Human Rights

Related:

• Office of Cyber Issues
• Human Rights Practices 2010
• Religious Freedom 2010
• Office of International Religious Freedom Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
• Factsheet : What Is Religious Freedom?
• Trafficking in Human Beings 2011 (TIP)
• Women's Rights (an America.gov publication)

Human Rights News

Rice condemned the Security Council's failure to pass what she described as a "vastly watered-down text that doesn’t even mention sanctions."

06 February 2012 Clinton on Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Cutting  Every government has an obligation to protect its citizens from such abuse.  As we commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance and remember those who have been harmed, we reaffirm our commitment to overturning deeply entrenched social norms and abolishing this practice.  All women and girls, no matter where they are born or what culture they are raised in, deserve the opportunity to realize their potential.

02 February 2012 Amb. Kelly’s Response to Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights  Response to Commissioner for Human Rights of the  Council of Europe, Thomas Hammarberg.

31 January 2012 Why Global Economy Needs Investment in Women  This was an important theme at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, which hosted a plenary session entitled “Women as the Way Forward” on the potential impact of women on the global economy.

30 January 2012  Secretary Clinton on International Holocaust Remembrance Day  Denying the truth of the Holocaust is an insult to history. We urge governments, civil society leaders, clerics, human rights groups and all people of conscience in all nations to speak out against this kind of hatred. The United States will work with all of those who are committed to a world free of anti-Semitism and all other forms of ethnic or religious intolerance.

27 January 2012 Human Rights Remain a U.S. Priority in Central Asia  As the United States engages with the countries of Central Asia, encouraging greater regional economic integration, it is not facing a choice between advancing its security relationships and promoting issues like human rights, says the top U.S. diplomat to the region.

17 January 2012 Internet Was Tool for Expression and Repression in 2011  The United States and its international partners “made a great deal of progress” in 2011 in adopting measures that can “turn our commitment to Internet freedom into reality,” according to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael H. Posner.   Speaking at a Washington conference January 17, Posner said the use of the Internet as a tool for human rights and as the nemesis of dictatorial regimes were two narratives that unfolded in 2011.

17 January 2012 Ambassador Rice at U.N. on Sudan, Syria and Russia  

05 January 2011 Establishment of the Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights   Under Secretary Otero: "The QDDR recognized the need to elevate civilian power, namely to strengthen institutions that address today’s transnational threats, promote stability, and advance American national security."

2011

30 December 2011  Proclamation on Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month   Nearly a century and a half ago, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation -- a document that reaffirmed the noble goals of equality and freedom for all that lie at the heart of what it means to live in America. In the years since, we have tirelessly pursued the realization and protection of these essential principles. 

14 December 2011 Secretary Clinton Addresses the Istanbul Process for Combating Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief 

13 December 2011 Internet Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy  Webchat transcript with Daniel Baer, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Rights, and Labor.

08 December 2011 Remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at Conference on Internet Freedom

06 December 2011 Culture, Religion Cannot Excuse Anti-Gay Discrimination "It is because the human experience is universal that human rights are universal and cut across all religions and cultures," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says.

06 December 2011 Clinton’s Address in Geneva on International Human Rights Day

02 December 2011 Secretary Clinton on Human Rights Council’s Special Session on Syria The United States strongly supports the Commission’s efforts to expose the abuses by the Asad Regime and help bring the human rights violators to account.

25 November 2011 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women  "Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we are reminded of the horrific acts of violence against women that take place every day around the world and pledge to recommit ourselves to changing attitudes and ending all forms of violence against women and girls."

22 November 2011 Violence Against Women Has Broad Social Consequences, Experts Say  Long a subject locked in the home behind a curtain of silence, violence against women will be pushed into an international spotlight in the days and weeks ahead in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  The occasion is marked on November 25, but Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer said advocates of the cause will be recognizing this international problem with events scheduled through the end of the month and up to December 10, Human Rights Day.

17 November 2011 U.S. Response on Journalists’ Arrests at “Occupy” Demonstrations   Amb. Kelly: "As we have said on previous occasions, the Government of the United States neither believes nor pretends that it is beyond reproach on any issue—or that we cannot do a better job of implementing our OSCE commitments — including on media freedom. We certainly can, and we see self-assessment on our performance in the defense of fundamental freedoms as a sign of strength."

