In June of this year, the Trump Administration decided to remove the United States from the world’s most important human rights body in order to protest the treatment of Israeli human rights violation investigations by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). It was the very first time a country voluntarily left the council and the US joins Iran, North Korea, and Eritrea as the only countries who refuse to attend council meetings. However, the United States must re-enter the council for three main reasons.

By leaving, the US abdicates its position as a powerful supporter of the UNHRC and fails to recognize the effectiveness of the council as an international body that protects human rights. In the past few decades, the council has investigated violations committed by the Gaddafi regime in Libya, built coalitions to report abuses in North Korea and Myanmar, and stood up for women, children, and political dissidents in danger.

These successes clearly demonstrate the importance of US leadership within the council working to solve some of the most contentious issues in the world.

However, by withdrawing, the US has sent a message to the international community that the US government has deprioritized justice for the marginalized and ignored.

Second, although the US cites the UNHRC’s bias towards Israel as its reason for withdrawing, leaving the council entirely will not only let the suspected bias continue, but will also open up future opportunities for President Trump to violate human rights laws.

The US government should at least attempt to comprehensively investigate the suspected bias towards Israel and create resolutions to reform the council, rather than making the rash decision to withdraw completely. As evidenced by his decision to detain children and their families at the US-Mexico border, President Trump has violated international law in the past. This sets a dangerous precedent for what can happen in the future, now that the US no longer has the moral and legal limitations set forth by the United Nations as a UNHRC member.

Third, this decision puts US diplomatic relations with the international community in grave danger. Countries like China, Russia, and Venezuela support the US government’s decision because while the US loses its leverage over their countries, they (China, Russia, and Venezuela) gain power over the US. The US has used its status in the UNHRC during diplomatic negotiations to convince China, Russia, and Venezuela to stop persecuting their political dissidents; however, the US’ withdrawal from the council opens up more opportunities for these countries to violate international law. Canada, the United Kingdom, and France denounced President Trump and Ambassador Haley for their decision and warned of the dangers of such an action. Ultimately, the US has forced its allies to push away from diplomatic negotiations as these countries lose trust in the US government.

Ultimately, the decision of the United States government to withdraw from the UNHRC has and will have devastating consequences both domestically and internationally. As a country with one of the world’s greatest economies and social infrastructures, it is the duty of the US to protect human rights and preserve international law. The US has put the United Nations and many under-developed countries in a difficult situation, a situation that may result in more deaths, more violations, and more turmoil.

<Kelly Kim / Marymount High School Grade12>