U.S. Department of State’s Human Rights Report focuses on labour issues, women, and Indigenous people

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On April 20, the Department of State released its annual Human Rights Report (HRR). Officially designated Country Reports on Human Rights Practices—2017, the report, mandated by Congress, was technically due on Feb. 25. In recent years, however, this deadline has been more honoured in the breach than honoured with its release contingent on the availability of the secretary of state, who traditionally presented the report to a media audience. Consequently, the secretary, often travelling, negotiating, or unable to find a 15-minute window to say a few anodyne phrases before passing the steaming potato to a human rights senior official has pushed the HRR release past “March Madness,” the beginning of spring, the opening of the baseball season, and into the professional baseball and hockey playoffs. The HRR is existentially a socio-political document. One of the few legacies of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, the HRR has long moved past “traditional” human rights: freedom of speech; press; religion; association; assembly; peaceful change of government, rule of law, etc. to expand its scope into detailed examination inter alia of labour rights, women’s status, treatment of LGBTI persons, condition of native peoples, abuses in internal conflicts, and government corruption. It became a “Christmas tree” with each administration adding new ornaments and/or stressing new topics. It is illustrative that the first HRR (1976) covered 82 countries in 286 pages while the 2017 version addressed 199 entities in upwards of 7,000 pages. Thus, it was unsurprising that the current administration would be skeptical of the content and structure of the existing HRR. In 2017, when faced with an HRR essentially drafted and completed during the Obama presidency, the administration had two choices: totally rework the text to coincide with its preferences or release the Obama-drafted HRR with minimal comment. They chose the latter, releasing it on a Friday without an official briefing and de minimis transmission to Congress and, when questioned, simply stated “the report speaks for itself.” This year, however, the administration took a significantly different approach. Although completed in time for a Feb. 23 release, the HRR was constructed largely along existing lines, although designed to be shorter with fewer illustrative examples of abuses. Such was not sufficient for influential political appointees, who instituted significant revision of the completed reports. Consequently, there was the equivalent of a “Chinese fire drill” with a variety of word processors working to eliminate the section of “Reproductive Rights” which had been interpreted pro and con as access to abortion. The material was re-designated “Coercion in Population Control” with emphasis on forced abortion/sterilization. Statistical information on contraception is now available on a web link. Another major revision was eliminating the dual designation of “Israel” and “Occupied Territories” with the former incorporating Israel proper/Golan Heights and the latter the West Bank and Gaza. The new designation is “Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza.” Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan introduced the report, denouncing egregious abuses in Syria, Burma, North Korea, China, and Iran as well as violations in Turkey, Venezuela, and Russia. He offered plaudits for advances in Uzbekistan, Liberia, and Mexico. Subsequent official comment defended rewriting of “Reproductive Rights” and relabelling of “Israel/Occupied Territories” as technical adjustments. A disingenuous rationalization; it was transparently political. Regarding the Canada HRR chapter, it substantially shortened from 9,235 to 7,577 words, reflecting emphasis on eliminating superfluous statistical material. Despite reductions, there is heavy emphasis on “legacy language,” reflecting guidance not to reinvent the wheel. Canada is devoid of egregious abuses characterizing many other nations, e.g., no extra-judicial killings, torture, “disappearances,” etc. Focus consequently, continues as in previous analyses, on labour issues (22 per cent), women (14.3 per cent), and Indigenous people (11.2 per cent). Although the largest section of the report, labour is characterized by virtually unchanged legacy language. Canada endorses and enforces international norms on free association, prohibition of compulsory and child labour, nondiscrimination, and safe working conditions. The section on women notes the continuing, but desultory national inquiry into the issue of missing/murdered Indigenous women—a study projected for completion by end 2018 but making little progress. Replacing “Reproductive Rights” is “Coercion in Population Control” noting “no coercive population control measures.” Indigenous people continue to suffer disproportionate unemployment and incarceration. Ontario, however, made progress, in designing a framework to address Métis claims against the government. Reports of anti-Semitism rose 26 per cent; hate crimes also rose, but more directed against blacks than other racial/ethnic groups. Consequently, despite occasional warts, it would be a more humane world were there 198 other entities with Canadian attributes. David Jones is a former political counsellor who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. The Hill Times