Trump administration to review human rights role in US policy

US President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

The Trump administration said yesterday that it will review the role of human rights in American foreign policy, appointing a commission expected to elevate concerns about religious freedom and abortion.

Human rights groups accused the administration of politicising foreign policy in a way that could undermine protections for marginalised populations, including the gay, lesbian and transgender communities.

Democratic senators have raised concerns about the panel's intent and composition, fearing it would consist of members who "hold views hostile to women's rights" and blow away existing standards and definitions.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the creation of the Commission on Unalienable Rights, saying the country must be "vigilant that human rights discourse not be corrupted or hijacked or used for dubious or malignant purposes".

He said he expected the most comprehensive review on the subject since the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations and laid out broadly accepted rights and freedoms.

The commission will be chaired by Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon, a conservative scholar and author.

The announcement alarmed human rights groups, which said they feared the commission could roll back progress in establishing protections for marginalised groups.

Amnesty International USA said there was no reason for such a review given the decades-old protections in place, while the American Civil Liberties Union said "taxpayer resources would be better spent assessing the administration's failure to meet basic human rights obligations, rather than redefining those rights".

- AP