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Human Rights at Center of U.S. Foreign Policy


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivering a speech via video message during the 46th Regular Session of Human Rights Council on February 24, 2021 in Geneva.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivering a speech via video message during the 46th Regular Session of Human Rights Council on February 24, 2021 in Geneva.

The Administration of President Joe Biden believes that human rights should be protected, their defenders celebrated, and those who commit human rights abuses must be held accountable.

Human Rights at Center of U.S. Foreign Policy
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The Administration of President Joe Biden believes that human rights should be protected, their defenders celebrated, and those who commit human rights abuses must be held accountable, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken before the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims: all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated:”

“The United States is placing democracy and human rights at the center of our foreign policy, because they are essential for peace and stability. This commitment is firm and grounded in our own experience as a democracy – imperfect and often falling short of our own ideals, but striving always for a more inclusive, respectful, and free country.”

It is also a major reason one of the reasons the United States intends to seek election to a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022-2024 term.

“ We will focus on ensuring that the Council membership reflects high standards for upholding human rights. Those with the worst human rights records should not be members of this Council. We must work together to improve the work and membership of the Council so it can do even more to advance the rights of people around the world.”

Too many member states praise human rights protections even as they work to subvert the values upon which the United Nations is founded. “Each of us as individuals are endowed with human rights and … states are obliged to protect those fundamental rights,” said Secretary of State Blinken.

“ Those who hide under the mantle of promoting economic development while seeking to undermine human rights will be held to account, including for their own human rights violations. We will continue to call out abuses in places like Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Iran. We reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Alexei Navalny, as well as hundreds of other Russian citizens wrongfully detained for exercising their rights. We will speak out for universal values when atrocities are committed in Xinjiang or when fundamental freedoms are undermined in Hong Kong.”

“The United States is fully committed to the universal protection and promotion of human rights,” said Secretary of State Blinken.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with friends and partners in this body and in the NGO community from all regions, to ensure that the Council lives up to its mandate and effectively contributes to human rights around the world.”

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