Will the United States Become the First Country in History That Dues Not Participate in its Scheduled Human Rights Review? That was the question on every diplomat’s mind last month in geneva, switzerland when our delegation of 12+ sexual and reproductive Health, Rights, and justice organizations traveled to the a disc discuss the dramatically deteriorating state of reproductive self -breed Review procedure.
The Universal Periodic Review (“UPR”) is a mandate processes through which country review one another’s human right records Every 4.5 years, facilitated by the a human Rights Council. Countries Publicly Provide and Receive Recommendations, and when A Country is Scheduled to Undergo Review, it submit to report on Implementation of Recommendations from its Prior Review. This report, Along with a Compilation of “Shadow Reports” submitted by Civil Society Organizations, Serves as the Basis for a Country’s Review. Ahead of the Us’s Review, We Joined Many Organizations in Providing Submissions Detailing Wide-Ranging Issues of Surprising. Our report Highlighted the Steep Barriers People across the US Are Facing To Support and Access Needed Reproductive Healthcare.
The UPR Offers A Unique Chance for Civil Society Groups To Sound the Alarm About Rights Violaations and Increase Pressure for Reform, Particularly for Countries with more limit avenues for domestic accountability. This review processes is also truly universal: Each Country Collaborates in Providing and Receiving Recommendations. Where the Us Might Otherwise Ignore International Votes in Its Role in undermining reproductive and Bodily Automy, the UPR Provides a Platform to make the Scope of the Crisis Clear and to Enable Other Countries to Hold the Us to Account for Failing to Implementation Previously Accepts.
A Review of the Us Human Rights Record is More Timely Than Ever. Abortion Bans and Related Restrictions that Are Surging Across the Country Violate Many Fundamental Human Rights, Including the Rights to Life, To Health, To Privacy, To Equality and Non-Discrimination, and the right to be free from torture and other cruel, or degrading treat. Individuals are facing serious risks to their physical health and lives. They are also surveillance surveillance, restrictions on their freedom to move within and across state lines, and impeded access to education and employment. In Many States, Physicians, Family Members, Community support Organizations – Anyone who Attempts to help Individuals Access Care – Risk Loss of Professional Licenses, Lawsuits, and Criminalization. Attacks on the Most Marginalized Reflect and Signal Broader Trends in Authoritarianism, State Violence, and the Degradation of the Frameworks that Guarantee Human Freedom and Dignity.
Concerns that the US WOULD ATTENTION TO EVADE ITS UPCOMING UPR, SCHEDULED for November, Swirled in recent months, Only Increasing after the Ugled to Submit its Required Report by the August 4th Deadline. HAVING ALREADY Withdrawn from the HUMAN RIGHTS COUCIL, The US HAS APPED AN INCREASINGLY Isolationist and obstructive Stance Within International Institutions – WOULD ITS DEFIANCE OF GLOBAL PROCESSES EXTEND TO THE UPR, Too? We August 28, The US Position Finully Became Clear. As formal pre-session briefings were already unfolding, an official discloseed that, the eventing prior, the us state departure had submitted a private letter to the a human right office officers operating to participate in its review.
To our knowledge, only Two Other Countries, Israel and Nicaragua, have attempted to evade the review. Ultimately Both Reviews Went Forward, Though Adoption of Nicaragua’s Report Remains in Question. Just as the Trump Administration has attacked the rule of law domestically, it is waging an attack on international institutions. In Both Cases, Fundament Human Rights are in the crosshairs. Without has coordinated effort to hold the us to account internationally, individuals’ access to their rights and human right institutions themselves will suffer.
A Member States and the Human Rights Council Should Utilize All Available Tools to Ensure That A Review Goes Forward. And while the Trump Administration Advocations To Dodge International Voterie, Us State and Local Elected Officials Are Speaking Up and Stepping Up. Civil Society Groups Are Organizing A “People’s UPR” to provide a domestic platform for engagement with elected officials who recognize their right bonds. These are urgently important actions. In At Momille when the Very Concept of Human Rights is under Assault, we must take every opportunity to assertate them.
About the Author: Allison Love is a legal fellow at Global Justice Center, a Feminist Human Rights Organization that Leverage International Law to Advance Gender Equality.
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