JBI Human Rights

JBI Facilitates Historic UN Report on Antisemitism: A Conversation with UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Deborah Lipstadt, and JBI

 

In September 2019, the UN published a first-ever stand-alone human rights report dedicated solely to antisemitism, authored by Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. It documents rising antisemitic violence and hate speech around the world and identifies it as a threat to Jews and as “toxic” to democratic societies.

The Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI) convened two expert consultations – one in Geneva involving global antisemitism monitors to share insights into the state of antisemitism around the world and best practices, and one on antisemitism in the United States – that informed the Special Rapporteur’s report. Additionally, JBI helped provide Dr. Shaheed with contacts in smaller Jewish communities that he would otherwise have had difficulty accessing.

Dr. Shaheed recommended for all States to adopt the Working Definition of Antisemitism, another first for a UN report. AJC and JBI support Dr. Shaheed’s additional recommendation for an appointment of a UN focal point on antisemitism.

At AJC headquarters in New York, Dr. Shaheed addressed AJC and JBI leaders about his groundbreaking report. Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt offered comments. A recording of the presentation can be found in the video above.

JBI Urges Administration to Reverse Cuts in U.S. Refugee Program and to Protect Victims Fleeing Persecution

The Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI) is deeply disappointed by the U.S. administration’s decision to severely reduce the number of refugees accepted into the United States. For FY 2020 the cap will be 18,000, down from 30,000 in FY 2019 and 45,000 in FY 2018.

“The severe diminution of the U.S. refugee program undermines a commitment to protect those fleeing from atrocious human rights abuses and contravenes core American values,” said JBI Administrative Council Chair, Jerry Biederman. “The Administration’s new cap is especially egregious when the number of refugees around the world has increased to the greatest levels seen since World War II, and people who have fled for their lives need protection.” According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are nearly 26 million refugees worldwide, and another 41.3 million internally displaced in their own countries.

The new cap is a 40% cut from the current year allocation of 30,000, and only one of a series of dramatic reductions in refugee cap numbers including a reduction from 75,000 to 45,000 in FY 2018 and to 30,000 in FY 2019. Additionally, even with decreasing caps in refugee admissions, the U.S. has not reached those targets in recent years coming to only about half in FY 2018 and resettling just over 28,000 as of August 31, 2019. The newly announced number is the lowest since 1980, when Congress passed the Refugee Act and set up the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). That year 207,000 refugees were admitted to the U.S.

JBI strongly urges the administration not to turn its back on the enormous and growing population of vulnerable refugees in dire need of protection, and encourages a swift reversal to these drastic cuts to the U.S. Refugee Program.