UN Human Rights Council 11th Session
Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on Minority Issues
Agenda Item 3
Statement by the Delegation of the United States
Delivered by Anna Chambers
Human Rights Council, Geneva
March 16, 2010
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States thanks the Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Gay McDougall, for her work and for her report. Thank you for your analysis of the situation of minorities in the countries you visited.
The United States strongly supports your work to combat discrimination and to highlight issues of concern relating to minorities. We thank you for your report on your work with UNICEF as well as for the report of your work ot raise awareness of the Forum’s recommendations regarding education. We commend your efforts to work across the UN system.
We commend you on your work for the success of the Second Forum on Minority Issues, dealing with political participation. We look forward to the further detail on the most recent forum, coming under Item 5.
For our part, the history of the United States includes the history of our ongoing struggle to achieve equality in effective political participation. Recently, the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice has brought lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 challenging racially discriminatory election systems in Florida, Ohio; and New York. The Division also recently brought and successfully resolved a lawsuit to protect Hispanic voters from having their right to vote challenged on racial grounds.
We welcome your focus on gender issues and would be interested in hearing more about your conclusions and recommendations in this important area.
Thank you, Mr. President.