09 November 2011 Civilians in Armed Conflict  Remarks by Ambassador Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at a Security Council Meeting on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.

05 November 2011 Clinton Remarks to Forum on Stopping Violence Against Women  Remarks For The "Highlighting Solutions To Stop Violence" Against Women Policy Dialogue.

26 October 2011 U.S. Works for Reform of Nationality Laws That Hurt Women   The United States is working for reform of nationality laws that hurt women, says Maria Otero, the State Department’s under secretary for democracy and global affairs.  “In many cases, nationality laws permit only the father to transmit citizenship to his child,” Otero said. “And in still other cases, nationality laws strip women of their citizenship upon marriage to a foreign spouse, or prohibit women’s foreign spouses from naturalization.” The result is that hundreds of thousands of women are left without legal protection or a social safety net, she said.

25 October 2011 Activists Use Info Tech to Dodge Oppressors, Official Says  Democracy activists in some repressive countries are protecting themselves from harassment with technology training they received from the U.S. Department of State.   The U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, Michael Posner, offered a few insights into the programs.
 • Assistant Secretary Posner on Free Speech in the Digital Age

18 October 2011 Interim Report of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran  "We welcome the first interim report by the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, and take note of his assessment regarding the Iranian government’s “pattern of systemic violation” of its citizens’ rights. The UN Secretary General’s report on Iran’s human rights situation also described an “intensified” campaign of abuses."

06 October 2011 Amb. Johnson at OSCE Session on Human Trafficking  Ambassador Johnson of the United States Mission to the OSCE at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Warsaw.

05 October 2011 Syrian People “Slapped in the Face” by U.N., Rice Says  The Syrian people have been “slapped in the face” by the United Nations Security Council because of its failure to pass a resolution condemning the ongoing violence by the Syrian government against peaceful demonstrators, says U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice.  Rice spoke in New York Russia and China vetoed a measure that would have been the first legally binding condemnation of Bashar al-Assad’s regime since it began its violent repression of pro-democracy protesters in March.
 • Amb. Rice's Statement on U.N. Vote on Situation in Syria

04 October 2011 U.S. Announces Grants to Combat Exploitative Child Labor  U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis released three new reports on child labor and forced labor October 3 and announced $32.5 million in grants to combat child labor around the world.  “These reports provide an overview of international efforts to protect children from hazardous work and identify critical gaps in policy and enforcement that leave them vulnerable,” Solis said. “Through increased education and awareness, and critical assistance to families and governments, we can help make exploitative child labor a thing of the past.”

01 October 2011 Fact Sheet: Key U.S. Accomplishments at U.N. Human Rights Council  The eighteenth session of the Human Rights Council came to an end in Geneva on September 30, 2011.   Though much work remains, in particular ending the Council’s disproportionate focus on Israel, U.S. engagement thus far has resulted in significant improvements to the Human Rights Council as a multilateral forum for promoting and protecting human rights.

13 September 2011 Clinton Highlights Religious Freedom, Tolerance as U.S. Values  She said the U.S. will continue efforts to support religious freedom both at home and abroad, as religious tolerance is an essential element “not only of a sustainable democracy, but also of a peaceful society that respects the rights and dignity of each individual.”
 • July-December, 2010 International Religious Freedom Report
 • From the International Religious Freedom Report Jul-Dec 2010: United Kingdom
 • Secretary Clinton At the Release of the 13th Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

24 August 2011 U.S. Welcomes U.N. Human Rights Vote to Investigate Syria  U.S. officials welcomed the U.N. Human Rights Council’s August 23 adoption of a resolution that calls for an international inquiry into possible crimes against humanity by the Syrian government. The resolution condemns the regime led by Bashar al-Assad for repeated and systematic atrocities.

23 August 2011 Adoption of U.N. Human Rights Council’s Resolution on Syria  "The Commission of Inquiry established by the resolution will ensure that evidence of atrocities will be uncovered and those responsible will be identified and held accountable."

