#StandUp4HumanRights: EU Delegation celebrates Human Rights Day

11.12.2020

Recover better, stand up for Human Rights – that is the theme of this year’s Human Rights Day on 10th December. The EU Delegation in Geneva marked this important day with several webinars and social media campaigns. To reach out to a younger audience, the EU Human Rights Team ‘went back to school’ to share in virtual discussions with young people across Europe insights about their work on several human rights issues.

  The Human Rights Team at the EU Delegation in Geneva was excited to (virtually) go back to their schools and talk about their work with young people interested in the field of international relations and human rights. In several webinars, the EU experts provided an overview of the EU's external actions in the field of human rights, especially its efforts and priorities at the Human Rights Council. The participants also had the opportunity to ask questions and to discuss different aspects related to the broader field of international protection of human rights. 

Europe map

   https://twitter.com/EU_UNGeneva/status/1336353701066399744 The EU Team was also happy to launch a new video of their ‘From Geneva to the world’ series, showcasing the EU’s efforts in upholding and promoting the rights of the child. The full version of the video can be watched here: https://bit.ly/3n1gIhT Another short video was produced to illustrate the EU’s work and priorities at the UN Human Rights Council. It highlights the EU-led resolutions on the human rights situation in Belarus, Myanmar, North Korea, Burundi, but also on other thematic priorities such as freedom of religion or belief, the rights of the child, as well as gender equality, the protection of human rights defenders, freedom of speech and the abolition of the death penalty. https://twitter.com/EU_UNGeneva/status/1337043251564523525 Team Europe in Geneva also took part in the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) #RecoverBetter challenge , posting pictures on Social Media where they hold a sign saying “Recover better - Stand up for Human Rights”. https://twitter.com/EU_UNGeneva/status/1337051090085416961 In his Declaration on the occasion of Human Rights Day, EU High Representative Josep Borrell drew attention to the EU’s firm commitment: “In the middle of a global pandemic, the EU adopted the new EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, which sets out an ambitious roadmap for external action for the next five years. This Action Plan is an opportunity to reinvigorate our human rights and democracy work.” With regard to the coming years, he emphasized: “Looking to 2021 and beyond, the European Union commits to working alongside its partners to show leadership on human rights issues and to work to strengthen the protection of human rights in a post-COVID-19 world.” https://twitter.com/EU_UNGeneva/status/1336659967886168065