Introduction
President Barack Obama reaffirmed U.S. support for human rights during an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23. Two weeks later he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” (AFP/Getty Images/Stan Honda)
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Human rights advocates are voicing disappointment with what they have seen so far of President Obama's approach to human rights issues in forming U.S. foreign policy. They applaud Obama for working to restore U.S. influence on human rights by changing President George W. Bush's policies on interrogating and detaining terrorism suspects. But they also see evidence that the Obama administration is reluctant to challenge authoritarian governments for clamping down on political dissidents or rigging elections. As one example, these critics complain that Obama should not have tried to curry favor with the Chinese government by postponing a meeting with the Dalai Lama until after the president visits China in November. Administration officials insist Obama is devoted to human rights and democratization and cite among other moves the decision to join the United Nations Human Rights Council. Conservative critics, however, say the council is a flawed institution and the United States should have stayed out.
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Nov. 01, 2013 |
Religious Repression |
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May 17, 2013 |
Assisted Suicide |
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Oct. 16, 2012 |
Human Trafficking and Slavery |
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Sep. 20, 2011 |
Saving Indigenous Peoples |
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Oct. 30, 2009 |
Human Rights Issues |
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Jul. 25, 2008 |
Human Rights in China |
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Mar. 26, 2004 |
Human Trafficking and Slavery |
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Apr. 30, 1999 |
Women and Human Rights |
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Nov. 13, 1998 |
Human Rights |
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Jul. 19, 1985 |
Human Rights in the 1980s |
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May 18, 1979 |
Human Rights Policy |
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Apr. 03, 1968 |
Human Rights Protection |
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Mar. 21, 1956 |
Forced Labor and Slavery |
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Apr. 27, 1949 |
Forced Labor |
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Jan. 25, 1945 |
Bills of Rights |
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