SI UN Representative Sabine Kinzer attended the USA’s human
rights review at the UN in Geneva. The USA was criticised by NGOs and other
countries for its national and international human rights records. However,
progress could be made as the USA says that the Government, along with the
Senate, will work towards ratifying CEDAW. The USA continues to be conspicuous
in having not signed up to this significant international convention which
protects the rights of women.

The human rights
records of states is discussed at the United Nations through a body called the
‘Universal Periodic Review’, or UPR. This review body is an instrument used by
the Human Rights Council to engage governments about lack of progress, and to
hold them accountable for human rights abuses. The UPR promotes an open
environment where countries are able to ask questions of each other about their
human rights records, and NGOs are also able to ask questions and submit parallel
reports.

The most recent session of the UPR was from the 4 – 15 May
2015, and countries under review included the USA, Croatia, Belarus and
Bulgaria.

Photo: The UN Office in Geneva

 

SI UN Representative Sabine Kinzer reports for Soroptimist International:

“As perhaps the highest-profile international actor, there
was a lot of interest around the USA’s review. 117 states and more than 20
Non-Governmental Organisations were present participated in the dialogue. Interestingly,
many of these NGOs had travelled from the USA to be present in Geneva for
the review.

In the USA’s opening statement, there was some excellent
news – that the USA government together with the Senate will work on ratifying
the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and
the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. A lot will have to be
done to make this a reality, but it is a step in the right direction.

Momentum for ratifying CEDAW has gained in the US through
campaigns like ‘Cities for CEDAW’ and perhaps this message is finally being
heard. 

Other States provided their recommendations too; that the
USA should enhance cooperation with human rights mechanisms, and that more could
be done to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work and that the
State Department could formulate policy guidance to better promote gender
equality.

However, Ambassador Keith Harper, the USA’s Permanent
Representatives to the HRC, was very clear that the US government will not, at
the moment, consider joining the Statute of the International Criminal Court
(ICC). This was not received well by a number of other states, who recommended
that the US should ratify and fully align national legislation with all the
obligations contained in the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Unsurprisingly, given the current climate, there was also a
lot of discussion around race relations in the US and the US’s international
actions against terrorism.

During its opening statement, the US did say that even
whilst combatting terrorism, the US is adhering to the international
obligations with regards to human rights. This did not stop other states and
NGOs from pressing for improved action, especially on the issue of torture and
the use of drones.

There was also considerable international pressure for the
USA to do more about investigating recent cases of alleged police-led human
rights abuses against African-Americans.

Although there were a lot of controversial and difficult
issues up for discussion at the USA’s UPR review, there were some positive
steps forward including the US saying it will work on ratifying CEDAW. Whether
this will happen, only time will tell.”

by Sabine Kinzer, SI UN
Representative