04 August 2011 Obama Boosts U.S. Efforts to Prevent Genocide President Obama has ordered the creation of an interagency U.S. government board to more effectively coordinate the U.S. response to unfolding human rights atrocities around the world, and has closed loopholes in the U.S. visa system to ban human rights violators from entering the United States.

14 July 2011 International Cyber Diplomacy: Promoting Openness, Security and Prosperity in a Networked World (factsheet)

01 July 2011 eJournal USA: Educating Women and Girls (via IIP Digital)  Equal access to education by males and females has been defined as a universal human right by the United Nations. Realizing this right by expanding educational opportunities for women and girls requires the commitment of many sectors of a society. This issue of eJournal USA explores how international organizations, state governments, the private sector and individuals — in many different countries — are tackling this global challenge and improving people’s lives.

27 June 2011 Remarks on the Release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report  "Every year, we come together to release this report, to take stock of our progress, to make suggestions, and to refine our methods. Today, we are releasing a new report that ranks 184 countries, including our own. One of the innovations when I became Secretary was we were going to also analyze and rank ourselves, because I don’t think it’s fair for us to rank others if we don’t look hard at who we are and what we’re doing. This report is the product of a collaborative process that involves ambassadors and embassies and NGOs as well as our team here in Washington. "
 • For links to the report see Trafficking in Human Beings 2011, below.
 • State Department Calls for New Assault Against Human Traffickers

27 June 2011 Gay Rights Are Human Rights, Clinton Says  The rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity, must be protected, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Clinton has made gay rights a focus of the State Department’s human rights agenda.

25 June 2011 Statement on ICTR Conviction of Former Rwandan Official, Others The United States welcomes the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) conviction of Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, former Rwandan Minister of Women’s Development and her son, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, both of whom were convicted for genocide and rape as a crime against humanity, among other crimes.

16 June 2011 Human Rights Council Statement on Human Rights Abuses in Syria 

15 June 2011 Senior State Department Officials on Internet Freedom Programs

15 June 2011 Press Statement Following the Delivery of a Joint Statement by Human Rights Council Members on the Situation in Syria   Press Statement by U.S. Ambassador Eileen Donahoe, Geneva, Switzerland.

08 June 2011 U.N. Expert Calls Internet Freedom Fundamental but Often Violated  When the young United Nations adopted a declaration of universal rights in 1948, it included the freedom “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media.” A new U.N. report says that in the 21st century that has to include freedom on the Internet — a freedom it says many countries are increasingly failing to honor.

17 May 2011 Clinton, EU's Ashton Say Iran Must Take Nuclear Talks Seriously  The United States and the European Union called on Iran to drop its preconditions and agree to serious talks on its nuclear program and to start addressing the international community’s concerns that its civilian nuclear program is being used as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons.

16 May 2011 U.S. Seeks Global Consensus for Open, Secure Cyberspace The Obama administration has unveiled an international strategy for cyberspace, outlining how it intends to promote an open and secure Internet that is available and interoperable around the world.
 • Secretary Clinton on U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace
 • International Strategy for Cyberspace (30-page/2.3Mb PDF)

11 May 2011 Human Rights and Democratic Reform in Iran  Statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs.

03 May 2011 "Defending Press Freedom in the 21st Century" as Part of World Press Freedom Day  Remarks by Michael Posner,  Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

03 May 2011 Ensuring Civil Rights and Security  (First in a series of three articles)

03 May 2011 Unveiling of the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action    Remarks by Secretary Hillary Clinton on harnessing mobile phone technology to improve maternal and child health.  The partnership leverages the collective resources of the USAID and Johnson & Johnson, with support from the United Nations Foundation, mHealth Alliance and BabyCenter LLC.
 • InfoTech Can Improve Health for Pregnant Moms and Babies

01 May 2011 Under Secretary McHale on World Press Freedom Day

15 April 2011 U.S. Contributes $126.8 Million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The United States is pleased to announce a contribution of $126.8 million toward the 2011 operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

11 April 2011 Statement by the U.S. at the UN Commission on Population and Development  Remarks by Margaret Pollack, Director for Multilateral Coordination and External Relations and Senior Advisor on Population Issues; Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; U.S. Department of State in New York, NY.

