Asst. Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Sworn In

Yesterday, the new head of a little-known bureau within the State Department was formally sworn in, though he has been on the job for over three weeks. Michael Posner was sworn in as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Posner previously served as president of Human Rights First. In her remarks (full text) at the ceremony, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the work of the Bureau: "It trains NGOs and civil society leaders to try to turn the principles of democracy into practice, to combat violence and discrimination against women and minorities, to promote interfaith dialogue and fight exploitation in the workplace." Posner's actual confirmation by the Senate was Sept. 22, and immediately afterwards he led the first U.S. delegation to the UN Human Rights Council, sponsoring with Egypt a compromise resolution on freedom of expression and religion. (See prior posting.)