Narrator:
Support for democracy and the fostering of economic development are the cornerstones of the Obama administration’s agenda for promoting human rights around the world, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Secretary Clinton:
To fulfill their potential, people must be free to choose laws and leaders, to share and access information, to speak, criticize and debate. They must be free to worship, associate, and to love in the way that they choose. And they must be free to pursue the dignity that comes with self-improvement and self-reliance, to build their minds and their skills, to bring their goods to the marketplace, and participate in the process of innovation.
Narrator:
In a speech at Georgetown University in Washington, Clinton presented the president’s goals for human rights in the 21st century. She said human rights must be seen in a broad context that recognizes both negative and positive requirements. People everywhere, Clinton said, should be free from tyranny in whatever form and they must also be free to seize the opportunities of a full life.
Secretary Clinton:
Our human rights agenda for the 21st century is to make human rights a human reality, and the first step is to see human rights in a broad context. Of course, people must be free from the oppression of tyranny, from torture, from discrimination, from the fear of leaders who will imprison or “disappear” them. But they also must be free from the oppression of want — want of food, want of health, want of education, and want of equality in law and in fact.
Narrator:
Human rights, democracy and development are three challenges that must be met together to make a real and long-term difference in people’s lives. A commitment that is smart, strategic, determined and long-term is a key part of achieving success in all three areas.
Secretary Clinton:
We stand for democracy not because we want other countries to be like us, but because we want all people to enjoy the consistent protection of the rights that are naturally theirs, whether they were born in Tallahassee or Tehran. Democracy has proven the best political system for making human rights a human reality over the long term.
Narrator:
While acknowledging that there is no single formula for fostering human rights, democracy and development that can be applied to every situation, Clinton outlined critical elements in the Obama administration’s plan for action. Holding all nations accountable to universal standards of human rights is a priority, she said. The United States will assess its own performance, she said.
Secretary Clinton:
By holding ourselves accountable, we reinforce our moral authority to demand that all governments adhere to obligations under international law; among them, not to torture, arbitrarily detain and persecute dissenters, or engage in political killings. Our government and the international community must counter the pretensions of those who deny or abdicate their responsibilities and hold violators to account.
Narrator:
In enforcing human rights standards, the United States will balance pressure and incentives in a pragmatic approach that does not compromise its principles and will work for positive change within multilateral institutions.
Human rights cannot be just a project for governments. Change must be driven by citizens and their communities. Among the tools to promote grass-roots efforts is the Global Human Rights Defenders Fund, which last year provided targeted legal and relocation assistance to 170 human rights defenders around the world. Spotlighting human rights activists’ efforts and supporting civil society leaders help lay the foundation for change from the bottom up.
Narrator:
This podcast is produced by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs.