REPORT on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

5.3.2025 - (2024/2081(INI))

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Isabel Wiseler‑Lima

Amendments

• 001-010 (PDF - 129 KB)
• 001-010 (DOC - 47 KB)
• 011-020 (PDF - 139 KB)
• 011-020 (DOC - 50 KB)
• 021-021 (PDF - 96 KB)
• 021-021 (DOC - 40 KB)
• 022-025 (PDF - 118 KB)
• 022-025 (DOC - 43 KB)
• 026-028 (PDF - 109 KB)
• 026-028 (DOC - 41 KB)
• 029-031 (PDF - 112 KB)
• 029-031 (DOC - 40 KB)
• 032-041 (PDF - 130 KB)
• 032-041 (DOC - 43 KB)
• 042-047 (PDF - 128 KB)
• 042-047 (DOC - 48 KB)
• 048-057 (PDF - 133 KB)
• 048-057 (DOC - 43 KB)
• 058-065 (PDF - 118 KB)
• 058-065 (DOC - 42 KB)
• 066-075 (PDF - 138 KB)
• 066-075 (DOC - 46 KB)
• 076-085 (PDF - 140 KB)
• 076-085 (DOC - 52 KB)
• 086-092 (PDF - 133 KB)
• 086-092 (DOC - 45 KB)
• 093-095 (PDF - 106 KB)
• 093-095 (DOC - 40 KB)

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

(2024/2081(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

– having regard to Articles 2, 3, 8, 21 and 23 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

– having regard to Articles 17 and 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations human rights treaties and instruments,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

– having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

– having regard to the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,

– having regard to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948 and United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 43/29 of 22 June 2020 on the prevention of genocide,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment  of 10 December 1984 and the Optional Protocol thereto, adopted on 18 December 2002,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities  of 12 December 2006 and the Optional Protocol thereto, adopted on 13 December 2006,

– having regard to the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid of 1976,

– having regard to the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 36/55 of 25 November 1981,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities of 18 December 1992,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 53/144 on 9 December 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of 13 September 2007,

– having regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas of 28 September 2018,

– having regard to the Programme of Action of the Cairo International Conference of Population and Development in 1994 and its review conferences,

– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 and the two Optional Protocols thereto, adopted on 25 May 2000,

– having regard to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, which entered into force on 24 December 2014, and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports of 5 June 1998,

– having regard to the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of September 1995 and its review conferences,

– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015, in particular goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 thereof,

– having regard to the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted on 19 December 2018 and the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees adopted on 17 December 2018,

– having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted on 17 July 1998, which entered into force on 1 July 2002,

– having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and the International Criminal Court on cooperation and assistance of 10 April 2006[1],

– having regard to the Council of Europe Conventions of 4 April 1997 for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine, and the Additional Protocols thereto, of 16 May 2005 on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and of 25 October 2007 on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention of 11 May 2011 on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention), which not all Member States have ratified but which entered into force for the EU on 1 October 2023,

– having regard to Protocols Nos 6 and 13 to the Council of Europe Convention of 28 April 1983 for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses[2],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe[3],

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 22 January 2024 on EU Priorities in UN Human Rights Fora in 2024,

– having regard to the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, adopted by the Council on 17 November 2020 and its Mid-term Review adopted on 9 June 2023,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 May 2024 on the alignment of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 with the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027,

– having regard to the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in external action (JOIN(2020)0017),

– having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0152),

– having regard to the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0698),

– having regard to the EU strategy on the rights of the child (COM(2021)0142),

– having regard to the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (COM(2021)0101),

– having regard to the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (COM(2020)0565),

– having regard to the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation (COM(2020)0620),

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders, adopted by the Council on 14 June 2004 and revised in 2008, and the second guidance note on the Guidelines’ implementation, endorsed in 2020,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, adopted by the Council on 8 December 2008,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) of 2005, as updated in 2009,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on the death penalty, as updated by the Council on 12 April 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by LGBTI persons, adopted on 24 June 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief, adopted by the Council on 24 June 2013,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on freedom of expression online and offline, adopted by the Council on 12 May 2014,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on non-discrimination in external action, adopted by the Council on 18 March 2019,

– having regard to the EU Guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation, adopted by the Council on 17 June 2019,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted by the Council on 16 September 2019,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on human rights dialogues with partner/third countries, approved by the Council on 22 February 2021,

– having regard to the revised EU Guidelines on children and armed conflict, approved by the Council on 24 June 2024,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 September 2012 entitled ‘The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe’s engagement with Civil Society in external relations’ (COM(2012)0492),

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 10 March 2023 on the role of the civic space in protecting and promoting fundamental rights in the EU,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859[4],

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 14 September 2022 for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453),

– having regard to the joint proposal from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 3 May 2023 for a Council regulation on restrictive measures against serious acts of corruption (JOIN(2023)0013),

– having regard to the 2023 EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World,

– having regard to its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which in 2024 was awarded to María Corina Machado, as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, and President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, representing all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting for the reinstitution of freedom and democracy,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2019 on EU Guidelines and the mandate of the EU Special Envoy on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU[5],

– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy[6],

– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on human rights protection and the EU external migration policy[7],

– having regard to its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act)[8],

– having regard to its resolution of 28 February 2024 on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2023[9], and to its previous resolutions on earlier annual reports,

– having regard to its resolutions on breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (known as urgency resolutions), adopted in accordance with Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure, in particular those adopted in 2023 and 2024,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0012/2025),

A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Articles 2 and 21 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide must be guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;

B. whereas consistency and coherence across the EU’s internal and external policies are key for achieving an effective and credible EU human rights policy, and in defending and supporting freedom and democracy;

C. whereas democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms; whereas effective rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;

D. whereas the EU strongly believes in and fully supports multilateralism, a rules-based global order and the set of universal values, principles and norms that guide the UN member states and that the UN member states have pledged to uphold, in accordance with the UN Charter; whereas a world of democracies, understood as a world of political systems that defend and protect human rights worldwide, is a safer world, as democracies have significant checks and balances in place to prevent the unpredictability of autocracies;

E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, totalitarianism and populism threatens the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of freedom and human rights in the world, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;

F. whereas in December 2023, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrated its 75th anniversary; whereas today, more than ever since the UN’s foundation, totalitarian regimes challenge the UN Charter’s basic principles, seek to rewrite international norms, undermine multilateral institutions and threaten peace and security globally;

G. whereas in November 2024, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child celebrated its 35th anniversary;

H. whereas the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is regarded as a turning point for the global agenda on gender equality and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025;

I. whereas the legitimacy and functioning of the international rules-based order are dependent on compliance with the orders of, and respect for, international bodies, such as United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and orders and decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court (ICC); whereas multilateralism is being challenged by increasing global threats, such as terrorism and extremism, which threaten compliance with such orders and decisions, as well as, generally, with provisions of international law, human rights law and international humanitarian law in emerging and ongoing conflict situations; whereas international institutions, their officials, and those cooperating with them, are the subject of attacks and threats; whereas the international community, including the EU, has a responsibility to uphold the international rules-based order by enforcing universal compliance, including by its partners;

J. whereas the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court establishes a framework of accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; whereas the independence of the ICC is vital to ensure that justice is delivered impartially and without political interference;

K. whereas the 2023 Mid-term Review of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, now extended to 2027, has shown that, despite the progress achieved so far, more needs to be done, in cooperation with like-minded democratic partners, especially in the context of the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption;

L. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas state and non-state actors around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing, among others, HRDs, CSOs, journalists, religious communities, opposition leaders and other vulnerable groups in their work, shrinking the civil space ever further; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, transnational repression, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities, including those living in exile;

M. whereas gender equality is a core EU value, and the human rights of women and girls, including their sexual and reproductive rights, continue to be violated across the world; whereas women experience unique and disproportionate impacts from conflicts, climate change and migration, including increased risks of gender-based violence, economic marginalisation and barriers to accessing resources; whereas women HRDs and CSOs continue to experience shrinking space for their critical work, as well as threats of violence, harassment and intimidation;

N. whereas the past year has been marked by a further proliferation of laws on ‘foreign agents’ or foreign influence, including in countries with EU candidate status, targeting CSOs and media outlets and attempting to prevent them from receiving financial support from abroad, including from the EU and its Member States, fostering a climate of fear and self-censorship;

O. whereas in 2024, more than half the world’s population went to the polls, and many of these elections were marked by manipulation, disinformation and attempts at interference from inside or outside the country;

P. whereas the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of a decline in the intent of states and other political forces to protect press freedom; whereas, according to RSF, 47 journalists and media workers have been killed, most of them in conflict zones, and 573 have been imprisoned since 1 January 2024;

Q. whereas 251 million children and young people are deprived of their fundamental right to education and remain out of school, according to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024; whereas girls and women are affected not only by poverty but also by cultural norms, gender bias, child marriage and violence through official, discriminatory policies that prevent them from accessing education and the labour market and attempt to erase them from public life;

R. whereas at least one million people are unjustly imprisoned for political reasons, among them several laureates and finalists of Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought;

S. whereas environmental harm and the impacts of climate change are intensifying precariousness, marginalisation and inequality, and increasingly displacing people from their homes or trapping them in unsafe conditions, thereby heightening their vulnerability and jeopardising their human rights;

Global challenges to democracy and human rights

1. Reasserts the universality, interdependence, interrelatedness and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead by example, in line with its values, to promote and strictly uphold human rights and international justice;

2. Insists that respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the EU’s external policy, in line with its founding principles; strongly encourages the EU and its Member States, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make freedom, democracy and human rights and their protection a central part of all EU policies in a streamlined manner and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field, including through all of its international agreements;

3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the rise of authoritarianism, totalitarianism and populism, as well as the increasing violations of the principles of universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law;

4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as, among others, threats of backsliding on human rights, notably women’s rights, as well as executions, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill treatment, gender-based violence, clampdowns on civil society, political opponents, marginalised and vulnerable groups including children and elderly people, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and  ethnic and religious minorities; condemns, equally, slavery and forced labour, excessive use of violence by public authorities, including violent crackdowns on peaceful protests and other assemblies, systematic and structural discrimination, instrumentalisation of the judiciary, censorship and threats to independent media, including threats in the digital sphere such as online surveillance and internet shutdowns, political attacks against international institutions and the rules-based international order, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world; denounces the transnational repression, by illiberal regimes, of citizens and activists who have sought refuge abroad, including on EU soil;

5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in conflicts around the world; reaffirms the neutrality and importance of humanitarian aid in all conflicts and crises; underlines the serious consequences of discrediting and attacking the organisations of multilateral forums, such as the UN, which can foster a culture of impunity and undermine the trust in and functioning of the UN system; calls for the EU to uphold the international legal system and take effective measures to enforce compliance;

6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; highlights, in particular, the work of CSOs and HRDs; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative[10] as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights and recommends that it be updated; underlines the role of the EU’s public and cultural diplomacy, as well as international cultural relations, in the promotion of human rights, and calls for the Strategic Communication and Foresight division of the European External Action Service (EEAS) to increase its efforts in this regard;

Strengthening the EU’s toolbox for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy around the world

7. Notes with concern the increasing divide worldwide; stresses the shared responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, international justice, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls upon the EU to keep communication channels open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;

EU action plan on human rights and democracy

8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in part also due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;

EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights

9. Fully supports the work of the EUSR for Human Rights in contributing to the visibility and coherence of the EU’s human rights actions in its external relations; upholds the EUSR’s central role in the EU’s promotion and protection of human rights by engaging with non-EU countries and like-minded partners; underlines the need for close cooperation between the EUSR for Human Rights and other EUSRs and Special Envoys in order to further improve this coherence, and calls for greater visibility for the role of the EUSR for Human Rights; calls for the EUSR to be supported in his work with increased resources and better coordination with EU delegations around the world; regrets, despite continuous calls, Parliament’s exclusion from the process of selecting the EUSR; insists on the need for the EUSR to report back to Parliament regularly;

Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and the human rights and democracy thematic programme

10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities, including the Global Gateway Strategy which is financed through the NDICI-Global Europe; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human-rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the EEAS to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission and in the mid-term review process as well as in its resolutions; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to ensure that a response is provided to the recommendation letters following each geopolitical dialogue and each resolution; urges the Commission to develop and launch a comprehensive, centralised website dedicated to the NDICI-Global Europe, including information on all the multiannual indicative programmes, detailing their respective budgets, associated actions and the financial allocations they are backing, organised both by country and by theme; notes that the NDICI-Global Europe and all future instruments must focus on the fundamental drivers of ongoing challenges, including the need to strengthen the resilience of local communities and democracy support activities by supporting economic development;

11. Calls for independent, ex ante assessments to determine the possible implications and risks of projects with regard to human rights, in line with Article 25(5) of  Regulation (EU) 2021/947; calls for independent human rights monitoring throughout the implementation of projects in third countries, especially in relation to projects entailing a high risk of violations; calls for a suspension of projects that (in)directly contribute to human rights violations in non-EU countries; reiterates the prohibition on allocating EU funds to activities that are contrary to EU fundamental values, such as terrorism or extremism; calls on the Commission to share all human rights-related assessments with Parliament in a proactive manner;

EU trade and international agreements

12. Reiterates its call to integrate human rights assessments and include robust clauses on human rights in agreements between the EU and non-EU countries, supported by a clear set of benchmarks and procedures to be followed in the event of violations; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to ensure that the human rights clauses in current international agreements are actively monitored and effectively enforced and to improve their communication with Parliament concerning considerations and decisions regarding this enforcement; reiterates that in the face of persistent breaches of human rights clauses by its partner countries, including those related to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus programme, the EU should react swiftly and decisively, including by suspending the agreements in question if other options prove ineffective; calls for the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning the creation of a complaint-handling portal to be implemented, within the framework of EU trade and financial instruments, or for the Commission’s Single Entry Point to be adapted to allow complaints regarding failure to comply with human rights clauses to be submitted; calls on the EU institutions to engage regularly with the business community and civil society in order to strengthen the links between international trade, human rights and economic security; calls for the EU to ensure human rights promotion and protection through its Global Gateway investments and projects, by ensuring that they do no harm;

EU human rights dialogues

13. Stresses the important role of human rights dialogues within the EU’s human rights toolbox and as a key vehicle for the implementation of the EU action plan on human rights and democracy; highlights that these dialogues must address the overall situation of human rights and democracy with the relevant countries; notes that human rights dialogues should be seen as a key element of sustained EU engagement and not as a free-standing instrument, and that the persistent failure of non-EU countries to genuinely engage in dialogues and to implement key deliverables should lead to the use of other appropriate foreign policy tools; recalls that these dialogues need to be used in conjunction and synergy with other instruments, using a more-for-more and a less-for-less approach; reiterates the need to raise individual cases, in particular those of Sakharov Prize laureates and those highlighted by Parliament in its resolutions, and ensure adequate follow-up; calls on the EEAS and EU delegations to increase the visibility of these dialogues and their outcomes, ensuring that they are results-oriented and based on a clear set of benchmarks that can be included in a published joint press statement, and to conduct suitable follow-up action on it; calls for the enhanced and meaningful involvement of civil society in the dialogues; stresses that genuine CSOs must not be impeded from participating in human rights dialogues and that any dialogue must include all genuine CSOs without any limitations;

EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (GHRSR – EU Magnitsky Act)

14. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; regrets, however, that its use has continued to be limited, especially in the current geopolitical landscape; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call on the Council to introduce qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; recalls, in this regard, the formal request submitted by Parliament to the Council in 2023, on calling an EU reform convention, with the aim, among others, of increasing the number of decisions taken by qualified majority; calls for a stronger use of the GHRSR and other ad hoc sanctions regimes on those responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including high-level officials; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;

Democracy support activities

15. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles, values and pluralism; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for the development of an EU toolbox to be used in cases of disputed or non-transparent election results in order to prevent political and military crises in the post-election environment; calls for enhanced EU action to counter manipulative and false messages against the EU in election campaigns, in particular in countries that receive significant EU humanitarian and development assistance and in countries that are candidates for EU membership; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;

EU support for human rights defenders

16. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs and members of CSOs, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; strongly condemns their arbitrary detentions and killings; deplores the harassment of CSOs through legislative provisions such as foreign agents laws and similar, and other restrictions they face; deplores the fact that women HRDs continue to face relentless and ever more sophisticated violations against them, including targeted killings, physical attacks, disappearances, smear campaigns, arrests, judicial harassment and intimidation; notes with concern that these attacks seem designed to systematically silence women HRDs and erase their voices from the public sphere; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive and timely revision of the EU Guidelines on HRDs, with a view to addressing the emerging challenges and threats, and to ensuring their applicability and effectiveness in the protection of HRDs globally, while integrating gender-sensitive and intersectional approaches in the updated Guidelines, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of HRDs, and taking into account the specific vulnerabilities they may face; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to enhance communication strategies to increase the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection of and the support mechanisms for HRDs;

17. Raises serious concerns over the increasing phenomenon of transnational repression against HRDs, journalists and civil society; calls for the formulation of an EU strategy harmonising national responses to transnational repression;

18. Expresses deep concern regarding the increasingly precarious financial landscape faced by HRDs and communities advocating for rights, particularly within a global context characterised by intensifying repression; notes that, as a result of the current geopolitical context, HRDs’ need for support has increased; calls, therefore, for the EU and its Member States to make full use of their financial support for HRDs, ensuring the establishment of flexible, accessible and sustained funding mechanisms that enable these defenders to continue their vital work in the face of mounting challenges;

19. Insists that the EEAS, the Commission and the EU delegations pay particular attention to the situation of the Sakharov Prize laureates and finalists at risk and take resolute action, in coordination with the Member States and Parliament, to ensure their well-being, safety or liberation;

20. Welcomes the update of the EU Visa Code Handbook in relation to HRDs and calls for its full and consistent application by the Member States; reiterates its call for the Commission to take a proactive role in the establishment of a coordinated approach among the Member States for HRDs at risk, for instance streamlining visa procedures and promoting harmonisation in the EU’s visa application process;

Combating impunity and corruption

21. Underlines that both impunity and corruption enable and aggravate human rights violations and abuses and the erosion of democratic principles; welcomes the anti-corruption actions in EU external policies in the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 3 May 2023 on the fight against corruption (JOIN(2023)0012); supports the anti-corruption provisions included in the EU trade agreements with non-EU countries; stresses the important role of civil society and journalists in non-EU countries in the oversight of the fight against impunity and corruption; calls for the EU and its Member States to increase their efforts in justice reforms, the fight against impunity, and the improvement of transparency and of anti-corruption institutions in non-EU countries; encourages the EU and its Member States to coordinate more closely with allies and partners wherever possible in order to counter systemic corruption that enables autocrats to maintain power, deprives societies of key resources and undermines democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

22. Insists on the need for the EU to take clear steps to recognise the close link between corruption and human rights violations in order to target economic and financial enablers of human rights abusers;

EU actions at multilateral level

23. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, its agencies and special procedures, both politically and financially, to ensure that it is fit for purpose, and to push back against the influence of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes; stresses that the current multilateral order needs to fully incorporate into its architecture the new global actors, especially those focusing on democracy and human rights; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums in order to effectively tackle global challenges to human rights and democracy in multilateral forums and to support the strongest possible language in line with international human rights standards; calls, to this end, for progress in ensuring that the EU has a seat in international organisations, including the UN Security Council, in addition to the existing Member States’ seats; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;

24. Is deeply concerned by growing attacks against the rules-based global order by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, including through unprovoked and unjustified aggression against peaceful neighbours and through the undermining of the functioning of UN bodies, namely the abuse of veto power at the UN Security Council; underlines that the diminished effectiveness of these bodies brings with it real costs in terms of conflicts, lives lost and human suffering, and seriously weakens the general ability of countries to deal with global challenges; calls on the Member States and like minded partners to develop a robust strategy and to intensify their efforts to reverse this trend and to send a united and strong message of support to those organisations when they are attacked or threatened; believes that the UN, its bodies, and other multilateral organisations are in need of reform, in order to address these growing challenges and threats;

25. Reiterates the strong support of the EU for the International Court of Justice and the ICC as essential, independent and impartial jurisdictional institutions amid a particularly challenging time for international justice; recalls that a well-funded ICC is essential for the effective prosecution of serious international crimes; welcomes the political and financial support the EU has given to the ICC, including the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC, and the launch of the ‘Global initiative to fight against impunity for international crimes’ offering financial support to CSOs dedicated to fostering justice and accountability for international crimes and serious human rights violations, including by facilitating survivors’ participation in legal proceedings; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and intensify their support to the ICC – including to the ICC Trust Fund for Victims – with the necessary means, including resources and political backing, and to use all instruments at their disposal to combat impunity worldwide and enable the ICC to fulfil its mandate effectively; calls on all the Member States to respect and implement the actions and decisions of the International Court of Justice and all organs of the ICC, including the OTP and the Chambers, to urge other countries to join and cooperate with the court, including to enforce ICC arrest warrants, and to support their work as an independent and impartial international justice institution everywhere in the world; regrets the failure of some ICC member states to execute ICC arrest warrants, thereby undermining the court’s work; calls for the EU to urge non-EU countries, including its major partners, to recognise the ICC and become a state party to the Rome Statute;

26. Stresses the importance of not politicising the ICC, as trust in the court is eroded if its mandate is misused; condemns, in particular and in the most critical terms, the political attacks, sanctions and other coercive measures introduced or envisaged against the ICC itself and against its staff; calls on the Member States and the EU institutions to cooperate to work on solutions in order to protect the institution of the ICC and its staff from any future sanctions that would threaten the functioning of the court;

27. Recognises universal jurisdiction as an important tool of the international criminal justice system to prevent and combat impunity and promote international accountability; calls on the Member States to apply universal jurisdiction in the fight against impunity;

28. Calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end; demands that the fight against terrorism be at the top of the EU’s domestic and foreign affairs agenda;

Upholding international humanitarian law

29. Notes with concern the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in the form of ongoing conflicts around the world; strongly condemns the increase in deliberate, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilians and civilian objects in multiple conflict settings; underlines that it is of the utmost importance that all UN and humanitarian aid agencies are able to provide full, timely and unhindered assistance to all people in vulnerable situations and calls on all parties to armed conflicts to fully respect the work of these agencies and ensure they can meet the basic needs of civilians without interference; denounces attempts to undermine UN agencies delivering humanitarian aid; urges all parties to armed conflicts to protect civilian populations, humanitarian and medical workers, and journalists and media workers; calls on all parties to armed conflicts to respect the legitimacy and inviolability of UN peacekeeping missions; calls on all states to unconditionally and fully conform with international humanitarian law; calls on the international community, and the Member States in particular, to promote accountability and the fight against impunity for grave breaches of international humanitarian law; calls for the systematic creation of humanitarian corridors in regions at war and in combat situations, whenever necessary, in order to allow civilians at risk to escape conflicts, and strongly condemns any attacks on them; demands unhindered access for humanitarian organisations monitoring and assisting prisoners of war, as provided for in the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War; expects international organisations to abide by international law regarding the treatment of prisoners of war; calls for international cooperation and assistance in the return of forcibly deported persons, in particular children and hostages;

30. Reiterates its call on the Member States to help contain armed conflicts and serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law by strictly abiding by the provisions of Article 7 of the UN Arms Trade Treaty of 2 April 2013 on Export and Export Assessment and Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP of 8 December 2008 defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment;

