FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2025

(NEW YORK) — Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) expresses grave concern over the United States’ new executive order, signed on February 4, withdrawing the country from key UN human rights bodies and reviewing its participation in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO plays a critical role in defending artistic freedom, promoting press freedom, and protecting cultural heritage—issues that directly impact artists, journalists, and cultural practitioners at risk worldwide. ARC strongly urges the U.S. administration to reconsider policies that risk undermining critical human rights protections for those on the frontlines. 

“The U.S. disengagement from international human rights mechanisms sends a troubling signal at a time when artistic freedom is under increasing threat globally,” said ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault. “UNESCO has been a vital platform for advancing freedom of expression, countering censorship, and supporting artists and cultural workers in crisis. A review and potential withdrawal from this body not only weakens these global efforts but also diminishes the U.S.’s ability to influence and uphold these essential rights on the international stage.”

On Tuesday, February 4, President Trump signed an executive order officially withdrawing the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The order also instructs a 90-day review of funding and involvement of the U.S. in UNESCO. According to the administration, this decision is based on concerns that some of the UN’s agencies and bodies have “drifted from [their] mission and instead act contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating anti-Semitism.” The executive order makes claims about the UNHRC, stating that it “has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny.” Meanwhile, the order to review U.S. membership in UNESCO cites its “failure to reform itself” and “continual demonstration of anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade.” This is not an unprecedented shift for the country; in 2017, the Trump administration announced its intention to withdraw the United States from UNESCO, also making claims of anti-Israel bias and the need for fundamental reform within the organization. The five-year withdrawal became effective on December 31, 2018, leaving the U.S. as only an observer to the agency. In July 2023, the Biden administration rejoined the agency, emphasizing the important role it plays in advancing fundamental rights and expressing concerns over a vacuum in global leadership. 

The current administration’s directive follows a series of recent actions on U.S. foreign assistance, including Executive Order 14169, signed on January 20, 2025, imposing a 90-day freeze on new obligations and disbursements of U.S. foreign development assistance funds. Simultaneously, the administration seems to be moving forward with the dismantling of USAID, raising concerns about the broader rollback of U.S. engagement in international development and human rights support. According to the International Service for Human Rights, “the suspension and, in some cases the termination, of US foreign aid is having profound and adverse human rights impacts, threatening the very existence of many human rights defenders, organizations and institutions.” Meanwhile, access to emergency food assistance, life-saving vaccines, and security programs, including many UN-led programs, are now at risk, exacerbating the suffering of millions of people in conflict zones and some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. 

ARC calls on Congress to push back against this rollback of U.S. engagement and ensure continued U.S. participation in UNESCO and other critical human rights institutions. In a time of escalating threats to free expression, the U.S. must strengthen, not abandon, its leadership in upholding these fundamental rights.

About ARC

Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues.

Contact: Elias Ephron, eephron@artistsatriskconnection.org