United States continues its policy of isolationism by withdrawing from UN Human Rights Council

Building on Abbé Pierre’s contribution to drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva in 1947, Emmaus International has always worked to uphold respect for human rights and build lasting peace for all people. In that spirit, it views the United Nations as a crucial and indispensable forum, a multilateral platform for international collaboration among States with a view to advancing human rights around the world.

Emmaus International deeply regrets that the Trump administration has decided to leave the Human Rights Council, a vital institution at the heart of the UN. America’s latest isolationist move risks undermining that institution, thus impacting global efforts to defend human rights. As such, it is an irresponsible act, and one that Emmaus International strongly condemns.

Lastly, Emmaus International stresses the duplicitous nature of the American withdrawal, which comes at a time when the UN has been firmly condemning the “zero tolerance” immigration policy implemented by the Trump administration.

Let us recall that, in just one month, more than 2,300 children have been separated from their families, with family members being held in different detention facilities under a policy described by the UN as “unacceptable”.

Faced with huge public outcry, on 21 June the American President backtracked and announced that families with children would subsequently be detained together, reflecting a short-termist approach based on the imprisonment of migrants that effectively criminalizes immigration and is a far cry from the principle of offering unconditional welcome and support and protecting human dignity, as promoted by Emmaus International.