31. Given the gendered impacts of armed conflicts, deplores the insufficient priority and focus given to sexual and gender-based violence and to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the EU’s humanitarian and refugee response; reiterates that humanitarian crises intensify SRHR- and gender-related challenges and recalls that in crisis zones, particularly among vulnerable groups such as refugees and migrants, women and girls are particularly exposed to sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual exploitation, rape as a weapon of war and unwanted pregnancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to give high priority to gender equality and SRHR in their humanitarian aid and refugee response, as well as accountability and access to justice and redress for sexual and reproductive rights violations and gender-based violence, including in terms of training for humanitarian actors, and existing and future funding;

Team Europe approach

32. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between EU institutions, Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries, particularly in encouraging those countries to comply with their international obligations and to refrain from harassment and persecution of critical voices; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; calls for the EU and its Member States to use all possible means to urge countries to release political prisoners; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide; encourages careful monitoring and assessment of the capacity of EU delegations to ensure that each one has a designated point of contact for cases of human rights violations, and that this mandate is allocated sufficient resources to respond in an effective and timely manner; reiterates, in this context, the importance, for the EU delegations, of existing EU guidelines related to specific areas of human rights;

Responding to universal human rights and democracy challenges

Right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

33. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in many different contexts, including in custodial and extra-custodial settings – of political prisoners, among others – and in conflict situations around the world, notably in violation of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, as well as the killing of prisoners of war, which amounts to a war crime, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment; reiterates the EU’s zero-tolerance policy to torture and other ill-treatment and calls on the relevant institutions, including the European Court of Human Rights, to take a thorough stance on any such case;

34. Reiterates its calls for universal ratification of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol thereto, and for the need for states to bring their national provisions in this respect in line with international standards; reiterates, in accordance with the revised Guidelines on the EU’s policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, adopted by the Council on 16 September 2019, the importance of engaging with relevant stakeholders in the fight to eradicate torture, and to monitor places of detention;

Right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association

35. Reiterates the need to protect the EU democratic space and the exercise of fundamental freedoms therein, particularly freedoms of assembly and association; highlights the growing violent repression of protest and peaceful assemblies within the EU civic space, with cases of torture and ill-treatment resulting in deaths and other serious violations; underscores the need to strengthen this fundamental right in conjunction with the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment;

Right to food, water and sanitation

36. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; condemns the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system; urges the EU and the Member States to fully support, politically and financially, organisations and agencies working to secure the right to food in conflict zones; recalls the importance of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas in view of attaining food security; commends the work of the UN World Food Programme, in this regard;

37. Reaffirms the rights to safe drinking water and to sanitation as human rights, both rights being complementary; underlines that access to clean drinking water is indispensable to a healthy and dignified life and is essential for the maintenance of human dignity; highlights the fact that the right to water is a fundamental precondition for the enjoyment of other rights, and as such must be guided by a logic grounded in the public interest, and in common public and global goods; underscores the importance of the EU Guidelines on safe drinking water and sanitation, and urges the EU institutions and the Member States to implement and promote their application in non-EU countries and in multilateral forums;

Climate change and the environment

38. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous peoples and local communities, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including access to land and water sources; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes that communities contributing the least to climate change are the ones more likely to be affected by climate risks and natural disasters and calls, in this regard, for increasing support to the most vulnerable groups; recalls that indigenous peoples and local communities play an important role in the sustainable management of natural resources and the conservation of biodiversity; recalls that the transition to clean energy must be fair and respect everyone’s fundamental rights; reiterates the importance of the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the protection of the human rights of present and future generations;

39. Notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment; stresses the need to effectively address the displacement of people caused by environmental destruction and climate change, which increases the risk of human rights violations and heightens vulnerabilities to different forms of exploitation; recognises that children face more acute risks from climate-related disasters and are also one of the largest groups to be affected; calls for the EU to focus on addressing the impacts of climate change on the enjoyment of the rights of the child;

Rights of the child

40. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights, including for those most marginalised and those in the most vulnerable situations, through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, honour killings, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in deaths of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; calls for new EU initiatives to promote and protect children’s rights, with a view to rehabilitating and reintegrating conflict-affected children, ensuring that they have a protected, family- and community-based environment as a natural context for their lives, in which assistance and education are fundamental elements; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies; calls on all countries to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a matter of urgency, in order to allow for the universal ratification of this foundational instrument;

41. Stresses the importance of closing the financing gap that would enable countries to meet their SDG 4 targets on quality education and ensure access to education for all children and young people; reiterates its calls to address cultural norms and gender biases that prevent girls and women from receiving an education and urges the creation of gender-responsive education systems worldwide;

42. Stresses that education represents the starting point for cultivating principles and values that contribute to the personal development of children, as well as to social cohesion and democracy, and the rule of law around the world; to that end calls for the EU to promote its values through supporting access to education and learning for women and girls;

Rights of women and gender equality

43. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, post-conflict situations and displacements, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; condemns the impunity with which perpetrators commit violations against women HRDs; is appalled by the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war and stresses the need to shed light on these instances, and for better international cooperation on fighting impunity for these crimes; calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights, and to incorporate a gender mainstreaming approach across all policies, taking into account the differentiated impacts of global challenges such as climate change or conflicts; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on SRHR around the world, as well as gender-based violence; strongly deplores cases of female genital mutilation, honour killings, child marriages and forced marriages; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention and strongly encourages the remaining EU Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention without further delay; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; emphasises the importance of safeguarding the rights of women, ensuring that their health, safety and dignity are protected, particularly in the context of healthcare access and workplace protections; underlines the need to keep opposing and condemning, in the strongest terms, anti-abortion laws that punish women and girls with decades-long jail sentences, even in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation; fully supports the role of the EU Ambassador for Gender and Diversity;

44. Recognises that gender apartheid constitutes a systematic and institutionalised form of oppression, depriving women and girls of fundamental rights solely on the basis of their gender; notes with deep concern the entrenchment of gender apartheid in certain regions, where women face extensive restrictions on education, employment, healthcare and freedom of movement, often underpinned by legal and cultural frameworks that reinforce gender-based discrimination; urges the EU and the Member States to proactively address gender apartheid through strengthened diplomatic efforts, targeted economic measures and accountability mechanisms that support civil society organisations advocating for gender equality; calls for the formal recognition of gender apartheid as a distinct human rights violation and for support for international initiatives for its classification as a crime against humanity, thus contributing to the establishment of a global accountability standard;

Rights of refugees and asylum seekers

45. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; underlines the importance of identification and registration of individuals, including children, as a key tool for protecting refugees and ensuring the integrity of refugee protection systems, preventing human trafficking and the recruitment of children into armed militias; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; deplores the increasing xenophobia, racism and discrimination towards migrants, as well as the different forms of violence they face, including during their displacement, and the many barriers they face, including in access to healthcare; condemns the instrumentalisation of migration at EU borders by foreign actors, which constitutes hybrid attacks against the Member States as well as a dehumanisation of migrants; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries, with full respect for fundamental rights, remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial, as well as of the migration laws of the destination countries, in order to prevent the undertaking of unnecessarily risky journeys by those who do not have grounds for asylum; calls for EU-funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU[11], including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries; calls for respect for the principle of non-refoulement to countries where the life and liberty of people would be threatened; calls for the EU and its Member States to discuss the phenomenon of instrumentalised migration orchestrated by authoritarian regimes and organised crime groups, and emphasises the need to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon, develop effective countermeasures, and consider its implications for the human rights framework;

46. Reaffirms that no agreement with a non-EU country designated as a transit country should be concluded without Parliament’s scrutiny, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to include robust human rights clauses, monitoring mechanisms and impact assessments therein; reiterates its call on the Commission to integrate ex ante human rights impact assessments into such agreements;

Rights of LGBTIQ+ persons

47. Deplores the human rights violations, including discrimination, persecution, violence and killings, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons around the world; is extremely concerned by the spreading of hatred and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives and legislation that target LGBTIQ+ persons and HRDs; calls for the adoption of policies that protect LGBTIQ+ people and give them the tools to safely report a violation of their rights, in line with the EU Guidelines to Promote and Protect the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by LGBTI Persons; expresses special concern over LGBTIQ+ people living under non-democratic regimes or in conflict situations, and calls for rapid response mechanisms to protect them as well as their defenders; reiterates its calls for the full implementation of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ+ people around the world; calls for  the use of the death penalty to be rejected under all circumstances, including any legislation that would impose the death penalty for homosexuality; calls for the EU and its Member States to further engage the countries with such legislation in reconsidering their position on the death penalty; notes further that the imposition of the death penalty on the basis of such legislation is arbitrary killing per se, and a breach of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

Rights of persons with disabilities

48. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities; calls for the raising of social awareness and the combating of discriminatory behaviours against persons with disabilities; points to the additional complications faced by persons with disabilities in conflict situations and natural disasters, as they are more vulnerable to violence and often do not receive adequate support; urges all parties to conflict situations worldwide to take adequate measures to mitigate the risks to them as much as possible; emphasises the need to safeguard children with disabilities from any form of exploitation; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life; encourages the EU to support partner countries in developing inclusive economic policies that promote accessible vocational training and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, fostering their full and active economic participation;

Rights of elderly people

49. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employment; calls for the implementation of specific measures to combat the risk of poverty for older women through increased social support; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work; stresses the need for a cross-cutting intergenerational approach in EU policies, in order to build and encourage solidarity between young people and elderly people;

Right to equality and non-discrimination

50. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, antisemitism, Islamophobia, persecution of Christians, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gender identity; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech and speech that incites violence, including online; reiterates the crucial role of education and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity; calls for the adoption or the strengthening of mechanisms for reporting discriminatory behaviours as well as access to effective legal remedies, to help end the impunity of those who engage in this behaviour;

Right to life: towards the universal abolition of the death penalty

51. Reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty, which is irreversible and incompatible with the right to life and with the prohibition of torture, and a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment; stresses that the EU must be relentless in its pursuit of the universal abolition of the death penalty as a major objective of its human rights foreign policy; notes that despite the trend in some non-EU countries to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty, significant challenges in this regard still exist; deplores the fact that in other non-EU countries the number of death sentences that have been carried out has reached its highest level in the last five years; reiterates its call for all countries to completely abolish the death penalty or establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty (sentences and executions) as a first step towards its abolition; urges, in this regard, the EU to intensify diplomatic engagement with countries that continue to practise the death penalty, encouraging dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues and providing support for the development of judicial reforms that could lead towards its abolition;

Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief

52. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; is concerned about the worldwide increase in intolerance towards different religious communities; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities, including from political participation, as well as the destruction and vandalism of sites and works of art of cultural and historical value, in certain non-EU countries; stresses that the freedom to choose one’s religion, to believe or not to believe is a human right that cannot be punished; condemns, therefore, the existence and implementation of so-called apostasy laws and blasphemy laws that lead to harsh penalties, degrading treatment and, in some cases, even to death sentences; calls for the abolition of apostasy laws and blasphemy laws; stresses that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU should be granted more resources so that he can efficiently carry out his mandate; highlights the need for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees; calls for the EU to request and consolidate reports by EU delegations on the state of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief;

53. Recalls that most of the drivers of violent conflicts worldwide involve minority grievances of exclusion, discrimination and inequalities linked to violations of the human rights of minorities, as observed by the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues; stresses the need to mainstream the protection of the rights of minorities and for the development of protection mechanisms at the level of the UN; recalls the obligations of states to protect the rights of their national, ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic minorities within their respective territories; calls on the Commission to support the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities worldwide, including this as a priority under the human rights and democracy thematic programme of the EU’s NDICI-Global Europe;

Right to freedom of expression, academic freedom, media freedom and the right to information

54. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and access to trustworthy and diverse sources of information for sustaining democracy and a thriving civic space; recalls that democracies can only function when citizens have access to independent and reliable information, making journalists key players in the safeguarding of democracy; is therefore seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, so-called foreign agents laws and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti-corruption laws to suppress journalists and civil society groups; is concerned by the use of hate speech against journalists, both online and offline, leading to a deterrent effect; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones; notes the number of journalists killed in conflict situations in 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, has increased alarmingly – by 85 % – since 2022;

