{"id":3834,"date":"2018-06-20T12:24:29","date_gmt":"2018-06-20T05:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/new-eng\/?p=3834"},"modified":"2026-01-28T12:54:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T06:24:21","slug":"us-withdraws-from-un-human-rights-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/?p=3834","title":{"rendered":"US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The United States is set to\u00a0withdraw\u00a0from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/human-rights-council\">United Nations Human Rights Council<\/a>, with the US ambassador to the UN calling\u00a0the organisation a \u201cprotector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Ambassador\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/nikki-haley\">Nikki Haley\u00a0<\/a>said the withdrawal\u00a0was not a retreat from the US\u2019s commitment to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/HumanRights\">human rights<\/a>, but called the 47-member, international council \u201can organisation that is not worthy of its name\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called the decision \u201cregrettable\u201d but said the UK was \u201chere to stay\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The US has long called for the body to reform, saying it allows members that have been accused\u00a0human rights violations.\u00a0Ms Haley pointed to the involvement of\u00a0countries like China, Cuba and Venezuela in her speech on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<div id=\"teads-amp-ad\" class=\"ad-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<aside class=\"inline-block inline-readmore align-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-immigration-children-family-split-un-human-rights-us-border-illegals-a8404406.html\" data-vars-item-name=\"read more - \/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-immigration-children-family-split-un-human-rights-us-border-illegals-a8404406.html\" data-vars-event-id=\"c29\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content no-display appear\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/s3fs-public\/thumbnails\/image\/2018\/06\/16\/09\/child-0.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/s3fs-public\/thumbnails\/image\/2018\/06\/16\/09\/child-0.jpg?w319h213 1000w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/s3fs-public\/thumbnails\/image\/2018\/06\/16\/09\/child-0.jpg?w492h328 770w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/s3fs-public\/thumbnails\/image\/2018\/06\/16\/09\/child-0.jpg?w396h264 600w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/s3fs-public\/thumbnails\/image\/2018\/06\/16\/09\/child-0.jpg?w476h318 480w\" \/><\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"content\">UN Human Rights chief blasts Trump\u2019s \u2018unconscionable\u2019 policy<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cLook at the council membership, and you see an appalling disrespect for the most basic rights,\u201d Ms Haley said.<\/p>\n<p>Ms Haley also accused\u00a0the council of maintaining a \u201cdisproportionate focus and unending hostility towards Israel\u201d that shows it is \u201cmotivated by political bias, not by human rights\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Zeid Ra\u2019ad\u00a0al-Hussein, the UN human rights chief, called the announcement\u00a0\u201cdisappointing, if not really surprising\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGiven the state of human rights in today\u2019s world, the US should be stepping up, not stepping back,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<figure><iframe class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/624246174001\/SydS6Pxaf_default\/index.html?videoId=5792570093001&amp;customParams=videoID%253D5792570093001%2526articleId%253D8407151%2526gs_channels%253Desi_safe%2Csafe_from_essence_blacklist%2Csafe_from_harvey_weinstein%2Cshadow9hu7_safe_from_nestle_blacklist%2Csafe_from_emirates_blacklist%2Csafe_from_emirates_crew_incident%2Csafe_from_halifax_misc_blacklist%2Csafe_from_instagram-mobkoi%2Cgv_safe%2526playertype%253Dclicktoplay%2526topictags%253Dunitednations%3Bpermutive%3A0001%3B&amp;customTargeting=%2F71347885%2F_main_independent%2Fin_news%2Fin_world%2Fin_americas%2Fin_us_politics%2Fin_us_politics_article&amp;playsinline=true\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><figcaption class=\"caption\">US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley lashes out at UN hypocrisy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Washington\u2019s withdrawal is the latest US\u00a0rejection of multilateral engagement after it pulled out of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/paris-climate-agreement\">Paris climate agreement<\/a>\u00a0and the 2015\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/iran-deal\">Iran nuclear deal<\/a>, which was signed with a number of other world powers.<\/p>\n<p>It also comes as the US faces intense criticism for detaining children separated from their immigrant parents at the US-Mexico border. Mr\u00a0al-Hussein has called on Washington to halt the \u201cunconscionable\u201d policy.<\/p>\n<p>Diplomats have said the US\u2019s withdrawal from the council could bolster countries such as Cuba, Russia, Egypt and Pakistan, which resist what they see as UN\u00a0interference in sovereign issues.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>Ms Haley, announcing the withdrawal at the State Department alongside Secretary of State\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/mike-pompeo\">Mike\u00a0Pompeo<\/a>, said that if the council does reform, the United States \u201cwould be happy to rejoin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Twelve rights and aids groups, including Human Rights First, Save the Children and CARE, wrote to Mr\u00a0Pompeo to warn the withdrawal would \u201cmake it more difficult to advance human rights priorities and aid victims of abuse around the world\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe US\u2019s absence will only compound the council\u2019s weaknesses,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-content\">\n<p>But the\u00a0move was not\u00a0a surprise to many\u00a0diplomats, who made it\u00a0clear last week that it would be a case of when, not if, the US withdrew.<\/p>\n<p>A State Department official told\u00a0<em>The Independent<\/em>\u00a0that the US \u201cwants a Human Rights Council that fulfils its purpose as the premier international focal point for human rights issues\u201d.