁post ▁elev ated ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State . ▁Der ian ▁established ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁Country ▁Re ports ▁on ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Pract ices , ▁published ▁ann ually ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Latin ▁America ▁was ▁central ▁to ▁Carter ' s ▁new ▁focus ▁on ▁human ▁rights . ▁The ▁Carter ▁administration ▁ended ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁histor ically ▁U . S .- back ed ▁Som o za ▁regime ▁in ▁Nic ar agua ▁and ▁directed ▁aid ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Sand in ista ▁National ▁Liber ation ▁Front ▁government ▁that ▁assumed ▁power ▁after ▁Som o za ' s ▁over throw . ▁Carter ▁also ▁cut ▁back ▁or ▁terminated ▁military