55. Calls urgently for the EU to back trustworthy media and information outlets that promote the accountability of authorities and support democratic transitions, while stressing the need to preserve the principles of pluralism, transparency and independence; highlights the role played by fact checkers in the media landscape, ensuring that the public can trust the information they receive; is concerned that they are therefore major targets for attacks by illiberal regimes that originate and disseminate disinformation, propaganda and fake news; condemns the extensive use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, activists, trade unionists and HRDs globally; welcomes, in this context, the directive designed to shield journalists and HRDs from abusive legal actions and SLAPPs; encourages lawmakers in non-EU countries to develop legislation with the same goal, as part of broader efforts to promote and protect media freedom and pluralism; requests that attacks on media freedom, as well as the persistent and systematic erosion of the right to information, be taken into account in the EU’s monitoring of the compliance of international agreements;

56. Welcomes the Commission’s plan to finance initiatives that support journalists on legal and practical matters, including beyond the EU, through the European Democracy Action Plan; calls for the EU to strengthen its efforts to aid targeted journalists globally, recalling that independent journalists are on the frontline of the fight against disinformation, which undermines democracies; acknowledges the contribution to achieving this goal of programmes such as the now-defunct Media4Democracy and other EU-funded activities, including those of the European Endowment for Democracy; urges the EU to help make reliable news sources available to more people living in countries that restrict press freedom;

57. Remains deeply concerned by the deteriorating state of press freedom around the world; condemns the censorship of journalists, HRDs and CSOs through the application of so-called foreign agents laws, as well as other legislative and non-legislative measures adopted by authoritarian and illiberal regimes;

58. Reaffirms its commitment to protecting and promoting academic freedom as a key component of open and democratic societies; underlines the attacks to academic freedom not only by authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, but also by extreme and populist forces worldwide; calls for the development of benchmarks for academic freedom into institutional quality assurance within academic rankings, procedures and criteria;

59. Notes with concern that more than half of the world’s population lives within environments of completely or severely restricted levels of academic freedom, which has severe consequences for the right to education, the enjoyment of the benefits of scientific progress and the freedom of opinion and expression; urges the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to halt censorship, threats or attacks on academic freedom, and especially the imprisonment of scholars worldwide; welcomes the inclusion of academics at risk in the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism; calls on the Commission to ensure continued high-level support for the Global Campus of Human Rights, which has provided a safe space for students and scholars who had to flee their countries for defending democracy and human rights;

Rights of indigenous peoples

60. Notes with regret that indigenous peoples continue to face widespread and systematic discrimination and persecution worldwide, including forced displacements; condemns arbitrary arrests and the killing of human rights and land defenders who stand up for the rights of indigenous peoples; stresses that the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples and their traditional practices are key to achieving sustainable development, combating climate change and conserving biodiversity; urges governments to pursue development and environmental policies that respect economic, social and cultural rights, and that are inclusive of indigenous peoples and local populations, in line with the UN SDGs; reiterates its call for the EU, its Member States and their partners in the international community to adopt all necessary measures for the recognition, protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous people, including as regards their languages, lands, territories and resources, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the principle of free, prior and informed consent; calls on all states to ensure that indigenous peoples and local communities are included in the deliberations and decision-making processes of international climate diplomacy; encourages the Commission to continue to promote dialogue and collaboration between indigenous peoples and the EU;

Right to public participation

61. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian, illiberal, and totalitarian regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism; is alarmed by current trends in electoral processes, such as the increasing decline in electoral participation and democratic performance or the growing disputes concerning the credibility of elections; highlights with deep concern the growing interference by some states in other countries’ elections through hybrid tactics; reaffirms the necessity of increasing political representation of women, young people and vulnerable groups and to guarantee the public participation of minorities; underlines that distrust in the electoral process can be exacerbated not only by irregularities but also by public statements, including from participants; emphasises that public perception of electoral process is as crucial as the process itself, as its manipulation can lead to polarisation or targeted attacks; calls on non-EU countries to reinforce their efforts to clearly communicate all the steps of their respective electoral processes and systems, as well as the existing accountability mechanisms in case of irregularities; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to analyse and report to Parliament their initiatives to tackle the challenges posed by articifical intelligence (AI) in electoral processes;

Human rights, business and trade

62. Stresses the role of trade as a major instrument to promote and improve the human rights situation in the EU’s partner countries; urges the Commission to improve coordination between the EU’s trade, investment and development policies and prioritise and promote the development of human rights through EU trade policies, including the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus; notes, however, that there has been little to no improvement in some of the countries concerned; stresses the responsibilities of states and other actors, such as corporations, to mitigate the effects of climate change, prevent their negative impact on human rights and promote appropriate policies in compliance with human rights obligations; deplores the detrimental effects of some excessive and exploitative business activities on human rights and democracy; welcomes the harmonisation resulting from the adoption of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence with binding EU rules on responsible corporate behaviour with regard to human, labour and environmental rights; further welcomes the Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market[12] and calls for its swift implementation at Member State level; calls for the implementation of the EU Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning the creation of a complaint-handling portal, within the framework of EU trade and financial instruments, and for the adaptation of the Commission’s Single Entry Point to allow for the submission of complaints regarding failures to comply with human rights clauses, which should be accessible, citizen-friendly and transparent; calls for the EU to continue its efforts to eliminate child labour, and forced and bonded labour; stresses the importance of remediation and access to justice measures that are in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including financial and non-financial measures in consultation with the victims; calls on the Council to adopt an ambitious mandate for the EU to engage in the ongoing negotiations on the UN legally binding instrument on business and human rights as soon as possible;

63. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies with an increasing number of women running them; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent working conditions for all;

Human rights and digital technologies

64. Is concerned by the threat that AI can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; highlights the need for oversight, robust transparency and appropriate safeguards for new and emergent technologies, as well as a human-rights based approach; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook based on democratic principles; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; is deeply concerned about the harmful consequences of the misuse of AI and deepfakes, particularly for women and children; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry[13]; condemns the use of new and emerging technologies, such as facial recognition technology and digital surveillance, as coercive instruments and their use in the increasing harassment, intimidation and persecution of HRDs, activists, journalists and lawyers; calls on the Council for the listing under the EUGHRSR of state and non-state actors that are engaging in these practices; notes with concern the rapid development of AI in military applications, as well as the potential development and deployment of autonomous systems that could make life-or-death decisions without human input;

65. Recalls that the international trade in spyware to non-EU countries where such tools are used against human rights activists, journalists and government critics, is a violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter;

66. Welcomes the adoption in May 2024 of the first Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, aimed at ensuring that activities within the entire life cycle of AI systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law; reiterates the need for greater legislative attention to be paid to the profound changes arising from activities within the life cycle of AI systems, which have the potential to promote human prosperity, individual and social well-being, sustainable development, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, but also pose the risk of creating or exacerbating inequalities and incentivising cyber and physical violence, including violence experienced by women and individuals in vulnerable situations;

67. Stresses that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; considers, nevertheless, that the rights of individuals need to be respected; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon, including considering allowing EU-based providers to offer safe communication tools to people who have been thereby deprived of online access; urges the EU to take a firm stance against any attempts by tech giants to circumvent or undermine national legal systems and independent court decisions, and to protect democratic principles and implement measures to maintain the integrity of elections, as well as to protect the right to information, especially during electoral periods;

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68. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union Heads of Delegation.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Each year, the European Parliament adopts three annual reports on the EU’s foreign, security and defence, and human rights policies.

 

The three reports are on:

 

• the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy - annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) - competence of the AFET Committee,

• Human Rights and Democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter - annual report 2024 (based on the EU Annual report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World) - competence of the DROI Subcommittee, and

• the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy - annual report 2024 (based on the report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy) - competence of the SEDE Subcommittee.

 

These reports monitor and assess the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the EU policy on Human Rights and the Common Security and Defence Policy. They are a key component of the European Parliament’s contribution to EU foreign policy making, most notably in regard to the strengthened right of scrutiny conferred to the European Parliament by the Treaty of Lisbon. It is essential that the European Parliament responds to the annual reports issued by other institutions as soon as they are published.

ANNEX I: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, until the adoption thereof in committee:

Entity and/or person

European Partnership for Democracy/International Dalit Solidarity Network

Clean Clothes Campaign

Protection International

Race & Equality

FIDH - International Federation for Human Rights

International Partnership for Human Rights

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Front Line Defenders

Save the Children

Avocats Sans Frontières

Center for Reproductive Rights

Reporters without Borders

End FGM European Network

 

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

 

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do ), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

ANNEX II: INDIVIDUAL CASES RAISED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FROM DECEMBER 2023 TO JANUARY 2025

 