06 April 2011 Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Refugee Convention "We reaffirm America’s commitment to the protection of refugees around the world. Our mission is unchanging. We intend to save lives and restore human dignity".

30 March 2011 Fact Sheet: U.S. Accomplishments at U.N. Human Rights Council

24 March 2011 U.N. Rights Council Approves Investigator on Iran  The U.N. Human Rights Council authorized a special investigator on Iran March 24 to examine reports of excessive use of the death penalty, executions by stoning and inhumane treatment of political opponents.

24 March 2011 The Four Freedoms turn 70  Address by Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, to the American Society of International Law, Washington, DC.

24 March 2011 Obama Administration Takes “Holistic” Approach to Human Rights  The Obama administration is taking a “holistic” approach to human rights — viewing human rights, democracy and development as supportive of one another, says Michael Posner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor.

22 March 2011 Human Rights Council Statement on Ending Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

12 March 2011 In Libya, Our Aid Matters   Op-Ed by Eric P. Schwartz, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, and Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance.

01 March 2011 UN General Assembly Suspends Libya's Human Rights Council Membership

24 February 2011 Deteriorating Human Rights Situation in Iran

15 February 2011 Internet Freedom Essential to Peace, Prosperity, Clinton Says  An open, secure Internet that is accessible to all is crucial to peace and economic prosperity, says Secretary of State Hillary  Clinton.   “We are convinced that an open Internet fosters long-term peace, progress and prosperity,” Clinton said in a speech delivered February 15 at George Washington University in Washington. An Internet that can be blocked and censored, she said, “can cut off opportunities for peace and progress and discourage innovation and entrepreneurship.”

08 February  2011 The Fight Against Child Marriage   Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Glamour Magazine.

02 February 2011 Clinton Leads Meeting on U.S. Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says human trafficking is an issue of "grave importance" the United States must continue to address. Clinton led the annual President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons meeting, held in Washington February 1.

14 January 2011 Number of Free Countries Is Declining, Study Finds  The number of free countries is steadily declining, according to the latest findings by Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization that monitors the state of democracy and human rights around the world.  In its recently released report, Freedom in the World 2011, Freedom House found that only 87 — two fewer than 2009 — of the world’s 194 countries could be designated as truly free. Sixty countries were designated as “partly free,” and 47 were considered “not free.”

17 December 2010 Obama Announces Support for U.N. Measure on Indigenous Rights   In what the State Department describes as "an important and meaningful change"  in U.S. policy, President Obama announced that the United States is lending its support to the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and told a gathering of Native Americans that he hopes "we are seeing a turning point in the relationship between our nations."

16 December 2010 U.S. Urges International Action to Eradicate Child Labor  Three reports on international child labor practices just released by the department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs identify areas where governments need to take action as well as goods that have been produced by child or forced labor. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis also called on governments around the world to take urgent and effective steps to eradicate child labor practices in their countries.

10 December 2010 Statement by President Obama on the Awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize

09 December 2010 Remarks by Secretary Clinton on Human Rights Day 2010

09 December 2010 Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo "Deserves Our Admiration", U.S. Says  The State Department says the U.S. ambassador to Norway will attend the December 10 Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.  In Washington, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution honoring Liu for promoting democratic reform in China and calling for his immediate release from prison.

09 December 2010 Response to OSCE Representative on Combating Human Trafficking   U.S. Mission to the OSCE Response to Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Giammarinaro.

17 November 2010 Religious Freedom a Core Element of U.S. Foreign Policy  Promoting religious freedom is a core element of U.S. diplomacy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the release of the 2010 Annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom.

15 November 2010 A Call to Intensify Fight Against Human Trafficking   The international community has gained a better understanding of how to stop the trafficking of people for sex and labor, but should address the crime’s connection with government corruption to make further progress, according to experts at an international conference in Bangkok.

14 November 2010 Aung San Suu Kyi’s Release “Long Overdue,” Obama Says President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and urged Burma’s military government to release all the country’s political prisoners and to work with Suu Kyi and other leaders to bring reconciliation, democracy and prosperity to their country.

