On Thursday, June 25, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered remarks in Washington, D.C. on the 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (HRRs). The Secretary of State is required by law to provide to Congress every year, “a full and complete report regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights.” In accordance with this mandate, the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices -- the Human Rights Reports -- describe the status in countries around the world of internationally recognized human rights, including reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

These reports provide information that helps the U.S. Congress, Executive Branch, and Courts in making decisions where accurate information on human rights conditions is critical. It also supports the work of human rights advocates, lawmakers, scholars, multilateral institutions, and other governments.

The United States takes its commitment to promoting respect for human rights seriously and views the annual Human Rights Report as an important part of that commitment. The Human Rights Reports are prepared by human rights officers at U.S. embassies and other posts around the world. They represent thousands of work-hours as each country team collects, analyzes, and synthesizes information from a variety of sources. Once the reports are drafted, they are edited, reviewed, and fact-checked to ensure accuracy and objectivity. The reports do not attempt to catalog every human rights related incident; rather, they highlight illustrative cases of the types of significant human rights violations and abuses committed in 2014.

More information about our engagement on human rights is available at www.HumanRights.gov.