Human Rights: EU and OHCHR hold Strategic Consultations
The European Union and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) held their fifth Strategic Consultations yesterday in Geneva.
Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions, proliferating conflicts and crises, increasing violations of international law, and sustained pressure on multilateral institutions, the Consultations reviewed strategic cooperation and shared priorities. Participants exchanged views on global and regional human rights developments and reaffirmed their unequivocal commitment to the UN Charter, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, as well as to international justice and accountability. They stressed that respect for these norms is indispensable to safeguard human dignity, prevent conflict, foster sustainable peace and ensure effective multilateral institutions.
In this context, participants underlined the urgent need to preserve and strengthen the international human rights architecture as part of the UN80 process, recognizing it as a strategic pillar of an effective, credible, and inclusive multilateral system and a key line of defence against growing attempts to undermine universal norms and accountability.
The EU and OHCHR discussed how human rights can serve as a strategic enabler across internal and external action, reinforcing coherence, resilience, and credibility. They highlighted the imperative of protecting civic space, advancing equality, and combating discrimination in all its forms as essential conditions for democratic governance, security and social cohesion. Participants stressed the importance of systematically applying a human rights-based approach across all policy areas. Discussions also addressed the human rights dimension of the EU’s upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034, including Global Europe, reaffirming the EU’s determination to ensure that external engagement, investment, and partnerships advance human rights, accountability, and sustainable development.
The Consultations further focused on human rights engagement in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Both sides) highlighted the central role of prevention, protection, accountability, confidence building and peacebuilding in enabling sustainable recovery and reinforcing peace, security, and sustainable development, in line with the EU’s integrated approach to external conflicts and crises. Participants stressed the need to embed human rights considerations throughout the whole conflict cycle, from early warning and crisis response to post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction, in full coherence with international humanitarian law, and to strengthen confidence-building measures and inclusive peace processes.
The EU reaffirmed its unwavering support for the High Commissioner’s mandate and for the independence of his Office in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide. The EU reiterated its determination to stand alongside the High Commissioner in advancing a Global Alliance for Human Rights and confirmed its continued commitment to supporting OHCHR politically, strategically, and financially. Both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation at strategic level and in the field to ensure that human rights remain at the core of crisis response, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
The EU and OHCHR will continue to hold annual Strategic Consultations and pursue follow-up exchanges at working level to advance shared priorities.
The Strategic Consultations were co-chaired by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Kajsa Ollongren, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. The Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Sirpa Rautio, participated in the meeting, along side the Head of the EU Delegation to Geneva.