Biden Administration Rejoins Human Rights Council

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The United States is rejoining the United Nations Human Rights Council, per Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The move signals another move from President Joe Biden and his administration to reverse former President Donald Trump’s legacy of isolationist policy and withdrawing the United States from multilateral organizations.

“When it works well, the UN Human Rights Council shines a spotlight on countries with the worst human rights records and can serve as a beacon for those fighting against injustice and tyranny,” Blinken announced on Twitter. “That’s why the U.S. is back at the table.”

When it works well, the @UN Human Rights Council shines a spotlight on countries with the worst human rights records and can serve as a beacon for those fighting against injustice and tyranny. That’s why the U.S. is back at the table.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 8, 2021

Blinken added that while the Human Rights Council is “flawed and needs reform,” simply “walking away won’t fix it.”

“The best way to improve the Council, so it can achieve its potential, is through robust and principled U.S. leadership,” he added.

The @UN Human Rights Council is flawed and needs reform, but walking away won’t fix it. The best way to improve the Council, so it can achieve its potential, is through robust and principled U.S. leadership. Under @POTUS Biden, we are reengaging and ready to lead.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 8, 2021

The Trump administration withdrew from the Human Rights Council in 2018. The United States joined Eritrea, North Korea, and Iran as the only nations not to participate in the Human Rights Council.

At the time, Nikki Haley, then the American ambassador to the United Nations, said the United States would extricate itself from the organization due to resolutions it had passed against Israel.

“Earlier this year, as it has in previous years, the Human Rights Council passed five resolutions against Israel — more than the number passed against North Korea, Iran and Syria combined,” she said. “This disproportionate focus and unending hostility toward Israel is clear proof that the council is motivated by political bias, not by human rights.”

“If the Human Rights Council is going to attack countries that uphold human rights and shield countries that abuse human rights, then America should not provide it with any credibility,” she added.