Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the United States Election to the Human Rights Council (HRC)

Today, I am proud that the United States was elected to serve on the UN Human Rights Council for a three year term. I am grateful for the support of nations from around the world for our campaign, and I look forward to the United States once more being a constructive voice that works to help push the Human Rights Council to live up to its mandate and to protect the values we hold dear for all people.

As I said at the UN General Assembly last month, we stand at an inflection point in history. The choices we make in the years ahead will determine the kind of world we leave to future generations. The United States stands ready to work with partners and allies to help lead the world toward a more peaceful, prosperous future, grounded in respect for human dignity. Together, we will stand up for the rights of all, including women and girls, members of LGBTQI+ communities, members of ethnic and religious minorities, those living with disabilities, and members of other marginalized groups. We will promote accountability for governments that abuse human rights. And we will stand in solidarity with, and continue to work tirelessly in support of, the activists, human rights defenders, and peaceful protestors on the front lines of the struggle between freedom and tyranny.

Defending human rights and demonstrating that democracies deliver for their people is a fundamental challenge of our time. It’s at the center of my administration’s foreign policy and it goes to the heart of who we are as a nation—and as a people. And, this December, I look forward to welcoming a diverse group of government, civil society, and private sector actors at a virtual Summit for Democracy to affirm the power of democratic governance as the best and most powerful tool we have to meet the challenges of today and unleash our full human potential.

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