The United States Government’s Relationship with the U.N. Human Rights Council

Hearing
Date:
Location:
210 Cannon House Office Building

Hearing Notice

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on the United States government’s relationship with the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHR Council) is comprised of 47 member states whose representation is apportioned equitably among all geographic regions. The council was established in March 2006 as a successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which had been widely criticized for ineffectiveness and bias. The United States initially opposed the new body, doubting that any significant changes would come from a new structure. The U.S. government announced that it would not seek a seat on the council, and that its engagement with and funding for the council would be limited. In 2009, however, the U.S. government decided to run for a seat on the council, won the election, and joined the council that May. Since then, the U.S. government has actively advanced its human rights agenda at the council as well as challenged and mitigated the entity’s shortcomings.

This hearing will examine the current interaction between the U.S. government and the UNHR Council. Both U.S. government and NGO witnesses will outline successes, identify problems, and propose solutions to advance U.S. human rights and foreign policy interests at the UNHR Council.

If you have any questions, please contact Colleen Costello (Rep. McGovern) or Wendy Sneff (Rep. Wolf) at 202-225-3599, or send an email to tlhrc@mail.house.gov.

Hosted by:

James P. McGovern
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Frank R. Wolf, 
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC
Witnesses

Opening Remarks

Witnesses

Panel I

  • Suzanne Nossel, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State
    Written testimony
  • Dan Baer, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State
    Written testimony

Panel II

  • Ted Piccone, Senior Fellow and Deputy Directory, Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution
    Written testimony
  • Peggy Hicks, Global Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch
    Written testimony

Contact The Commission

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
4150 O'Neill House Office Building
200 C Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20515
United States of America

Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
TLHRC@mail.house.gov

Accessibility

The Commission seeks to make its events, meetings and hearings accessible to persons with disabilities.

If you are in need of special accommodations, please call (202) 225-3599 at least four business days in advance.

Questions with regard to special accommodations in general (including availability of Commission materials in alternative formats and assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc.) may be directed to the Commission.

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