Video message by High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk

9 December 2024

European Parliament , Brussels, Belgium

Full recording here.

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Good afternoon,

My warm greetings to you all.

Thank you to the European Parliament, other European Union partners and civil society for organising this meeting together with my Office, on International Human Rights Defenders Day.

This is a crucial moment to gather and reflect on the environment in which human rights defenders are operating – some of you are here today from all around the world - and the action needed to better support and protect them.

Crises are multiplying – from escalating, violent conflict to the climate emergency to deepening inequalities.

The backlash against human rights is intense and growing.

And the free and open public space is shrinking.

Legitimate protests are curbed with force, and places for people to discuss and participate in decisions that affect them are often shut down.

With autocratic tendencies on the rise, criticism is criminalized, under vaguely defined threats to national security in more and more countries.

Around the world, including in Europe, governments and others are using force to target human rights defenders and peaceful protests. According to data gathered by my Office, last year, 320 human rights defenders, journalists, and trade unionists in 40 countries were killed. Kidnapping, detention, legal harassment, and online attacks are other major threats.

New forms of repression, including online surveillance and tracking of people across borders, are growing, while the full impact of digital technologies on the work and safety of human rights defenders is not yet known.

Shining a light on matters of public interest – from exposing corruption, to protecting the environment, to seeking equality and peace – is an increasingly dangerous endeavour.

The dire consequences of a closed civic space are becoming ever more apparent. It leads to more polarised societies, with groups pitted one against the other, less room for diverse voices, and weaker public debate.

Disinformation flourishes, and evidence-based policy making suffers.

We have seen more and more attempts to delegitimise dissenting voices, and we have seen attacks against regional and international organisations, including my own Office. This is now happening in every region.

And it leads to a gradual erosion of the fundamental consensus around international human rights and humanitarian law.

Distinguished participants,

Human rights defenders – many of you - stand up for those values, principles, and basic human rights norms on which our societies are built, often at great personal risk. Your voices are crucial at this moment – they must be protected and allowed the space to thrive.

I am glad to say that some governments, NGOs and international organizations have made significant efforts to seek accountability for violations against human rights defenders, and to strengthen protection systems within States and across borders. The European Union is a crucial stakeholder and ally of human rights defenders through its regulatory powers, its policies, and its support to protection programmes around the world.

But we can and must do more: by building on what has worked, and identifying where more concerted action is needed.

To that end, States need to redouble their efforts to secure an enabling environment for human rights defenders. This means ensuring that laws and institutions facilitate – rather than hinder - an open and vibrant civic space. And they must strengthen mechanisms to protect those who are at risk.

While States have the primary responsibility for these efforts, regional and international organisations have a key role to play.

It will be important for the European Union institutions to sustain and even increase their engagement on this issue and indeed to prioritise it in the new term.

As the European Union, your voice and support are crucial in the face of mounting challenges to human rights.

We already have the tools – a robust human rights architecture with legal status.

Targeted investment, dedicated policy initiatives and closer partnerships to strengthen protection ecosystems, networks and mechanisms can help bring real change on the ground.

It is also important for States to ensure that the European Union is itself a safe and enabling environment - by strengthening the protection of defenders working on human rights in Europe, and those carrying out their work from Europe.

These steps are fully in line with the European Union’s pledge to continue supporting human rights defenders under last year’s Human Rights 75 Initiative.

Finally, together, we must shift the narrative, and better showcase the value of open societies that promote human rights.

We cannot afford to allow others to define human rights for us.

Countries that back human rights should be proud to celebrate the benefits of inclusivity, sustainability, equality, and justice.

Distinguished participants,

Open and free dialogue – grounded in respect for human rights - is what is most needed in times of crisis.

Human rights defenders are the pillars of that dialogue and of human rights work. We must do everything we can to ensure they can operate in safety, wherever they are.

Thank you.