Human rights are
inalienable foundational rights
that apply to every person in every part of the world.
The right to education
is a right that everyone enjoys.
The right to adequate health care, the right
to freedom of speech to be free from discrimination
In 1948, the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted.
The Declaration is the foundational document on human rights.
When a human rights violation occurs, there are several avenues of recourse.
At the local and national level.
There are often laws that prohibit
the violation of that right.
For example, in the United States we have a First Amendment
that protects our right to freedom of speech and assembly.
There is also the opportunity to appeal to
international bodies depending on the violation.
One could pursue claims
for example, in the International Criminal Court.
And there's the opportunity for the international community to come together
to highlight international human rights violations and to demand change
The United States works to promote human rights around the world.
In some cases, that work is accepted and welcomed.
And in other cases, nations are quite resistant.
Certainly, issues of national sovereignty are at play.
There are also cultural norms that cause
other countries with widespread human rights violations
to recoil at another country coming in to dictate how they should live.
The U.S., through its diplomatic tools,
can pursue different strategies in different countries.
One example is through its very public diplomacy on this issue.
The annual Trafficking in Persons Report,
or the annual human rights reports that the Department of State puts out.
Those are clear examples of how the United States is openly promoting
human rights and calling out governments who fail to live up
to the international norms to which we are all bound.
But the United States can also promote human rights through quiet diplomacy.
Some would argue that when one considers human rights violations in a country like
Saudi Arabia or China, what we should really be focused on are fundamental U.S.
interests.
But there is a really strong argument that countries that respect
human rights are more secure and are more prosperous.
And that is directly in the interest of the United States.
If we consider the issue of women's rights, several
multilateral institutions and leaders have concluded that when women's rights
are respected and protected, economies are more prosperous.
And that leads to stability for all of us.
And there's an increasing recognition that women's participation
in governance and in conflict
resolution can actually make peace agreements longer lasting
So there's a strong connection between respect
for human rights and many of the foundational U.S.
interests that we aim to achieve around the world.
There are incredible human rights violations that persist today.
But we have seen a remarkable amount of progress, and what I would argue
is a short period of time.
I think what that shows us is that when we have sufficient resources,
when there's sufficient political will these are not intractable issues.