Last year, the United States finally joined the Human Rights Council. Already, its presence has helped voice the suffering of thousands in North Korea.
In March, the Council resoundingly condemned human rights abuses in North Korea. U.S. pressure led more countries to join the majority that blasted North Korea's abuses such as torture of political prisoners and public executions.
The United States must build on this success. In the past the Council has been padded with human rights abusers who hampered its effectiveness. Now, countries with a clear commitment to human rights must influence the Council to live up to its mission.
Tell U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice to use U.S. influence in the Human Rights Council to promote and protect human rights around the world.
Dear Ambassador Rice,
Protecting and promoting human rights around the world is central to the United Nations' mission. It was thus important and commendable that the United States joined the UN's Human Rights Council last year.
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The United States rejoined the Council with a specific mandate to improve its work by refocusing attention on the worst abusers of human rights and recently, the Council adopted a resolution, by a vote of 28-5, condemning human rights abuses in North Korea. Notably, and compared to previous years, Brazil and Djibouti switched from abstaining to voting with the majority, due in part to U.S. pressure. In addition, the resolution extended the mandate of the independent expert on human rights in North Korea, the findings of which helped form the basis of the resolution.
Of course, a significant amount of work still needs to be undertaken to reform the Human Rights Council, but by working from within, the U.S. can encourage more positive results.
Through continued leadership on the Council, the United States can utilize its leverage by building coalitions across regional groups and by ensuring that other serious human rights issues -- such as the rights of women and political and religious freedom -- are addressed by the international community. This leadership will be especially critical in the run-up to the 2011 Human Rights Council Review, which presents a key opportunity to strengthen the Council by reevaluating its structure, policies and procedures.
U.S. membership has already had positive results. It's essential that the United States continue to use its leverage to protect people's human rights around the world. Please, continue to support the United States' work on the Human Rights Council.
