The Universal Declaration starts with the powerful assertion that ’all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’. It has laid the foundation for the international human rights system. Today, human rights are one of the pillars of the United Nations, alongside peace and security, and sustainable development.

Human Rights Day reminds us that human rights are universal, indivisible, inalienable, interdependent and interrelated. These words might sound technical, but in fact they are the essential features of human rights that ensure that the subject of rights - the individuals - remain at the heart of all our efforts and actions.

The promotion and protection of human rights is an imperative to uphold human dignity; the genuine respect and fulfilment of human rights is also indispensable for peace, democracy and sustainable development.

Human Rights and Democracy are at the core of EU External Action. Under the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, the EU is making use of its wide range of instruments to uphold and advance human rights globally. Among those are bilateral and multilateral cooperation in human rights, the imposition of sanctions on persons and entities involved in serious violations and abuses of human rights, as well as support under the Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy 2021-2027. The EU Special Representative for Human Rights has a mandate to enhance the effectiveness and visibility of EU human rights policy and guides the implementation of the Action Plan.

The EU stands by and invests in the empowerment of human rights defenders and civil society organizations worldwide. The 24^th EU-NGO Human Rights Forum on 14-15 December will again serve as a platform to engage with human rights defenders from all parts of the globe. We will discuss possibilities and best practices of putting an end to impunity and ensuring access to justice and accountability for human rights violations and abuses. The EU also supports human rights defenders at risk through special protection mechanisms (see for example Protect Defenders).

The EU will continue to monitor, raise attention to and take decisive action in international fora to combat and prevent human rights violations and abuses, and to support international initiatives to hold all perpetrators to account.

Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we can certainly say that human rights have advanced. However, we have also sorely learnt that the fight for rights and equality never ends and that human rights should 'never ever’ be taken for granted. Almost 75 years after its proclamation, today the Declaration is more relevant than ever as we witness a global backsliding of the respect for human rights, democratic principles and the international rule of law at a moment of a resurgence of conflict, significant loss of development gains and the climate crisis.

In face of all these challenges, the values and rights enshrined in the Declaration continue to be guideposts for our collective and individual actions. The EU was founded exactly on the same values, which we apply in our internal and external policies.

Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All – UDHR 75

This year it is a special Human Rights Day, because it kicks off the 75^th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR). The United Nation’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will give prominence to the UDHR in a year-long campaign, to increase global knowledge and awareness of human rights, to promote attitude change, to empower and to mobilize. It is time for a meaningful realization of all human rights for all! The Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls everybody to ’stand up for human rights’.

As a close partner of the UN, the EU will support these actions around the world. In such challenging times, it is important to deploy collective efforts to uphold the Universal Declaration and the universality of human rights. Human Rights Day reminds us that we shall engage every day of the year to protect and defend these values and principles. Together, we will counter the rollbacks on human rights; together we will show the enduring relevance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for our times and for the future!

On Human Rights Day, we commit to re-double our efforts to stand with and speak out for the oppressed and those under threat, wherever they may live.