BRUSSELS (CHATNEWSTV) — The European Union marked Human Rights Day on Tuesday with a renewed pledge to uphold universal rights, emphasizing their critical role in fostering justice, equality, and sustainability worldwide.
“This year’s theme, Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now, highlights the urgent need to safeguard freedoms as a foundation for a resilient and just future, leaving no one behind,” the EU said in a statement.
Human rights, described as “legal, moral, and actionable guarantees,” are indispensable to dignity, democracy, and sustainable development, the EU asserted. The bloc linked respect for these principles to global peace, prosperity, and achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The statement also addressed ongoing global crises, including armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, and climate disasters, as well as persistent gender inequality. “The international rules-based order, with human rights at its core, remains irreplaceable,” the EU noted, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East and Sudan as stark reminders of the toll on civilian populations, particularly women and children.
“Peace is not merely the absence of war; it demands continuous commitment and daily advocacy for equality, justice, and democracy,” the statement read.
The EU emphasized the importance of empowering young people as agents of change, protecting human rights defenders, and collaborating globally to ensure accountability and justice.
“The EU steadfastly supports human rights defenders, civil society, journalists, and all those calling for peace, truth, and accountability,” the statement added.
As the world observes the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the EU reaffirmed its dedication to the United Nations Charter and pledged to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights.
“The EU will continue to promote and protect human rights for everyone, everywhere — Your Rights, Your Future, Right Now and Always,” the statement concluded.
