via ReutersSpeaking last night at Georgetown University, America’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlined a pragmatic approach towards human rights calling for universal standards that apply to all nations.

Secretary Clinton outlined a human rights policy calling for people to not only be free from tyranny but also free “seize the opportunities of a full life.”

Human rights activists welcomes the speech amid growing commentary and concerns that the Obama Administration’s human rights policy is overly pragmatic.

An op-ed piece in The Washington Post sharply criticized the administration on Sunday, saying that “from China to Sudan, from Burma to Iran, a president lauded for his commitment to peace has dialed down a U.S. commitment to human rights.” via Reuters

In a move that represents a shift away from the Bush Administration, Secretary Clinton said the US would report next year on human trafficking both at home and abroad, and would participate in a U.N. review of “our own human rights record, just as we encourage other nations to do.”

Exhibiting a willingness to subject America’s own record on human rights to global scrutiny is perceived as a positive move for America on the global stage. Human rights activists say the proof will be in the pudding, so to speak.

Secretary Clinton also highlighted the proposed anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda, saying that “law should not become an instrument of oppression.”President Obama also addressed the law over the weekend, saying that it “moves against the tide of history.”

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 would sentence HIV positive homosexuals to death for having sex, and severely punish any homosexual with up to life imprisonment. Any Ugandan, gay or straight, who knows a homosexual and fails to report him or her to the authorities could face up to seven years in prison. via ABC News

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