Defending Civil Liberties Internationally

UUSC defends and upholds the principle that all people are entitled to basic human rights and civil liberties, acknowledging that without robust democratic institutions to protect these rights, people are at risk of government abuse. At particular risk are women, low-income persons, people of color, and members of other marginalized groups, who are vulnerable by virtue of their place in society.

UUSC's Civil Liberties Program analyzes how the dimensions of class, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, national origin, race, and religion affect people’s ability to exercise their rights. We work to empower those who are being denied their legal rights, recalling the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., who taught us, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

In order to achieve our goals, UUSC provides strategic thinking, technical support, and seed grants to organizations doing important work on issues such as freedom of speech, due process of law, and opposing torture. These grassroots organizations and civil-society groups are made up of everyday heroes who are committed to the cause of protecting individual freedoms.

Specifically, UUSC:

• Supports and works with international partner organizations to defend civil liberties threatened by the Global War on Terror.
• Promotes and applies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Supports and works with national and international partner organizations to end torture, extraordinary renditions, and secret prisons.
• Opposes the Military Commissions Act.