31st Session of the Human Rights Council
As delivered by Amanda Jessen
Geneva, Switzerland
March 18, 2016
Mr. President,
Earlier this year, the United States was pleased to welcome the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent for an official visit to the United States, which included meetings with government officials and civil society activists in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Jackson [Mississippi], Chicago, and New York City.
We believe it was a constructive visit and we look forward to seeing the Working Group’s report and recommendations.
We also reaffirm our commitment to promote racial and ethnic equality to mark the International Decade for People of African Descent. In doing so, we recognize the common challenges faced by persons of African descent in the United States and all over the world. The Decade is an opportunity for the United States to encourage positive domestic discourse on human rights at home, highlight over 50 years of progress under the U.S. Civil Rights Act, and work with international partners to promote nondiscrimination and equality.
Thank you, Mr. President.