COUNTRY   Individual	BACKGROUND	ACTION TAKEN BY THE PARLIAMENT
AFGHANISTAN   Manizha Seddiqi Ahmad Fahim Azimi Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee  Ezatullah Zwab	Manizha Seddiqi, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee and Ezatullah Zwab are human rights defenders who have been detained in Afghanistan.	In its resolution of 14 March 2024, the European Parliament:   - Condemns the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, including Manizha Seddiqi, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, Sediqullah Afghan, Fardin Fedayee and Ezatullah Zwab;   - Calls for victims of violence against women and girls to be released from prison, where they are being held in inhumane conditions to the detriment of their mental and physical health.
ALGERIA   Boualem Sansal	French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal was detained on 16 November 2024 by the Algerian authorities, his whereabouts remained unknown for over a week, during which time he was denied access to his family and legal counsel; he was subsequently charged with national security-related offences under Article 87bis of the Algerian Penal Code, and he is awaiting trial.	In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:   - Condemns the arrest and detention of Boualem Sansal and calls for his immediate and unconditional release;   - Equally condemns the arrests of all other activists, political prisoners, journalists, human rights defenders and others detained or sentenced for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including journalist Abdelwakil Blamm and writer Tadjadit Mohamed, and calls for their release;   - Reiterates, as enshrined in the EU-Algeria Partnership Priorities, the importance of the rule of law in order to consolidate freedom of expression; stresses that renewing this agreement must be based upon continued and substantial progress in the aforementioned domains and underscores that all future disbursements of EU funds should consider the progress made in this regard.
AZERBAIJAN   Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu Ilhamiz Guliyev Ulvi Hasanli Sevinj Vagifgizi Nargiz Absalamova Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova Aziz Orujov Rufat Muradli Avaz Zeynalli Elnur Shukurov Alasgar Mammadli Farid Ismayilov	Gubad Ibadoghlu, a political economist and opposition figure, was arrested by Azerbaijani authorities in July 2023 and remained in detention until 22 April 2024, when he was transferred to house arrest; his health has deteriorated significantly since his arrest, as a result of torture, inhumane detention conditions and refusal of adequate medical care, thus endangering his life.   Ilhamiz Guliyev, a human rights defender, was arbitrarily arrested on 4 December 2023 on dubious accusations of drug trafficking after he testified as whistleblower about the police tampering with evidence against government critics; he is facing up to 12 years in prison.   Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev are political prisoners, and Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli, Farid Ismayilov are human rights defenders and journalists.	In its resolution of 25 April 2024, the European Parliament:   - Urges Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release Ilhamiz Guliyev; notes that Gubad Ibadoghlu has been released and placed under house arrest and calls on the authorities to lift the travel ban and drop all charges against him; calls on Azerbaijan to urgently ensure that he receives an independent medical examination by a doctor of his own choosing and to allow him to receive treatment abroad;   - Urges Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all other political prisoners, including Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, human rights defenders and journalists Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli, Farid Ismayilov, as well as EU and other nationals.
AZERBAIJAN   Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV	Political prisoner and 2024 Sakharov Prize finalist Gubad Ibadoghlu remains under house arrest; the European Court of Human Rights ruled that his health condition is critical, requiring hospitalisation and urgent heart surgery.   Civil society leader Anar Mammadli has been in pre-trial detention since April 2024 on bogus charges, with his health deteriorating due to denied healthcare.   In early December 2024, the Azerbaijani authorities arrested MeydanTV journalists Aynur Ganbarova, Aytaj Ahmadova, Khayala Agayeva, Natig Javadli and Aysel Umudova, and journalists Ramin Jabrayilzade and Ahmad Mukhtar; they also arrested Baku Journalism School deputy director Ulvi Tahirov, political leader Azer Gasimli and human rights defender Rufat Safarov; all face unfounded, politically motivated charges.	In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:   - Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately end the crackdown on all dissident groups and unconditionally release and drop all charges against human rights defenders, journalists and political and other activists prosecuted under fabricated, politically motivated charges;   - Demands that the authorities immediately lift the travel ban on Ibadoghlu, unconditionally drop all charges against him and allow him to receive urgent treatment abroad; deplores the fact that Ibadoghlu was not allowed to attend the Sakharov Prize ceremony or connect remotely;   - Calls on Azerbaijan to lift undue restrictions on independent media by aligning its laws on the registration and funding of non-governmental groups and media with Venice Commission recommendations; demands that the authorities end the repression of MeydanTV, ToplumTV, Abaz Media and Kanal13;   - Calls for EU sanctions under its global human rights sanctions regime to be imposed on Azerbaijani officials responsible for serious human rights violations, including Fuad Alasgarov, Vilayat Eyvazov and Ali Naghiyev.
BELARUS   Marina Adamovich, Mikalai Statkevich  Tatsiana Seviarynets, Pavel Seviarynets Daria Losik Ihar Losik Mikalai Kazlou Ryhor Kastusiou Mikalai Statkevich Pavel Seviarynets	Marina Adamovich, wife of Mikalai Statkevich (political prisoner), Tatsiana Seviarynets, mother of Pavel Seviarynets (political prisoner), and earlier-arrested Daria Losik, wife of Ihar Losik (political prisoner), have suffered interrogations and detentions by the KGB.    Mikalai Kazlou, Ryhor Kastusiou, Mikalai Statkevich and Pavel Seviarynets, all political prisoners, face isolation, torture, denial of medical care and forced labour.	In its resolution of 8 February 2024, the European Parliament:   - Strongly condemns the recent wave of mass arrests in Belarus and urges the illegitimate Lukashenka regime to cease repression, especially any gender-based persecution, and reminds the regime of its international obligations;   - Calls for the immediate unconditional release and compensation of all more than 1 400 political prisoners, as well as their families and arbitrarily detained persons, while restoring their full rights.
BELARUS   Mikola Statkevich Ales Bialiatski Maria Kalesnikava Siarhei Tsikhanouski Viktar Babaryka Maksim Znak Pavel Sevyarynets Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk Andrzej Poczobut  Ihar Losik	Former presidential candidate and 2020 Sakharov Prize laureate Mikola Statkevich has been imprisoned on politically motivated charges for 14 years; he is kept in solitary confinement under maximum security; his health is deteriorating and his lawyers and family have been denied information and contact for over 300 days.   Prominent Belarusian political prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski, Maria Kalesnikava, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Viktar Babaryka, Maksim Znak, Pavel Sevyarynets, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Andrzej Poczobut and Ihar Losik, have been subjected to similar isolation.	In its resolution of 14 December 2023, the European Parliament:   - Demands the immediate, unconditional release of Mikola Statkevich and all 1 500 political prisoners; calls for the withdrawal of all charges against them, their full rehabilitation and financial compensation for the damage suffered as a result of being deprived of liberty;   - Insists that the prisoners must receive proper medical assistance and access to lawyers, family, diplomats and international organisations, which can assess their condition and provide aid; regrets the inaction of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Belarus;   - Strongly condemns the unjustified, politically motivated sentences and continued repression of Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, clergy, political activists and their family members.
CHINA   Ding Yuande Ma Ruimei	On 12 May 2023 Falun Gong practitioners Mr Ding Yuande and his wife Ms Ma Ruimei were arrested without a warrant; Ms Ma was released on bail, but was then intimidated by police because of a rescue campaign launched by their son abroad.   Mr Ding was detained with no family visits for eight months; on 15 December 2023 he was sentenced to three years in prison with a CNY 15 000 fine.	In its resolution of 18 January 2024, the European Parliament:   - Strongly urges the PRC to immediately end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and other minorities, including Uyghurs and Tibetans; demands the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Ding and all Falun Gong practitioners in China;   - Calls for the PRC to end domestic and transnational surveillance and control and the suppression of religious freedom; urges the PRC to abide by its obligations under international law and its own constitution to respect and protect human rights.
CHINA   Ilham Tohti Gulshan Abbas	In 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize. Gulshan Abbas has been serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC.     Gulshan Abbas, is a Uyghur retired doctor, who was forcibly disappeared in retaliation of her sisters public criticism of the treatment of Uyghurs. She has received a 20-year sentence in 2020, for participating in a terrorist organisation.	In its resolution of 10 October 2024, the European Parliament:   - Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;   - Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;   - Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;   - Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;   - Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations.
CUBA   José Daniel Ferrer Garcia	Human rights defender and opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer García was detained on 11 July 2021 in the context of widespread protests in Cuba, and has been held in isolation since 14 August 2021; the Cuban regime has imprisoned, harassed and intimidated him for over a decade for his peaceful political activism; since March 2023, he has been held incommunicado and his family have received no information about his health and have been denied the right to visit him.	In its resolution of 19 September 2024, the European Parliament:   - The Cuban regime holds political prisoners in the most appalling conditions; whereas reports indicate that José Daniel Ferrer is in a critical condition and has been held without access to medical treatment, with inadequate food and in unsanitary conditions, which constitute forms of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment;   - The human rights situation in Cuba is alarming, particularly for dissidents, who are subjected to worrying levels of surveillance and arbitrary detention; whereas the number of political prisoners is unknown but reliable sources state that the regime holds over a thousand prisoners, including minors; whereas among the many political prisoners are Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Lizandra Gongora, whose health condition is critical;   - Urges the Cuban regime to immediately and unconditionally release José Daniel Ferrer and all persons politically and arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;   - Condemns the torture and inhuman, degrading and ill-treatment perpetrated by the Cuban authorities against José Daniel Ferrer and the other political prisoners; calls for the families of victims of the regime’s persecution to be granted immediate access to them, pending their release, and for the victims to be given medical care.
CRIMEA Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov	Crimean journalist and human rights defender Iryna Danylovych was abducted in 2022, accused of possessing explosives and sentenced to 6 years and 11 months of imprisonment; NGO activist Tofik Abdulhaziiev was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison on trumped-up charges, and since 2023 is being held in a prison some 2 700 km away from Crimea; citizen journalist Amet Suleymanov was sentenced to 12 years of prison in 2021.	In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:   - Condemns Russia’s continuous targeting of ethnic Ukrainians and systematic persecution of indigenous Crimean Tatars, which aims to erase their identity, heritage and culture, echoing, for the Crimean Tatars, the genocidal deportations of 1944; considers that Crimea’s future is tied to its recognition as the Crimean Tatars’ historic homeland;   - Condemns the persecution of journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders and the deportation of civilians including political prisoners from Crimea to penitentiary institutions across Russia, contrary to international law;   - Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov and other political prisoners; calls for immediate medical care to be provided; denounces the upholding of verdicts against seriously ill individuals, which constitutes a blatant violation of international human rights standards; calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN to establish the whereabouts of civilian detainees from Crimea.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO   Jean-Jacques Wondo	Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian-Congolese security, military and political expert, was arrested following a failed coup on 19 May 2024, for which he was accused of being the ‘intellectual perpetrator’, on 13 September 2024, Wondo and 36 others were sentenced to death by a military court.	In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:   - Strongly condemns the sentencing to death of Wondo and others and the grave violations of their right to a fair trial;   - Urges the DRC Government to immediately overturn the death sentences, reinstate a moratorium on executions and take steps towards the full abolition of the death penalty;   -  Expresses deep concern about Wondo’s deteriorating health, calls for him to be given immediate access to medical treatment and insists on his immediate release;   - Calls for systemic reforms to be implemented in the DRC to rebuild the judiciary into an independent, fair and efficient institution that guarantees due process and the protection of fundamental rights.
HONG KONG   Andy Li Joseph John	Andy Li, a pro-democracy activist and key witness in Jimmy Lai’s trial, allegedly confessed, under torture, to conspiracy and collusion with foreign entities.   Joseph John, a HK-Portuguese dual national, is the first extraterritorial application of the NSL to an EU citizen; John was arrested for allegedly posting anti-China social media content and committing, from Europe, incitement to ‘secession’, and was sentenced on 11 April 2024 to five years’ imprisonment.	In its resolution of 25 April 2024, the European Parliament:   - Urges the HK Government to immediately and unconditionally release Li, John, Lai, Kok Tsz-lun and all other pro-democracy representatives and activists detained for exercising their freedoms and democratic rights, and to drop all charges against them;   - Highlights the SNSO’s undermining of press freedoms; calls on the authorities to stop harassing and prosecuting journalists.
HONG KONG/ CHINA   Jimmy Lai	Jimmy Lai has been detained since 2020 on trumped-up charges; his trial started in 2023 after various delays; he denied these charges and faces life imprisonment; his British lawyer has been refused permission to represent him. Jimmy Lai a British national since 1996, is a Hong Kong media tycoon, and a known pro- democracy supporter.  Political prisoners in HK endure difficult conditions, often affecting their health, throughout lengthy pre-trial detentions, as with 76-year-old Lai, who has diabetes and has been denied Communion in prison.   45 pro-democracy politicians, activists and journalists were sentenced for subversion, in the ‘Hong Kong 47’ case, for organising unofficial election primaries; their trials were the largest national security trials to date;	In its resolution of 28 November 2024, the European Parliament:   - Condemns the sentencing of pro-democracy activists on national security charges, in violation of international law; calls for the repeal of the NSL and the SNSO; denounces the degradation of basic freedoms in HK;   - Urges the HK Government to immediately and unconditionally release all pro-democracy activists, including Lai and Chung, and to drop all charges against them;   - Calls on the EEAS and the Member States to warn China that its actions in HK will have consequences for EU-China relations; calls on the Council to review its 2020 conclusions on HK and to impose targeted sanctions on John Lee and other HK and Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations, to revoke HK’s favourable customs treatment and review the status of the HK Economic Trade Office in Brussels; urges the Member States to file an ICJ case against China’s decision to impose the NSL on HK and Macau.
IRAN   Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi	Kurdish activists, social worker Pakhshan Azizi and advocate for women’s rights Verisheh (Wrisha) Moradi were sentenced to death for ‘armed rebellion against the state’.	In its resolution of 23 January 2025, the European Parliament:   - Denounces the Iranian regime’s unrestrained repression of human rights, in particular the targeting of women activists; strongly condemns the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi; demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally release all unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders and political prisoners, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi and at least 56 other political prisoners on death row;   - Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase support for Iranian human rights defenders and expresses its full support and solidarity with Iranians united in the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement;   - Urges the Iranian authorities to immediately release, safely repatriate and drop all charges against EU nationals, including Olivier Grondeau, Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Ahmadreza Djalali; strongly condemns Iran’s use of hostage diplomacy; calls for the EU and its Member States to undertake joint diplomatic efforts and work collectively towards their release;   - Strongly condemns the murder of Jamshid Sharmahd; urges the Islamic regime in Iran to provide details of the circumstances of his death and for his remains to be immediately returned to his family;   - Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and to extend EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad and Judge Iman Afshari;   - Urges the Iranian authorities to provide the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran and the UN fact-finding mission with full, unimpeded access to enact their mandates.
KYRGYZSTAN   Temirlan Sultanbekov	Temirlan Sultanbekov is the leader of the Kyrgyzstan Social Democrats party (SDK), he and other party officials have been arrested for vote-buying allegations, with an audiotape of unknown origin serving as the primary evidence, for which the judicial authorisation is unclear and its connection with the detainees unknown.	In its resolution of 19 December 2024, the European Parliament:   - Urges the Kyrgyz authorities to immediately release Mr Sultanbekov and other party officials and adopt alternative measures to detention, while respecting their right to due process in line with the civil and political rights guaranteed under the Kyrgyz constitution and international obligations; calls on the authorities to ensure his safety and well-being;   - Urges the Kyrgyz government to halt its campaign of intimidation and legal persecution against opposition parties, independent media outlets and journalists; is concerned by the adoption of the Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law; urges the Kyrgyz authorities to drop all charges against human rights defenders, including Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, Azamat Ishenbekov, Aktilek Kaparov and Ayke Beishekeeva, journalists from the Temirov Live and Ait Ait Dese channels.
RUSSIA   Alexei Navalny Vladimir Kara-Murza Yuri Dmitriev Ilya Yashin Alexei Gorinov Lilia Chanysheva Ksenia Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin Daniel Kholodny Vadim Kobzev Igor Sergunin Alexei Liptser Viktoria Petrova Maria Ponomarenko Alexandra Skochilenko Svetlana Petriychuk Evgenia Berkovich Dmitry Ivanov Ioann Kurmoyarov Igor Baryshnikov Dmitry Talantov Alexei Moskalev Oleg Orlov Boris Kagarlitsky Ivan Safronov	Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian political figure and the 2021 laureate of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, perished in a Siberian penal colony north of the Arctic Circle while serving a unfounded, politically motivated prison sentence. He had been in detention since 17 January 2021, the date on which he returned to Russia following medical rehabilitation after an attempted state-sponsored assassination using the internationally banned nerve agent Novichok; he had previously been detained and arrested many times and had been sentenced, on fabricated and politically motivated grounds, to long prison terms in evident attempts to stop his political activities and anti-corruption campaigns.   Vladimir Kara-Murza, Yuri Dmitriev, Ilya Yashin, Alexei Gorinov, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin, Daniel Kholodny, Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, Alexei Liptser, Viktoria Petrova, Maria Ponomarenko, Alexandra Skochilenko, Svetlana Petriychuk, Evgenia Berkovich, Dmitry Ivanov, Ioann Kurmoyarov, Igor Baryshnikov, Dmitry Talantov, Alexei Moskalev, Oleg Orlov, Boris Kagarlitsky and Ivan Safronov are political prisoners.	In its resolution of 29 February 2024, the European Parliament:   - Strongly condemns the murder of Alexei Navalny; expresses its wholehearted condolences to his family, associates and colleagues, and to his countless supporters across Russia; expresses its full support to Yulia Navalnaya in her determination to continue the work started by Alexei Navalny with her support, and to the Anti-Corruption Foundation founded by Navalny, which is continuing its work under the new circumstances;   - Calls on the Russian authorities to drop all arbitrary charges and to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons.
TAJIKISTAN   Abdullo Ghurbati Daler Imomali Zavqibek Saidamini Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva Khushruz Jumayev Khurshed Fozilov Manuchehr Kholiknazarov Buzurgmehr Yorov	Abdullo Ghurbati, Daler Imomali, Zavqibek Saidamini, Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda, Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, Khushruz Jumayev and Khurshed Fozilov are journalists who have been sentenced to between seven and over 20 years in prison in retaliation for their coverage of social issues and human rights abuses, including in GBAO.   Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov  are human rights lawyers who have been detained.	In its resolution of 18 January 2024, the European Parliament:   - Strongly condemns the ongoing crackdown, including anti-extremism legislation, against independent media, government critics, human rights activists and independent lawyers; condemns the closure of independent media and websites, including the online media outlets Pamir Daily News, New Tajikistan 2 and Akhbor.com;   - Condemns all politically motivated trials and the lack of fair and public hearings by independent courts; urges the authorities to stop persecuting journalists, immediately and unconditionally release those who have been arbitrarily detained and drop all charges against them, stop the persecution of lawyers defending government critics and release human rights lawyers Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov;   - Urges the government to ensure that detainees have access to adequate healthcare; calls for a thorough investigation into allegations of mistreatment in custody and forced confessions, and those responsible to be brought to justice.
TÜRKIYE   Bülent Mumay	Bülent Mumay is a Turkish journalist and coordinator of the Istanbul bureau of Deutsche Welle’s Turkish editorial office, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for social media posts about a pro-government company’s seizure of Istanbul Municipality’s subway funds during the AKP administration; his appeal was rejected, and his tweets removed.	In its resolution of 10 October 2024, the European Parliament:   - Condemns the sentence against Bülent Mumay, which follows a broader pattern of silencing critical journalism; calls on the Turkish authorities to drop the charges against Bülent Mumay, and all arbitrarily detained media workers and journalists, as well as political opponents, human rights defenders, civil servants and academics;   -  Is deeply concerned about the ongoing deterioration of democratic standards in Türkiye, relentless crackdown on any critical voices and targeting of independent journalists, activists and opposition members amid frequent reports of legal intimidation, censorship and financial coercion as ways to suppress criticism and investigative journalism.
VENEZUELA   Rocío San Miguel General Hernández Da Costa  Ronald Ojeda María Corina Machado Juan Freites Luis Camacaro Guillermo Lopez Emil Brandt	Rocío San Miguel is a lawyer and human rights activist with Spanish nationality, who got kidnapped by the Venezuelan regime on 9 February 2024, and sentenced on politically motivated grounds of suspected conspiracy against Nicolás Maduro and his regime; she is currently being detained in El Helicoide prison, which is known for human rights abuses, including torture.   Hernández Da Costa has been a political prisoner since August 2018; on 19 February 2024, he was forcibly transferred to El Rodeo 1 prison, designed to detain political prisoners; an unknown number of prisoners, including some EU citizens, were also transferred; the general suffers from medical ailments that require constant treatment, which he is being denied.   Ronald Ojeda was a former political prisoner who escaped the Maduro regime, and got murdered in Chile.   Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro, Guillermo Lopez and Emil Brandt are four campaign coordinators working for the opposition to the regime’s presidential candidate, and have been detained on political grounds.	In its resolution of 14 March 2024, the European Parliament:   - Demands the immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons, and the full restoration of their rights; exhorts the regime to cease its policy of repression and attacks on civil society and the opposition;   - Strongly condemns the Maduro regime for imprisoning hundreds of political prisoners;   - Calls on the international community to support a return to democracy in Venezuela, particularly in the light of the upcoming elections, in which the leader of the opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, must be allowed to fully participate.
VENEZUELA   Maria Corina Machado Juan Freites Luis Camacaro Guillermo López	Maria Corina Machado was selected as the presidential candidate of the democratic opposition to the regime, winning with 92,35 % of the votes in the primary elections. She got a disqualification of 15 years.   For several months, members of María Corina Machado's campaign team – including Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro and Guillermo López, who were unlawfully detained and have since been reported missing.	In its resolution of 8 February 2024, the European Parliament:   - Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the arbitrarily arrested political and social leaders, including three campaign staffers of the presidential candidate of the opposition to the regime María Corina Machado, namely Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro and Guillermo Lopez;   - Strongly condemns the attempts to disqualify the presidential candidate of the democratic opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, and others, such as Henrique Capriles, from holding public office;   - Urges the Venezuelan regime to immediately stop the persecution of the primary winner and thus fully legitimate candidate of the opposition to the regime, María Corina Machado, and other opposition politicians.

