U.N. Human Rights Committee Underscores Concerns of U.S. Civil and Human Rights Groups

WASHINGTON—Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the statement below in response today’s release by the United Nations Human Rights Committee of its report on U.S. progress on civil and human rights commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Leadership Conference submitted reports highlighting its concerns about segregation and disparities in education and re-enfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people:

“Today’s concluding observations from the Human Rights Committee underscore that, while America has made progress on civil and human rights, we do not yet fully live up to our ideal as a beacon of freedom and opportunity for all.

The committee affirmed civil and human rights groups’ concerns about inequality in America and recommended steps we can take to advance civil and human rights. The committee lifted up ways to address stark racial disparities in incarceration, law enforcement, application of the death penalty, voting, and education, and also noted the need to improve our treatment of immigrants and Native Americans and to combat homelessness, human trafficking, and domestic violence. The Human Rights Committee’s concluding observations illustrate how American engagement with international bodies can help make our nation freer, fairer, and a stronger role model for the world.

We’re thankful the committee also noted two key areas highlighted by The Leadership Conference: persistent segregation and disparities in education and the need to re-enfranchise formerly incarcerated people. Felon disenfranchisement laws deny almost six million Americans the right to vote and persistent educational inequality – particularly in school discipline policies – limit opportunity and stymie the advancement of civil and human rights.

Today’s report reveals how America is still a work in progress, and while we’ve come so far since our founding, we still have a lot of work ahead of us to perfect our democracy.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.