US Mission Geneva

Although the United States is not a voting member of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) this year – taking a mandatory year off, while standing for re-election in the fall – it is sustaining robust engagement with the Council, working with countries from all regions to address urgent human rights situations and issues. At this session, focusing on women’s rights, U.S. leadership helped to keep the HRC at the forefront of global efforts to promote and protect human rights.

Ambassador Harper: Unfortunately, these freedoms are under increasing threat across the globe.

Ambassador Harper: The United States encourages governments facing human rights challenges to allow for the establishment of OHCHR country offices to help them address those challenges.

The United Nations Human Rights Council today adopted its third UN resolution on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons, creating an Independent Expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Item 2:  General Debate with the High Commissioner Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America As Delivered by Ambassador Keith Harper Human Rights Council June 29, 2016 Mr. Vice President,   We thank the High Commissioner for his interim report requested last September detailing the progress Sri Lanka has made, and the […]

We firmly believe that this crisis can and must be resolved, or Burundi risks losing progress gained since the signing of the Arusha Agreement, and it risks potentially descending into further conflict, including the possibility of mass atrocities. The dialogue currently led by the East African Community and mediated by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa represents the best avenue for bringing all stakeholders together, reaching a peaceful resolution to the crisis, and restoring stability to Burundi.

Ambassador Harper: Violence by armed groups and reports of torture in detention facilities, wherever they take place, are grave and deeply troubling.

We congratulate Cote d’Ivoire on its credible and transparent October 2015 presidential election. We encourage the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to continue to focus on solidifying democracy in a way that is inclusive and promotes open political dialogue and free and equal participation by all its citizens. We stand with Cote d’Ivoire in the effort to counter violent extremism and we condemn the senseless March attack in the Grand Bassam.

Ambassador Harper: The Central African Republic has come a tremendous way since violence and insecurity befell the country in 2013. Thanks to the resiliency of the Central African people, the country now finds itself on the cusp of a new beginning.