The Election of Gay McDougall to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

I would like to congratulate law professor Gay McDougall on her election as an independent expert to serve on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).  Advancing racial equity and justice is a top priority for the United States, and in our pursuit of those ideals at home and around the world, the United States was proud to nominate her to serve a third term on the Committee.

The Committee is an important UN platform for addressing global systemic racism.  It is charged with the critical work of monitoring 182 States parties’ compliance with their treaty obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).  The United States takes our ICERD treaty obligations seriously and submitted our outstanding reports to the CERD Committee on June 2.

Professor McDougall is a globally acclaimed expert in international human rights law, a Fordham University law professor, and will serve as a principled and independent voice on the Committee.  She has successfully served on this Committee in the past, and I am confident she will continue to bring the important perspective of American jurisprudence towards the goal of eliminating global and systemic racism.