\u00a0Now, it appears to mean the US will advocate for that outside of the group rather from within.<\/p>\n<p>The official said that \u201cat its best\u201d the council compels violators to act towards \u201cpositive action,\u201d however they noted that \u201d all too frequently, it fails to address critical situations for political reasons \u2013 and undermines its own credibility\u201d.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline-block inline-related align-left\">\n<h2 class=\"box-title\">READ MORE<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/middle-east\/united-nations-israel-excessive-disproportionate-indiscriminate-force-palestinians-resolution-a8397851.html\" data-vars-item-name=\"related - \/news\/world\/middle-east\/united-nations-israel-excessive-disproportionate-indiscriminate-force-palestinians-resolution-a8397851.html\" data-vars-event-id=\"c29\">United Nations condemns Israel\u2019s use of force in Gaza<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/north-korea-nuclear-weapons-humanitarian-aid-united-nations-a8302181.html\" data-vars-item-name=\"related - \/news\/world\/north-korea-nuclear-weapons-humanitarian-aid-united-nations-a8302181.html\" data-vars-event-id=\"c29\">UN own sanctions hinder humanitarian aid efforts in North Korea<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/russia-former-spy-poison-uk-sergei-skripal-united-nations-security-council-a8289301.html\" data-vars-item-name=\"related - \/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/russia-former-spy-poison-uk-sergei-skripal-united-nations-security-council-a8289301.html\" data-vars-event-id=\"c29\">UN to hold special meeting on poisoning of former Russian spy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The human rights body was formed in 2006, but was shunned by the administration of President\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/george-w-bush\">George W Bush<\/a>. In 2009, President\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/BarackObama\">Barack Obama<\/a>\u00a0reversed that\u00a0decision after taking office.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>The council\u2019s critical stance of Israel has long been a contentious issue for the US, Israel\u2019s main ally. Ms Haley had said last year that\u00a0Israel is the \u201conly country permanently on the body\u2019s calendar,\u201d referring to an item that looks at suspected violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Washington had called for it to be removed.<\/p>\n<p>Ms Haley also called for the council to vote on resolutions against Venezuela, Syria, Eritrea, Belarus, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p>\n<figure><iframe class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/624246174001\/SydS6Pxaf_default\/index.html?videoId=5689503355001&amp;customParams=videoID%253D5689503355001%2526articleId%253D8407151%2526gs_channels%253Desi_safe%2Csafe_from_essence_blacklist%2Csafe_from_harvey_weinstein%2Cshadow9hu7_safe_from_nestle_blacklist%2Csafe_from_emirates_blacklist%2Csafe_from_emirates_crew_incident%2Csafe_from_halifax_misc_blacklist%2Csafe_from_instagram-mobkoi%2Cgv_safe%2526playertype%253Dclicktoplay%2526topictags%253Dunitednations%3Bpermutive%3A0001%3B&amp;customTargeting=%2F71347885%2F_main_independent%2Fin_news%2Fin_world%2Fin_americas%2Fin_us_politics%2Fin_us_politics_article&amp;playsinline=true\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><figcaption class=\"caption\">The United Nations General Assembly votes 128-9 to declare the United States\u2019 Jerusalem capital recognition \u2018null and void\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The\u00a0relationship between the Trump administration and the UN has appeared fractious for much of the US president\u2019s time in office.\u00a0In December the US officially recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, prompting a vote of 128-9 in the general body to declare the unilateral decision \u201cnull and void\u201d. Last month, the\u00a0council\u00a0voted to probe killings in Gaza and accused Israel of using excessive force in dealing with protests on the\u00a0border. The United States and Australia cast the only \u201cno\u201d votes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>The US has also sought to withdraw from the UN Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), citing anti-Israel bias.<\/p>\n<p>Anjali Dayal, an international security professor at Fordham University, previously told\u00a0<em>The Independent<\/em>\u00a0that although the move is not a surprise, the US is not without \u201cvalid criticisms\u201d of the body. There are \u201chuman rights abusers with seats on the Council,\u201d Ms Dayal explained.<\/p>\n<p>But, Ms Dayal argued the issue was \u201cnot an unknown\u201d drawback of the council. Ms Haley knew this was a problem coming into office since activists, observer groups, and smaller nations have complained about differing regional processes that have allowed it to happen for years. But the US \u201cwill have to be in the room\u201d in order to make any significant change to the council, she said.<\/p>\n<p>A sitting member of the Council has never dropped out in its 12-year history, though Libya was\u00a0kicked out after a vote from the General Assembly in 2011.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"tags\">More about:\u00a0<span class=\"separator\">|<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/UnitedNations\">United Nations<\/a><\/aside>\n<aside><\/aside>\n<aside><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/us-un-human-rights-council-leaves-trump-withdraw-nikki-haley-a8407151.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1529443241\">Independent<\/a><\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The United States is set to\u00a0withdraw\u00a0from the\u00a0United Nations Human Rights Council, with the US ambassador to the UN calling\u00a0the organisation a \u201cprotector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias\u201d. Ambassador\u00a0Nikki Haley\u00a0said the withdrawal\u00a0was not a retreat from the US\u2019s commitment to\u00a0human rights, but called the 47-member, international council \u201can organisation that is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3835,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3836,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3834\/revisions\/3836"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equalitymyanmar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}