2009 Press Releases
2008 Human Rights Report released by the U.S. State Department
February 27, 2009
The United States Department of State has released the 2008 edition of the Congressionally-mandated annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, commonly known as the Human Rights Report. The 2008 country report on The Bahamas concluded that The Bahamas generally respected the human rights of its citizens. In many areas critical to a functioning democracy, in fact, The Bahamas had no issues of concern. The report examines human rights issues in countries throughout the world during 2008, detailing each country's commitment to protecting and promoting the civil, political, and other rights listed in the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The rights enumerated in this document, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted, were also “reflected in President Obama’s Inaugural Address when he reminded us that every generation must carry forward the belief that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. Our foreign policy must also advance these timeless values which empower people to speak, think, worship and assemble freely, to lead their work and family lives with dignity, and to know that dreams of a brighter future are within their reach.”
The annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices were first mandated by Congress in 1976 and are a widely respected human rights reporting mechanism. They have become an essential tool to help determine foreign policy strategies that promote the development of democratic systems and principles, and remedy abuse and disregard for human rights.
The full text of the 2008 report is available online at www.state.gov.