What does the Regional Office for Europe do?
How do we work?
- As regards human rights within the European Union (EU) – its main area of engagement –, the Regional Office for Europe
- Advises the EU and Governments in the region on the integration of human rights in legislation, policy, budgeting and programmes, and on engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms
- Increase awareness of human rights and mobilises people to stand up for human rights, particularly in the context of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Empowers human rights networks, national human rights institutions, equality bodies, civil society, and human rights defenders
- Monitors human rights in the region and issues public reports and position papers
- Conducts strategic litigation before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg
- Undertakes joint initiatives with the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, the Council of Europe, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
- Concerning human rights in EU external action and development cooperation, and in the UN Team, the Regional Office for Europe
- Advocates for a human rights-based approach to the EU’s external policies, migration management, and development cooperation
- Fosters the integration of human rights in UN Brussels Team’s engagement on the Sustainable Development Agenda
- With respect to the EU – UN Human Rights Office partnership and good offices role: the Regional Office Europe
- Facilitates cooperation between other field presences and EU institutions, considering the relationship between the EU and the UN Human Rights Office globally
- Actively contributes to the EU – UN Partnership Visibility Strategy
- Provides support to thematic and country-specific Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council who seek to engage with EU institutions