CIEL statement on United States withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued a statement criticizing the United States' withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council, arguing that the move undermines global human rights protections and allows the U.S. to avoid international scrutiny.

• The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) asserts that the United States' withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council weakens global human rights protections and provides a dangerous example for nations that allow or commit serious human rights abuses. CIEL claims this action signals a retreat from the international community and an attempt by the U.S. to avoid scrutiny for its own abuses and repression.
• CIEL states that withdrawing from the Human Rights Council does not exempt the United States from its international human rights obligations or from accountability regarding its failure to fulfill, promote, protect, and respect human rights.
• CIEL suggests that the Human Rights Council should use the departure of the United States to advance international human rights in areas where the U.S. previously caused obstructions, specifically mentioning the human rights impacts of climate change and transnational corporate accountability.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2018). CIEL statement on United States withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-united-states-withdrawal-un-human-rights-council/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. CIEL statement on United States withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council. 2018. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-united-states-withdrawal-un-human-rights-council/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=CIEL statement on United States withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council |date=19 June 2018 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-united-states-withdrawal-un-human-rights-council/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2018ciel, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{CIEL statement on United States withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-statement-united-states-withdrawal-un-human-rights-council/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }