The United States will not participate in a U.N. review of its human rights record, officials said, a move that rights advocates called a worrying retreat from Washington's global engagement on rights and justice issues.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) expects all 193 U.N. member states to submit reports on their human rights records every 4.5 to 5 years. The reports are reviewed by other member states, which provide non-binding recommendations.
A U.S. State Department official told Reuters the U.S. will not participate in the UPR mechanism or submit its report in November, when it and 13 other countries are due to be reviewed.
This followed an executive order by President Donald Trump on 4 February to disengage from the U.N. Human Rights Council, the official said.
According to an analysis of the council's public records, the U.S. is now on course to be the first country to not deliver a report to the UPR, unless it submits a report within the timeframe of the current review period, which ends in July 2027.
Ravina Shamdasani, chief spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told Reuters that it regretted the U.S. decision.
Although there are no direct consequences of not submitting a UPR report, Michael Posner, director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at N.Y.U. Stern School of Business, said the U.S. was undermining global efforts on human rights.
The State Department official said in response to the criticism that the U.S. is proud of its human rights record and leadership in advancing human rights around the world.
Posted by John3262005