04 November 2010 Ambassador’s Response to OSCE on Gender Issues  As delivered by Ambassador Ian Kelly to the Permanent Council, Vienna, in response to the Chairmanship’s Special Representative for Gender Issues.

08 October 2010 Obama Calls on China to Release Jailed Peace Prize Winner   President Obama is calling on the Chinese government to release from prison dissident Liu Xiaobo, who won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight for democracy and human rights in China. Obama, whose commitment to nuclear arms control and nonproliferation earned him last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, praised Liu for sacrificing his freedom for his beliefs.

01 October 2010 U.S. Lawmakers, Officials Focus on Human Trafficking  Participants in a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing say progress is being made in the fight against human trafficking, a global problem known as modern-day slavery that affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide.

30 September 2010  Secretary Clinton on UNHRC Creation of Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association

29 September 2010 Iranian Human Rights Abusers Slapped With U.S. Sanctions  For the first time, the United States is sanctioning individuals inside Iran for human rights abuses, using a recently enacted law to seize U.S. assets and deny visas to individuals who are responsible for or complicit in serious human rights violations against the Iranian people during or after the country’s disputed June 2009 presidential election.

17 September 2010 Obama U.N. Speech to Address Extreme Poverty   President Obama will talk about eradicating extreme global poverty when he address a high-level meeting of world leaders during the opening of the 65th U.N. General Assembly in New York, a senior U.S. diplomat says.

19 July 2010 U.S. Announces U.S.-Pakistan Gender Equity Program  Program to expand women’s rights and combat gender-based violence.

16 June 2010 A Long March to Human Rights in Iran  Negar says that when she and her friends poured onto the streets of Tehran in June 2009 to protest the official results of the Iranian presidential election, they were sure that they had altered Iran’s future. “Everything changed in one night. Unbelievable,” she said.

15 June 2010 U.N. Rights Body Rebukes Iran on Human Rights  The United States joined 55 other nations in rebuking Iran for its lack of progress in providing human rights protections for its citizens after national elections in June 2009. Norway’s representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Ambassador Bente Angell-Hansen, read a statement during the 14th session of the council that expressed concern about the Iranian regime’s treatment of its citizens following disputed national elections a year ago.

15 June 2010 Children Exploited for Cheap Labor Worldwide  To lessen exploitive child labor globally, the root causes must be addressed by ensuring access to education for all children and helping families to overcome the poverty that contributes to child labor, President Obama says. “All of us must recommit ourselves to creating a world where our children have a brighter future, free of exploitive labor,” Obama said in observing the World Day Against Child Labor.

03 May 2010 Clinton Outlines Steps to Support Opportunities for Women Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told women entrepreneurs from around the world that they are essential partners in global efforts to increase peace, prosperity, stability and security. “We need each and every one of you to lend your entrepreneurial skill and energy to meeting the global challenges of this new century,” she said.

29 April 2010 Online Journalists Increasingly Risk Censorship, Imprisonment   For the first time, the number of online journalists in prison almost surpasses the number of jailed traditional print and broadcast journalists, according to the Center for International Media Assistance, an initiative of the National Endowment for Democracy, a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions around the world.

15 March 2010 Secretary Clinton's Interview with CNN’s Jill Dougherty  Discusses women's rights, Middle East peace process, Afghanistan and Iran.

12 March 2010 For Human Rights Heroine, “No Ordinary Arrest”   They came in the middle of the night asking for Jestina Mukoko. She did not even have time to put on her shoes and glasses before they seized and blindfolded her, taking her to an undisclosed location where the world would not know what happened to her for weeks. Ot is a story that is all too familiar for human rights advocates around the world, but Mukoko would not disappear so easily.

12 March 2010 Pakistan, Afghanistan Struggle to Protect Human Rights, U.S. Says  In two of the most complex political and security environments in the world, characterized by brutal insurgencies, Pakistan and Afghanistan achieved only modest advances in protecting citizens from violence and human rights abuses in 2009, according to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, issued March 11 by the U.S. Department of State.

