{"id":41076,"date":"2021-10-12T15:45:23","date_gmt":"2021-10-12T22:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=41076"},"modified":"2021-10-12T15:45:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T22:45:23","slug":"key-outcomes-at-the-48th-session-of-the-un-human-rights-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=41076","title":{"rendered":"Key Outcomes at the 48th Session of the UN Human Rights Council"},"content":{"rendered":"
10\/12\/2021 05:17 PM EDT<\/div>\n

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Office of the Spokesperson<\/p>\n

At the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), September 13 \u2013 October 11, the United States advanced country-specific and thematic actions to promote greater respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls, LGBTQI+ persons, indigenous persons, members of ethnic and religious minority groups, older persons, and other marginalized and vulnerable groups.\u00a0 The United States continued to support the Council\u2019s role of shining a spotlight on countries of concern and promoting accountability for governments that abuse human rights. \u00a0We also condemned reprisals against human rights defenders. \u00a0Placing human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy, we pushed forward on key issues as an observer state, while actively pursuing election to the Council for the 2022-2024 term.<\/p>\n

Afghanistan<\/strong><\/b>: \u00a0The United States co-sponsored a resolution on the \u201cSituation of human rights in Afghanistan\u201d sponsored by Slovenia on behalf of the EU.\u00a0 The resolution establishes a Special Rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan as it develops and expresses deep concern about the continued reports of human rights abuses in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

Burundi<\/strong><\/b>: \u00a0The United States supported EU efforts to transition from a Commission of Inquiry to a Special Rapporteur in recognition of some improvements in the human rights situation in Burundi.\u00a0 The resolution ensures continued robust reporting on human rights violations and abuses in Burundi.<\/p>\n

Syria<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0 As part of the core group on Syria, the United States co-sponsored a resolution which addressed ongoing human rights violations and abuses in Syria, which included updated language on Dara\u2019a and reiterated the urgent call for the release of arbitrarily held detainees. \u00a0The United States welcomed\u00a0the United Nations resuming its official accounting of the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians in the conflict.\u00a0 The United States supported a side event with Syrian opposition and civil society groups on the urgent and dire situation for detainees.<\/p>\n

Human Rights of Indigenous People<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0The United States co-sponsored a resolution presented by Guatemala and Mexico focused on the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis on indigenous peoples.\u00a0 The resolution notes the importance of protecting indigenous women, girls, and human rights defenders against human rights abuses.\u00a0 It also requests a 2022 workshop on enhancing the participation of indigenous peoples in the work of the HRC.<\/p>\n

Human Rights of Older Persons<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0The United States co-sponsored the older persons resolution, which highlights discrimination against older persons and the challenges they face with regard to accessibility, education, employment, food security, health care, participation in broader society, and violence, abuse, and neglect.<\/p>\n

Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Climate Change<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>The United States is committed to global action to tackle the climate crisis. We look forward to engaging constructively with the newly created special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.<\/p>\n

Yemen<\/strong><\/b>: \u00a0We support the UN-led efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.\u00a0 The Group of Eminent Experts\u2019 documentation helps ensure that a peace process includes diverse Yemeni voices and perspectives.\u00a0 We are disappointed that the HRC failed to renew the\u00a0GEE for Yemen\u00a0mandate, which provided accurate and critical reporting on human rights abuses in Yemen.\u00a0 The United States will continue to support accountability for Yemen, and the UN-led process to end the conflict in Yemen, and for inclusive peace efforts that include diverse Yemeni perspectives.\u00a0 Accountability for human rights abuses is critical to lasting peace, and we will seek a new UN mandate on accountability for Yemen.<\/p>\n

The United States also co-sponsored resolutions on the human rights situation in\u00a0Somalia<\/strong><\/b>, along with resolutions on\u00a0Equal Participation in Political and Public Affairs;<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0Consequences of Child, Early, and Forced Marriage; Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building in the Field of Human Rights;<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Cooperation with the UN in the Field of Human Rights.<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

The United States strongly opposed several resolutions which sought to introduce vague language with no agreed meaning that implies human rights are held by groups rather than individuals, undermining respect for human rights and long-standing frameworks in the United Nations system.\u00a0 These resolutions undermine the HRC\u2019s focus on the universality of human rights and fundamental freedoms by subordinating individually held human rights to development and economic progress.<\/p>\n

Joint Statements<\/strong><\/b>: \u00a0The United States signed onto 12 thematic or country-specific joint statements.\u00a0 The United States also led a joint statement co-signed by 48 countries expressing concern over human rights abuses in\u00a0Ethiopia\u2019s Tigray region<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0and joined over 40 countries in co-signing a UK-led joint statement on the expulsion of seven UN representatives from Addis Ababa.\u00a0 We also joined\u00a047 countries<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0on another EU-led joint statement on\u00a0Afghanistan. \u00a0Additionally,<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0we signed\u00a0onto country-specific joint statements on\u00a0Nicaragua,\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>and two statements\u00a0condemning Russia\u2019s purported annexation and temporary occupation of Ukraine\u2019s sovereign territory in Crimea<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>We also joined statements on\u00a0Anti-Semitism; the Diversity of Families;<\/strong><\/b>\u00a0two statements each on\u00a0Special Procedures\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>and\u00a0the Responsibility to Protect; Rights of Intersex Individuals; and Women, Peace, and Diplomacy.\u00a0 To mark Sudan\u2019s transition off the agenda of the HRC, we signed a UK-led statement commending progress achieved on human rights in the past two years and encouraging other States to take a similar approach.<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

Side Events<\/strong><\/b>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>We also participated in the side events on\u00a0Syria addressing those detained and disappeared\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>on September 29 and on the\u00a0Role of Media in the Human Rights Council\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>on September 30.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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