 

 

 

ANNEX III: LIST OF SAKHAROV PRIZE LAUREATES AND FINALISTS IMPRISONED AND DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY

 

Year of Sakharov Prize award	Name and surname	Laureate / Finalist	Country	Situation (Detention / house arrest / temporarily released)	Length of prison sentence	Start date of detention
2024	Gubad Ibadoghlu	Finalist	Azerbaijan	Under travel ban		A court rejected Ibadoglu’s appeal against the travel ban on 3/12/2024
2021	Alexei Navalny	Laureate	Russia	Deceased in prison on 16/2/2024	3,5 + 9 + 19 years	Last detained 17/2/21, last sentenced 4/8/23
2020	Siarhei Tsikhanouski   Maryia Kalesnikava   Mikola Statkevich     Ales Bialiatski	Laureate   Laureate   Laureate     Laureate	Belarus	Detention   Detention   Detention     Detention	18 years   11 years   14 years     10 years	Detained 29/5/20, sentenced 14/12/21 Detained 07/9/20, sentenced 06/9/21 Last detained 31/5/20, last sentenced 14/12/21 Last detained 15/7/21, last sentenced 03/03/23
2020	Porfirio Sorto Cedillo, José Avelino Cedillo, Orbin Naún Hernández, Kevin Alejandro Romero, Arnold Javier Aleman, Ever Alexander Cedillo, Daniel Marquez and Jeremías Martínez Díaz	Finalists	Honduras	Detention	Unknown	1/9/2019, released on 24/2/2022, after a ruling by the Supreme Court of Honduras
2019	Ilham Tohti	Laureate	China	Detention	Unknown	23/9/2014
2018	Nasser Zefzafi	Finalist	Morocco	Detention	20 years	5/4/2019
2017	Dawit Isaak	Finalist	Eritrea	Incommunicado detention	Unknown	23/9/2001
2015	Raif Badawi	Laureate	Saudi Arabia	Released on 11/3/2022, since then under a 10-year travel ban	10 years	First sentenced on 17/12/2012, but announced on 30/3/2013
2012	Nasrin Sotoudeh             Jafar Panahi	Laureate             Laureate	Iran             Iran	Detention, on temporary medical furlough since July 2021, arrested again 29/10/2023 and released 15/11/2023   Detained in 2022, released on 3/2/2023 after hunger strike	38 years             6 years	6/3/2019 (most recent)           compelled in July 2022 to serve a 10-years old prison sentence
2011	Razan Zaitouneh	Laureate	Syria	Kidnapped in 2013. Presumptions of detention and death.		9/12/2013
2009	Memorial - Oleg Orlov	Laureate	Russia	Released on 1/8/2024 as part of a prisoner exchange with the US and Germany	2.5 years	Latest sentence in February 2024. Memorial as legal entity liquidated in January 2022.