11 March 2010 Secretary Clinton's Remarks to the Press on the Release of the 2009 Country Report on Human Rights  "The idea of human rights begins with a fundamental commitment to the dignity that is the birthright of every man, woman and child. Progress in advancing human rights begins with the facts. And for the last 34 years, the United States has produced the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, providing the most comprehensive record available of the condition of human rights around the world."
 • Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2009
 • From the 2009 Human Rights Country Reports: United Kingdom

10 March 2010 Remarks by First Lady Michelle Obama at the International Women of Courage Awards

08 March 20110 VIDEO: Secretary of State Clinton’s International Women's Day Message  Secretary Clinton commemorates International Women’s Day, March 8, 2010 with a special message. Read Secretary Clinton's remarks.

04 March 2010 In the Middle East, Modest Progress Made on Women’s Rights   A new report on women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa finds some progress but “a long road ahead.” Of all parts of the world, it is this region in which “the gap between the rights of men and those of women has been the most visible and severe,” says the report by Freedom House, an independent, nonprofit organization that studies and advocates for human rights worldwide.

02 March 2010 United States Guided by Principles on U.N. Human Rights Council  The United States will support the work that the U.N. Human Rights Council does well, and it will work constructively on aspects that need change, Under Secretary of State Maria Otero says.Otero addressed the opening of the 13th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. She presented three tenets that she said will guide U.S. participation: a commitment to principled engagement; consistent application of human rights law; and a commitment to the truth. Her remarks came during the opening of the 47-member forum's annual four-week session.

23 February 2010 Official Highlights U.S. Commitment to U.N. Human Rights Council  The Obama administration is reasserting a U.S. role and focus on human rights worldwide through its re-engagement and work with the United Nations Human Rights Council, says State Department Legal Adviser Harold Hongju Koh.

08 February 2010 Joint Statement by The European Union and The United States Calling On The Iranian Government To Fulfill Its Human Rights Obligations

22 December 2009 Human Rights: A Commitment to Action U.S. committed to promoting, defending human rights and democracy worldwide.

14 December 2009 Clinton Lays Out Obama Administration Agenda on Human Rights Washington  Support for democracy and the fostering of economic development are the cornerstones of the Obama administration’s agenda for promoting human rights around the world, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In a speech at Georgetown University in Washington, Clinton presented the president’s goals for human rights in the 21st century. She said human rights must be seen in a broad context that recognizes both “negative and positive requirements.”

09 December 2009 Secretary Clinton Honors Champions of Human Rights: Marks International Human Rights Day  In commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton honored two exceptional human rights champions.

02 December 2009 MENA Organizations Work to Abolish Violence Against Women  Violence against women, a truly global issue, crosses cultural, economic and political lines. At least one of every three women in the world has suffered some form of violence, from beatings to sexual crimes, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women. Determined to erase these grim statistics at home and abroad, the Obama administration has committed to combating violence against women. President Obama has appointed special advisers to fight for women’s rights, such as Melanne Verveer, the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues.

25 November 2009 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women  The UN General Assembly designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day.  Secretary Clinton has made this issue a top priority for American foreign policy.

24 November 2009 Zimbabwean Activist Receives Kennedy Award for Human Rights  In the early 1980s, Zimbabwe’s Magodonga Mahlangu witnessed the massacre of thousands in Matabeleland, including family members, and she decided it was intolerable that the people of Zimbabwe were forbidden to know the truth about what was happening in their country. After she came to lead the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) movement, co-founded by Jenni Williams in 2002, Mahlangu became an example to Zimbabwean women and men alike that the brutal rule by President Robert Mugabe’s regime could be met with peaceful and heroic public defiance. For her inspirational work and willingness to withstand intimidation and physical abuse by the regime, Mahlangu and WOZA were honored by President Obama at the White House with the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

19 November 2009 U.N. Condemns Human Rights Violations in Burma, North Korea  The U.N. General Assembly has expressed its grave concern about ongoing human rights violations in Burma and North Korea. In a vote the evening of November 19, the assembly adopted resolutions urging both states to end systematic and widespread abuses against their citizens. The separate resolutions were adopted in the General Assembly committee responsible for social, humanitarian and cultural affairs — known as the Third Committee.

