The United States has decided not to take part in the UN Human Rights Records review, claiming that involvement might imply endorsement of the UN Human Rights Council’s processes. This decision follows President Trump’s withdrawal of the U.S. from the Council back in February.
Officials from the State Department expressed that participating would overlook the ongoing failure to condemn significant human rights violators, pointing out the incongruity of receiving critiques about U.S. human rights from countries like Venezuela, China, and Sudan.
The United Nations describes the review as a means to encourage self-reflection on each country’s human rights practices and ensure accountability on a global scale.
Known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), member nations are expected to submit reports every five years detailing measures taken to enhance their human rights situations, along with recommendations for further improvement. The U.S. was slated to submit its report this November.
Reuters initially reported the U.S. would not be participating.
A spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council indicated that the U.S. mission in Geneva had formally communicated this decision.
This move has drawn criticism from human rights advocates. The organization Human Rights First has stated that the Trump administration’s refusal to participate will have negative repercussions for America’s credibility in matters related to human rights and accountability.
HRF highlighted that with this withdrawal, the U.S. joins Israel as the only nation that hasn’t filed a report since the UPR’s inception in 2006. However, Israel has engaged with the process in 2013, 2018, and 2023.
Uzra Zeya, president and CEO of Human Rights First and former State Department official under Biden, remarked that presenting and explaining one’s human rights record is fundamental for any government aspiring to be a global leader while adhering to democratic principles.
She also noted that the U.S. isn’t alone in this reluctance. All UN member states are protective of their human rights records, and such avoidance reflects insecurity and can empower those who undermine rights.
Phil Lynch, executive director of International Human Rights First Services, criticized Trump for transforming the U.S. into a “human rights pariah,” emphasizing the seriousness of the government’s decision to withdraw from the UPR and asserting that this refusal won’t shield them from scrutiny but rather intensify it.
Michael Posner, director of NYU Stern’s Center for Business and Human Rights, echoed these sentiments, asserting that the U.S. withdrawal weakens global human rights initiatives. He noted that such a stance might embolden human rights violators like Iran, Russia, and Sudan.