 

 

ANNEX IV: LIST OF RESOLUTIONS

List of resolutions adopted by the European Parliament from December 2023 to January 2025 and related directly or indirectly to human rights violations in the world

 

Country/Region	Date of adoption in plenary	Title
Africa
Algeria	23.01.2025	The case of Boualem Sansal in Algeria
Democratic Republic of the Congo	23.01.2025	The case of Jean-Jacques Wondo
Gambia	25.04.2024	On the proposed repeal of the law banning female genital mutilation in The Gambia
Nigeria	08.02.2024	On the recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
Sudan	18.01.2024	On the threat of famine following the spread of the conflict in Sudan
Tanzania	14.12.2023	On the Maasai Communities in Tanzania
Americas
Cuba	29.02.2024	On the critical situation in Cuba
Cuba	19.09.2024	The case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba
Guatemala	14.12.2023	On the attempt at a coup d’état in Guatemala
Venezuela	08.02.2024	On further repression against the democratic forces in Venezuela: attacks on presidential candidate María Corina Machado
Venezuela	14.03.2024	On the case of Rocío San Miguel and General Hernández Da Costa, among other political prisoners in Venezuela
Venezuela	19.09.2024	Situation on Venezuela
Venezuela	23.01.2025	Situation in Venezuela following the usurpation of the presidency on 10 January 2025
Asia
Afghanistan	14.03.2024	On the repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women
Afghanistan	19.09.2024	The deteriorating situation of women in Afghanistan due to the recent adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”
Azerbaijan	25.04.2024	On Azerbaijan, notably the repression of civil society and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and Ilhamiz Guliyev
Azerbaijan	19.12.2024	Continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV
Cambodia	28.11.2024	The shrinking space for civil society in Cambodia, in particular the case of the labour rights organisation CENTRAL
China	18.01.2024	On the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China, notably the case of Mr Ding Yuande
China	10.10.2024	The cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
China/ Taiwan	24.10.2024	Misinterpretation of UN resolution 2758 by the People's Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan
Hong Kong	25.04.2024	On the new security law in Hong Kong and the cases of Andy Li and Joseph John
Hong Kong/ China	28.11.2024	Hong Kong, notably the cases of Jimmy Lai and the 45 activists recently convicted under the national security law
Kyrgyzstan	19.12.2024	Human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan, in particular the case of Temirlan Sultanbekov
Tajikistan	18.01.2024	On Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media
Tibet	14.12.2023	On the abduction of Tibetan children and forced assimilation practices through Chinese boarding schools in Tibet
Middle East
Iran/Israel	25.04.2024	On Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response
Iran	08.02.2024	On the increased number of executions in Iran, in particular the case of Mohammad Ghobadlou
Iran	28.11.2024	The increasing and systematic repression of women in Iran
Iran	23.01.2025	Systematic repression of human rights in Iran
Iraq	10.10.2024	Iraq, notably the situation of women’s rights and the recent proposal to amend the Personal Status Law
Palestine	18.01.2024	On the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the need to reach a ceasefire and the risks of regional escalation
Palestine	14.03.2024	On the immediate risk of mass starvation in Gaza and the attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries
Europe and Eastern Partnership countries
Azerbaijan/Armenia	13.03.2024	On closer ties between the EU and Armenia and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia
Azerbaijan/ Armenia	24.10.2024	Situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia
Belarus	14.12.2023	On the unknown status of Mikola Statkevich and the recent attacks on Belarusian politicians’ and activists’ family members
Belarus	08.02.2024	on the new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members
Belarus	19.09.2024	The severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus
Belarus	22.01.2025	Actions to address the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus
Crimea	19.12.2024	11th year of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied Crimea, notably the cases of Iryna Danylovych, Tofik Abdulhaziiev and Amet Suleymanov
Georgia	25.04.2024	On attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society
Georgia	09.10.2024	The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia
Georgia	28.11.2024	Georgia's worsening democratic crisis following the recent parliamentary elections and alleged electoral fraud
Moldova	09.10.2024	Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration
Russia	29.02.2024	On the murder of Alexei Navalny and the need for EU action in support of political prisoners and oppressed civil society in Russia
Russia	08.02.2024	On Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union
Russia	25.04.2024	On new allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the European Union
Russia	25.04.2024	On Russia’s undemocratic presidential elections and their illegitimate extension to the occupied territories
Russia	14.11.2024	EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia
Russia	23.01.2025	Russia’s disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine
Russia/ North Korea	28.11.2024	Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia
Serbia	08.02.2024	On the situation in Serbia following the elections
Türkiye	10.10.2024	European Parliament resolution of 10 October 2024 on the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye
Cross-cutting issues
Children liberty	13.12.2023	On the situation of children deprived of liberty in the world
LGBTIQ rights	08.02.2024	On the implementation of the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025
Protection of journalists	27.02.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings
Human rights and democracy	28.02.2024	Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2023
Foreign and security policy	28.02.2024	Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023
Media freedom	13.03.2024	On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market
Forced labour	23.04.2024	On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market
Right of abortion	11.04.2024	On including the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter
Due diligence	24.04.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive
Hate speech	18.01.2024	On extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime
Business and human rights	18.01.2024	On shaping the EU’s position on the UN binding instrument on business and human rights, in particular on access to remedy and the protection of victims
Citizens, equality, rights and values	16.01.2024	On the implementation of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme 2021-2027
Violence against women	24.04.2024	On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence
Human beings traffic	23.04.2024	On preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY (16.12.2024)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

(2024/2081(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Abir Al‑Sahlani

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015, in particular goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 thereof,	– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015, in particular goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 16 thereof,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025,

 

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 48 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2024 on the repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women1a,   ____________________________ 1a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2024)0160.

 

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 48 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Findings of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on Poland’s abortion law (2024/2867(RSP)),

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Article 2 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide is guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;	A. whereas the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as set out in Article 2 TEU; whereas promoting gender equality and supporting women’s rights, particularly for those in rural, underdeveloped and remote areas, strengthens the EU’s commitment to these values; whereas the EU’s action worldwide is guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
C. whereas democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights; whereas rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;	C. whereas democratic systems are the only kind of system which guarantees that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights; whereas rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism threatens the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of human rights in the world, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;	E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism, the backlash against gender-equality and fundamental rights, including women’s rights, and the increasing homophobic and anti-trans rhetoric, threaten the global rules-based order, the protection and promotion of human rights in the world, the defence of equal opportunities, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded;

 

 

Amendment  8

Draft motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Draft motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ea. whereas the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is regarded as a turning point for the global agenda on gender equality and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025;

 

Amendment  9

Draft motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Draft motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Eb. whereas the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994 and the subsequent WHO global reproductive health strategy underscored the right of all individuals to achieve the highest standards in sexual and reproductive health and rights;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Recital E c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ec. whereas gender equality is paramount to the development of free and equal societies; whereas the human rights of women, girls and non-binary people are still not guaranteed throughout the world and the space for civil society organisations, especially women’s rights, indigenous and grassroots organisations is shrinking in many countries;

 

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ga. whereas the Istanbul Convention, which the European Union recently joined, despite being ratified by only some Member States, affirms that armed conflicts result in repeated human rights violations affecting civilian populations, especially women, who are subject to widespread or systematic rape and sexual violence, as well as the potential intensification of gender-based violence during and after conflicts; whereas the above-mentioned Convention defines violence against women as a human rights violation;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Recital H a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ha. whereas sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) are protected as human rights in international and European human rights law, such as in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the European Convention on Human Rights, and constitute an essential element of comprehensive healthcare provision; whereas health rights, in particular sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), are fundamental women’s rights, which should be enhanced and must not in any way be watered down or revoked; whereas the exercise of SRHR is an essential element of human dignity and is intrinsically linked to combating gender-based violence and the achievement of a wide range of other human rights such as a person’s right to life, health, privacy, security of the person, non-discrimination, equality before the law and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Recital I

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities;	I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs), activists for women’s rights and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, equal opportunities, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments and non-state actors around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities; whereas women human rights defenders and CSOs working on gender equality, women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights continue to experience shrinking space for their critical work as well as threats of violence, harassment and intimidation; whereas attacks on women’s rights, women’s rights defenders, activists and journalists are a common tactic used by anti-democratic actors to further undermine rights and freedoms both in the EU and globally;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Recital I a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ia. whereas, in a joint statement on the occasion of the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, several United Nations special rapporteurs emphasised that ‘women human rights defenders face additional barriers of economic and structural discrimination, as well as unique challenges rooted in deep-seated discrimination against women and stereotypes related to gender and sexuality embedded in patriarchal societies’, and thus that ensuring their safety should be a priority; whereas the UN Women statement on the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders on 29 November 2022 said ‘we must urgently protect the lives and work of women human rights defenders’, that ‘their right to participate and express their independent opinions is non-negotiable’, and that it is essential to ensure ‘an environment that enables their work, including legislation that protects and supports them and holds accountable those who attack them’;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Recital J a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ja. whereas while new technologies, including social media and artificial intelligence (AI), have been shown to negatively impact democracy, gender equality and wider human rights, influencing, for example, the outcomes of democratic elections, they can, however, provide a platform for activists, particularly women activists, otherwise unable to pursue their causes and civic engagement; whereas the recently adopted Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law aims to ensure respect for human rights, democracy, gender equality and the rule of law in the application of AI systems; whereas this treaty establishes a legal framework covering the entire life cycle of AI systems and addresses associated risks, such as violence against women, while promoting responsible innovation;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Global challenges to democracy and human rights	Global challenges to democracy, human rights and gender equality

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Reasserts the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world;	1. Reasserts the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; reaffirms the duty of the EU and its Member States to promote and protect democracy and the universality of human rights around the world; stresses that gender equality is a core value of the EU and one of its common and fundamental principles;

 

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	1a. Stresses the importance of advancing women’s rights and equality of opportunity between men and women worldwide, which are crucial to the realisation of human rights; emphasises that, in spite of progress, women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence, especially in countries under strict Islamic regimes, and that such societies fail to provide women and girls with equal rights under the law and equal access to education, healthcare, decent work and political and economic representation;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	1b. Underlines the importance of strengthening the participation of women in democratic systems order to tackle the discrepancy in the representation of women in decision-making; calls for the EU’s external action to facilitate better participation of women in politics, business and civil society;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
2. Insists that respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the EU’s external policy; strongly encourages the EU, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make human rights a central part of all EU policies in a streamlined manner and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field;	2. Insists that respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the EU’s external policy; strongly encourages the EU, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make human rights a central part of all EU policies, including trade agreements, in a streamlined manner, and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field;

 

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the rise of authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism, as well as the increasing attacks on the universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law;	3. Stresses that the EU must be fully prepared to counter the alarming rise of authoritarianism, illiberalism and populism, the global backlash against gender-equality and fundamental rights, including women’s rights, and the rise in homophobic and anti-trans rhetoric, undermining the rights of the most vulnerable people, as well as the increasing attacks on the universality of human rights, democracy and international humanitarian law; highlights the interdependence of women’s rights, democracy, and the rule of law;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, clampdowns on civil society and political opponents, excessive use of violence by public authorities, censorship and threats to independent media, political attacks against international institutions, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law, among others; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world;	4. Condemns the increasing trend of violations and abuses of human rights and democratic principles and values across the world, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, female genital mutilation, clampdowns on civil society and political opponents, excessive use of violence by public authorities, censorship and threats to independent media, political attacks against international institutions, and increasing use of unlawful methods of war in grave breach of international humanitarian law and human rights law; deplores the weakening of the protection of democratic institutions and processes, and the shrinking space for civil societies around the world, including that for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) defenders and journalists, who are particularly under threat and consistently targeted; condemns, further, the continuous backsliding on human rights, especially women’s rights and gender equality; expresses deep concern over the targeted suppression of women’s rights and gender equality initiatives as part of this trend;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4a. Deplores the gender equality crisis and the ongoing repression of women throughout the world; condemns entirely the Taliban’s continued repression and severe mistreatment of women and girls in Afghanistan, which has stripped away their fundamental human rights and access to basic freedoms; highlights, in particular, the recent ‘morality law’ in Afghanistan which effectively erases women from public life; stands in solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan and elsewhere; calls for the EU to work to restore and expand women’s rights in Afghanistan and throughout the world; condemns the devastating policy of gender apartheid implemented by the Taliban in Afghanistan and urges the de facto authorities to immediately restore the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in public life, particularly as regards access to education, healthcare and work; calls for the EU and its Member States to recognise gender apartheid as a crime under international law in order to hold Afghanistan and those responsible for this crime accountable;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4b. Emphasises that sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are fundamental human rights that must be upheld globally and in the EU Member States and expresses deep concern over global setbacks in gender equality and SRHR; reaffirms that the denial of quality comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services constitutes a form of gender-based violence; stresses the importance of leading by example; urges the EU to prioritise access to SRHR as part of promoting human rights and achieving sustainable development goals;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4c. Recalls that promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is a key principle under Gender Action Plan III; calls for support for human rights defenders and CSOs advocating for and facilitating access to SRHR, whose efforts are increasingly threatened by the shrinking space for civil society; calls for cases such as the conviction of Justyna Wydrzynska in Poland in March 2023 to be avoided; highlights the need for humanitarian aid to be gender-sensitive to ensure it reaches the most vulnerable people; advocates for universal access to SRHR services, particularly comprehensive family planning, contraception, unbiased information, antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, as well as HIV care, including pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP and PrEP) medication; emphasises that women and girls must have continuous access to SRHR during conflict and displacement, including safe delivery, family planning services, legal and safe abortions, and clinical management of rape; calls for funds to be allocated for essential and life-saving sexual and reproductive health services, in line with the UN Minimum Initial Services Package;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4d. Expresses its concern about the global prevalence of gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, child and forced marriages, femicides, ‘honour-based’ violence, and the trafficking of women and girls; calls on global actors and the Member States to forcefully tackle the plight of women and girls across the world who are subjected to human trafficking and sexual exploitation; supports efforts to rescue and rehabilitate victims and to rigorously prosecute and reform male and female offenders; welcomes the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention; deplores Türkiye’s decision to withdraw from – and remain outside of – the Convention; urges the remaining EU Member States – Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia – to ratify the Convention and implement its provisions; highlights the importance of recognising gender-based violence as an area of crime under Article 83(1) TFEU; reiterates that rape remains one of the most widespread human rights violations globally and stresses the importance of consent-based rape legislation and comprehensive sexuality and relationships education in this regard and reiterates that rape on the basis of the lack of consent needs to be criminalised under EU law; urges compliance with the recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur that a femicide watch initiative1a should be established (where it does not already exist) to monitor and highlight femicides, as a resource to improve policies, and to raise awareness of the gender-based killing of women as fatal manifestations on the continuum of violence against women; demands the recording of data in official homicide statistics;
	_________________
	1a WAVE, https://wave-network.org/wp-content/uploads/WAVE_CountryReport2023.pdf, p. 67.