26 October 2009 Freedom of Speech and Religion Must Be Balanced, Clinton Says  There must be a sensible balance between freedom of religion and freedom of speech, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

22 October 2009 Education, Economic Opportunity Help Curb Violence Against Women  Education and economic empowerment are among the most important tools to prevent the victimization of millions of women around the world who are suffering from violence, experts told members of the U.S. Congress.

02 October 2009 United States Working to Bridge Gaps in U.N. Human Rights Council  The first session of U.S. participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council has been "a terrific learning experience," and although the United States will not always agree with the body’s opinion, "it’s important that we’re in there defending the values we hold dear," says Esther Brimmer, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs.

30 September 2009 Clinton Hails U.N. Resolution to Protect Women Against Violence  Says violence against women is criminal, not cultural.

15 September 2009 U.S. Emphasizes Freedom of Expression at Human Rights Council  The U.S. will emphasize the importance of freedom of expression as it takes its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, says Assistant Secretary of State Esther Brimmer.

14 September 2009 U.S. Assumes Seat on the UN Human Rights Council  Remarks by Assistant Secretary for Bureau of International Organization Affairs Esther Brimmer before the High-Level Session of the Human Rights Council.

25 August 2009 Hillary Clinton Works Toward Banishing Sexual Violence  Following her recent trip to Africa Secretary Clinton writes about the scourge of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and outlines U.S. efforts to address the fundamental cause of this violence.

11 August 2009 Obama, Clinton Condemn Sentencing of Burma"s Aung San Suu Kyi  The decision by Burma"s ruling military to convict and sentence Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to 18 additional months of house arrest is "unjust" and violates universal human rights principles, said President Obama, who calls for the veteran democracy leader and other Burmese political prisoners to be set free.

10 August 2009 Human Rights Group Embraces Social Media via "The Hub"  Human rights activists are finding that easy-to-use technologies such as cell phones, small digital cameras and the Internet expand their ability to document and discuss human rights abuses. Now they have a central platform on which to place their material for the world to see.

20 June 2009 World Refugee Day  The United States is committed to supporting refugees and displaced people worldwide.

16 June 2009 Fighting Human Trafficking a Critical Part of U.S. Foreign Policy  U.S. hopes to cultivate more public-private partnerships to fight slavery. 

13 May 2009 Obama Calls for Halt in Sri Lankan Fighting  President Obama called on all sides in the Sri Lankan civil war to cease hostilities and allow the safe evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians trapped in a 2.5-kilometer conflict zone.
• U.S.-UK Joint Statement On the Humanitarian Situation in Sri Lanka 

12 May 2009 U.S. Wins Seat on U.N. Human Rights Council  The United States has won a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council and is eager to begin working both to improve the council itself and to advance the protection of human rights worldwide, said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

01 May 2009 Statement by the President in honor of World Press Freedom Day

01 May 2009 Statement by Secretary Clinton on World Press Freedom Day  Clinton reaffirms strong U.S. commitment to media freedom worldwide.

20 April 2009 U.S. Applauds U.N. Conference Efforts to Re-focus on Racism  While the U.S. is boycotting the Durban Review Conference, it praised the efforts of many countries to re-focus the conference squarely on racism and discrimination.

08 April 2009 U.S. Remembers 1994 Rwandan Genocide  President Obama says the 15th anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide is a somber occasion to reflect on the deaths of more than 800,000 people killed "simply because of their ethnicity or their political beliefs."

01 April 2009 U.S. to Seek Membership on U.N. Human Rights Council  The United States believes that working within the U.N. Human Rights Council is the best way to improve the council's goal of thwarting global human rights abuses, says the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

27 January 2009 U.S. Contributes $125 Million to Support UNHCR Efforts Worldwide  Initial contributions to support UNHCR’s Annual and Supplementary Program.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2010

