International Human Rights

Abstract

OVERVIEW During 2002–2004, the United States adhered to some new treaties and instruments in the field of human rights, such as two protocols to the Rights of the Child Convention, but resisted developing or committing the United States to instruments that would alter existing U.S. laws and obligations, such as a Torture Convention Protocol on Preventive Visits. To assist in implementation of existing human rights norms, the United States issued reports on human rights compliance by other countries, ranging from the basic annual Department of State human rights reports to more specialized reports, such as on religious freedom. U.S. treatment of enemy aliens in the “war on terrorism” exposed the United States to criticism in the global community on human rights grounds, criticism that may have affected the ability of the United States to advance other aspects of its foreign policy, such as in trying to prevent condemnation of Israel at multinational fora. The United States sought to use such fora, however, to promote human rights in strife-ridden lands, such as by pressing the United Nations to find that genocide was occurring in the Sudan. Recognizing the value of such fora, the United States actively participated in, and pursued election of U.S. representatives to, human rights bodies (winning election to the UN Human Rights Commission, but losing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights).

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