In a statement released on International Human Rights Day 2011, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton reflected on the on-going repression of "people exercising their universal rights" and asserted that it is an "obligation of every government to guarantee the rights of all citizens".
See full statement here, extracts reproduced below:
"On December 10, 1948, world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly and pledged to uphold and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people. This promise, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognized that human beings are, by virtue of their birth, endowed with certain inalienable rights that serve as 'the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world".
"The violence we have witnessed this year against people exercising their universal rights to free expression, assembly, and association reminds us of the distance that exists between the values inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the realities for many people around the world".
"As we celebrate Human Rights Day, we reaffirm our commitment to these ideals. It is an obligation of every government to guarantee the rights of all citizens, including women, LGBT people, individuals with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups."
"We will stand with those who defend human rights against oppression wherever it occurs, and support those working toward a more peaceful world."