08 April 2011 Secretary Clinton on Release of State Department’s Human Rights Report  "In recent months, we have been particularly inspired by the courage and determination of the activists in the Middle East and North Africa and in other repressive societies who have demanded peaceful democratic change and respect for their universal human rights.  The United States will stand with those who seek to advance the causes of democracy and human rights wherever they may live, and we will stand with those who exercise their fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly in a peaceful way, whether in person, in print, or in pixels on the internet.  This report usually generates a great deal of interest among journalists, lawmakers, nongovernmental organizations, and of course, other governments, and I hope it will again this year. "
 • Q&A by Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs
 • Remarks by Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

The complete text of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2010 is available from the Department of State Human Rights website .  It is also availble from the new official United States Government website for international human rights related information at www.humanrights.gov .
From the 2010 Human Rights Country Reports:
 • United Kingdom

08 April  2011 Human Rights Report Cites Troubling Trends  In releasing an annual report on human rights worldwide , Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that the struggle for basic human rights begins by telling the truth, over and over again.  This year’s report examines the legal status of human rights in more than 194 countries and territories around the world. Several troubling trends have been noted, Clinton said. The first is that of repressive governments restricting the ability of members of civil society to organize and operate.

11 March 2010 U.S. Human Rights Report Has Far-Reaching Impact  The original purpose for the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was to provide the U.S. Congress with information on countries to which the United States sends aid. “But it has become much bigger than that,” according to Michael H. Posner. “Today it is the single most comprehensive look at human rights around the world done by anyone,” Posner, assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, told America.gov in a recent interview. The report is “a baseline of information about what’s going on in human rights every year.”

Religious Freedom

13 September 2011 Clinton Highlights Religious Freedom, Tolerance as U.S. Values  She said the U.S. will continue efforts to support religious freedom both at home and abroad, as religious tolerance is an essential element “not only of a sustainable democracy, but also of a peaceful society that respects the rights and dignity of each individual.”
 • July-December, 2010 International Religious Freedom Report
 • From the International Religious Freedom Report Jul-Dec 2010: United Kingdom
 • Secretary Clinton At the Release of the 13th Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

17 November 2010  Secretary Hillary Clinton on the 2010 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom
 • International Religious Freedom Report 2010
 • From the International Religious Freedom Report 2010: United Kingdom
 • Remarks on the Release of the 2010 International Religious Freedom Report

17 November 2010 Religious Freedom a Core Element of U.S. Foreign Policy  Promoting religious freedom is a core element of U.S. diplomacy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the release of the 2010 Annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom.

28 October 2010 Durham: "Unlikely Partners" Protect Religious Freedom   W. Cole Durham Jr. is the director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University. Professor Durham shares his experiences in answer to the question: When have you witnessed unlikely partners sharing space to promote the shared value of religious tolerance?

26 October 2009 Freedom of Speech and Religion Must Be Balanced, Clinton Says  There must be a sensible balance between freedom of religion and freedom of speech, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. ldquo;An individual’s ability to practice his or her religion has no bearing on others’ freedom of speech,” Clinton said at a special briefing October 26 marking the release of the 2009 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom.

Trafficking In Human Beings

2011 Trafficking in Persons Report
The report is available in HTML format (see this index page) and in PDF format. Due to its large size, the PDF has been separated into sections for easier download: Introduction; A-C, D-I, J-M, N-S, T-Z/Special Cases; Relevant International Conventions and Closing Material.

 United Kingdom - The United Kingdom report is located in the Country Narratives N-Z and may be found by searching for UNITED KINGDOM (Tier 1).

27 June 2011 Remarks on the Release of the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report  "Every year, we come together to release this report, to take stock of our progress, to make suggestions, and to refine our methods. Today, we are releasing a new report that ranks 184 countries, including our own. One of the innovations when I became Secretary was we were going to also analyze and rank ourselves, because I don’t think it’s fair for us to rank others if we don’t look hard at who we are and what we’re doing. This report is the product of a collaborative process that involves ambassadors and embassies and NGOs as well as our team here in Washington. "
 • Ambassador Luis CdeBaca on the 2011 Global Trafficking in Persons Report

Women's Rights

An IIP publication: Women Of Influence (PDF, 1.6Mb)   This November 2006 collection  chronicles how 21 notable American women broke new ground, some by championing equal rights for all and others by their accomplishments in fields such as government, literature, and even in war.  Women of Influence was produced by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.