General Comment on Draft Resolution: The Social Forum
As Delivered by Ambassador Michèle Taylor
Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council 53
July 13, 2023
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States strongly supports and appreciates the engagement and participation of civil society organizations and other stakeholders in the work of the Human Rights Council.
However, the United States has long held the view that the annual Social Forum, convened on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council, has limited utility and is an unnecessary drain on resources.
Our concerns were amplified this year when we learned that the Permanent Representative of Iran may serve as the Chair-Rapporteur of the Forum at its upcoming session in November. The appointment of a representative of a country with such a deplorable human rights record – including state-perpetrated and state-endorsed violence against women and girls and peaceful protestors as documented in the recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran – to serve in a leadership position on a body associated with the UN Human Rights Council severely undermines the Council’s credibility and its very purpose. We call on Iran to resign from this role or for their nomination to be withdrawn and for a new chair to be appointed by the President.
As our record makes clear, we strongly support and defend civil society participation not just in the work of this Council, but in decision-making throughout our own governments and societies. We are disappointed, however, that this resolution and the resulting forum ultimately fail to live up to our human rights aspirations.
Thank you, Mr. President.