The European Union (EU) is currently elaborating its next 7-year EU budget. Investing in human rights is an investment in the EU's core values. It contributes to strengthening democratic resilience, rule of law, security, social cohesion, and the EU’s global leadership. Dedicated funding to reduce exclusion and inequality, and to support fundamental rights protection, human rights institutions and civil society reinforces the very foundations on which the Union is built.

The Representation Office to the EU of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) made ten recommendations to seize this opportunity to further progress on the realization of human rights in the EU and its Member States.

1. Uphold human rights in line with international and regional obligations.
2. Put human rights at the centre of EU economic and budgetary decision-making.
3. Use UN human rights recommendations to guide EU spending priorities.
4. Mobilize the maximum available resources for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
5. Ensure funding matches real human rights needs.
6. Invest for long-term impact through sustainable funding.
7. Ensure EU funds do no harm to human rights.
8. Protect social investment, non-discrimination and leave no one behind in EU funding.
9. Strengthen participation, transparency and accountability in EU funding.
10. Use the MFF to strengthen the human rights ecosystem.

The EU budget is a powerful tool to enhance investments in realizing human rights across Europe. it is essential to ensure that EU funding frameworks are embedding human rights principles throughout the funding cycle, including through disaggregated data, targeted indicators, and monitoring mechanisms. Leveraging the new MFF to allocate the maximum of available resources to the promotion and protection of human rights, and to ring-fence social spending from cutbacks and austerity measures, including adopted in the context of the rising prominence of security and defence, would be a crucial contribution to sustainable development, social cohesion and sustaining peace.

Read the full Position Paper for more information.