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in modern conflicts around the world;	5. Stresses that women and girls, including LGBTIQ+ persons, are more vulnerable in conflicts; condemns Russia’s unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine and its disproportionate consequences for women and girls; recognises the courage of women serving in the first line of defence on the ground; calls for Russia to be held accountable for all breaches of human rights against women and girls, including, but not limited to, all accounts of gender-based violence such as sexual violence, human trafficking and rape; calls for all victims to be guaranteed access to justice; notes, additionally, with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in modern conflicts around the world, which are leading to violations of women’s and girls’ rights and the continuing existence of areas where girls and women are forced to marry without their consent, or are trafficked into prostitution or forced labour by human traffickers;

Amendment 28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative9 as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights;	6. Notes with satisfaction that there are also ‘human rights bright spots’ within this context of major challenges to human rights worldwide; underlines the need for a more strategic communication on human rights and democracy by spreading news about positive results, policies and best practices; supports the Good Human Rights Stories initiative9 as a way of promoting positive stories about human rights; highlights the importance of recognising the work of, celebrating and promoting women human rights defenders and activists; supports the awarding by the European Parliament of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, noting that in the last two editions it has been awarded to women activists for democracy and human rights, such as Jina Mahsa Amini and the Iranian protest movement ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ in 2023, and María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan democratic forces, in 2024;
_________________	_________________
	9 https://goodhumanrightsstories.net/.
9 https://goodhumanrightsstories.net/.

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Notes with concern the increasing divide worldwide; stresses the responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls upon the EU to keep communication channels open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;	7. Notes with concern the increasing economic, educational, cultural, social and technological divides worldwide; stresses the responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls for the EU to keep communication and negotiation channels, where necessary, open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, as well as gender-based violence; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation;	27. Stresses that women’s rights and gender equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies and a core value of the EU and one of its common and fundamental principles; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, post-conflict situations and displacement, and are denied their dignity, autonomy, voice, agency and even life; notes with particular concern that women from marginalised communities, rural and underdeveloped areas, and those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination are especially vulnerable; calls for the EU, its Member States and like-minded partners to intensify their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights; condemns in the strongest terms all forms of attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) around the world, as well as gender-based violence, including the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war; calls for the EU and the Member States to uphold SRHR as human rights, enshrine the right to legal and safe abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and prioritise access to SRHR to advance human rights and sustainable development goals; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention and calls on the Member States and members of the Council of Europe that have not yet done so, to ratify the Convention; emphasises the need for its full and swift implementation; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to spread the standards of the Istanbul Convention across the globe and ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and to promote gender equality in all their actions; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate female genital mutilation; stresses that achieving gender equality and SRHR is integral to the EU’s external action; calls for consistent advocacy in multilateral and bilateral forums to ensure women’s and girl’s equal rights and protections globally;

 

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	7a. Stresses that education represents the starting point for cultivating principles and values that contribute to the personal development of children, as well as to social cohesion and democracy, and the rule of law around the world; to that end calls for the EU to promote its values by supporting access to education and learning for women and girls;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in particular due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;	8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in particular due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption, and therefore takes note of how much remains to be done; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human-rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission;	10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting gender equality (rapporteur) and women’s and girls’ empowerment and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities; reiterates the importance of streamlining a human-rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission; recalls that NDICI – Global Europe promotes gender equality, the rights and empowerment of women and girls, and non-discrimination on any grounds, through targeted and integrated actions, at least 85 % of which should have gender equality as a primary or significant objective as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s gender equality policy marker;

 

Amendment  34

Draft motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Draft motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;	13. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world, including the recent sanctions imposed on individuals responsible for systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or under a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and calls for circumventions to be tackled;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles and values; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS;	14. Reiterates its concern regarding the increasing attacks by authoritarian and illiberal regimes on democratic principles and values; stresses that the defence and support of democracy around the world is increasingly becoming of geopolitical and strategic interest; emphasises the importance of Parliament’s efforts, as well as the role of its delegations and other EU delegations in capacity-building for partner parliaments, promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of dialogue and compromise, especially among young political leaders, the promotion of women’s access to political participation, both within institutions and in the public, associative, and civic spheres and empowering women parliamentarians, HRDs and representatives from civil society and independent media; recalls the importance of the work of activists, particularly in defending fundamental rights and specifically those most under attack, such as the rights of women, minorities and LGBTQIA+ people; reiterates its call on the Commission to continue and expand its activities in these areas by increasing funding and support for EU bodies, agencies and other grant-based organisations; stresses the critical importance of directly supporting civil society and persons expressing dissenting views, particularly in the current climate of growing global tensions and repression in increasing numbers of countries; reiterates the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls for enhanced collaboration between Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group, the relevant Commission directorates-general and the EEAS; calls for the EU to raise gender equality issues, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, with non-EU countries; calls for human rights dialogues to be given more visibility, ensuring that they are results-oriented and based on a clear set of benchmarks that enable effective monitoring, including through effective ex ante and ex post consultation with civil society and the publication of joint press statements and the conducting of suitable follow-up actions;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
EU support for human rights defenders	EU support for human rights defenders and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) defenders

 

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
15. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to strengthen the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection and support of HRDs:	15. Is extremely concerned by the continuing restriction of civil society space and rising threats to the work of HRDs and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) defenders, particularly women, as well as their families, communities and lawyers, and finds particularly concerning the increasingly sophisticated means used to persecute them; supports wholeheartedly the work of HRDs and SRHR defenders, and EU action to ensure their protection worldwide; reiterates its previous calls for the EU to take into account the gender-specific threats, needs and challenges faced by women human rights defenders (WHRDs) and urges EU institutions to guarantee their access to specific protection mechanisms, as well as to provide political support and more direct financial support; deplores the fact that WHRDs continue to face relentless and ever-more sophisticated violations against them; condemns the impunity with which perpetrators commit violations against WHRDs, both in the public and private spheres; deplores the fact that political leaders often fail to protect WHRDs against powerful and dangerous anti-gender movements; calls for the complete and consistent application of the EU Guidelines on HRDs by the EU and its Member States; calls for efforts to strengthen the visibility of EU actions and channels for the protection and support of HRDs and SRHR defenders; calls for support for HRDs and CSOs engaged in promoting and facilitating access to SRHR, whose work is threatened by the shrinking civil society space; calls for the EU to commit to increase and sustain funding for women’s rights movements, including in the framework of the post-2027 Gender Action Plan;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, both politically and financially; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;	17. Reaffirms that promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights around the world requires strong international cooperation at a multilateral level; stresses that EU territory is still under illegal occupation, with catastrophic consequences for human rights, including women’s rights; underlines the particularly important role of the UN and its bodies as the main forum which must be able to effectively advance efforts for peace and security, sustainable development and respect for human rights and international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue supporting the work of the UN, both politically and financially; reiterates the need for the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice at the UN and in other multilateral forums; calls for EU delegations to play a stronger role in multilateral forums, for which they should have appropriate resources available;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21a. Deplores, given the gendered impacts of armed conflicts, the insufficient focus on or priority given to sexual and gender-based violence and to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the EU’s humanitarian and refugee response; reiterates that humanitarian crises intensify SRHR- and gender-related challenges and recalls that in crisis zones, particularly among vulnerable groups such as refugees and migrants, women and girls are particularly exposed to sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual exploitation, rape as a weapon of war and unwanted pregnancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to give high priority to gender equality and SRHR in their humanitarian aid response, as well as to accountability and access to justice and redress for sexual and reproductive rights violations and gender-based violence, including in terms of training for humanitarian actors and current and future funding;

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21b. Condemns targeted violence against women and girls in situations of armed conflict; calls for decisive action to put an end to sexual violence as a weapon of war and to end the impunity of those guilty of these human rights violations; calls for the EU to ensure that humanitarian assistance is based on gender-responsive needs assessments carried out in consultation with specialist women’s rights organisations and other civil society organisations working with women, children and other marginalised groups, including internally displaced persons;

Amendment  41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide;	22. Recognises the potential for stronger alignment in approaches to human rights protection and promotion between Member States’ embassies and EU delegations in non-EU countries; emphasises the opportunity for Member States’ embassies to take an increasingly active role in advancing and safeguarding human rights, while also supporting civil society in these countries; highlights the importance of shared responsibility between Member States and EU delegations, supported by the European Parliament delegations, in these efforts; calls for the EU and its Member States to intensify their collective efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and to support democracy worldwide;

Amendment  42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in conflict situations around the world, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment;	23. Condemns any action or attempt to legalise, instigate, authorise, consent or acquiesce to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment methods under any circumstances, including acts of torture specifically targeting women and girls; emphasises, in this context, that preventing refugees from conflicts who are victims of sexual violence from accessing abortion care constitutes a grave violation of their human rights and may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; calls for a reform of restrictive abortion laws; condemns the increasing reports of the use of torture by state actors in conflict situations around the world, and reiterates the non-derogable nature of the right to be free from torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment; reiterates its calls for universal ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol and the necessity for states to bring their national provisions into line with their international commitments;

Amendment  43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; notes with concern the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system;	24. Recalls that the right to food, including having physical and economic access to adequate food or the means to its procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to food worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts; stresses that women and girls face disproportionate impacts from food shortages due to pre-existing gender inequalities, which can limit their access to resources and aid; emphasises that children and breastfeeding mothers are at increased risk of starvation and malnutrition; notes with concern the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right to food without discrimination within the UN system.

Amendment  44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment;	25. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment; stresses that the harmful effects of climate change and ecosystem degradation are being borne disproportionately by the poor, in particular women, young people, disabled people, people from other minorities, indigenous peoples and other natural-resource-dependent communities; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists in protecting a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; emphasises that women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to pre-existing gender inequalities that exacerbate their vulnerability in socio-economic and environmental contexts; reiterates the critical need for climate actions, including the green transition, to address existing gender inequalities, including by promoting women’s equal and meaningful participation and representation in climate action, policymaking, and green and clean innovative technologies;

Amendment  45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in death of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies;	26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, which statistically affects girls and young women more frequently, including through violence, including gender-based violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in death of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies; highlights the role of education in the development of children and young people around the world; stresses that access to comprehensive and age-appropriate sexuality and relationship education is a human right and a key tool in preventing gender-based discrimination, violence and exploitation and in equipping young people with the knowledge to protect their health and empower them;

Amendment  46

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Rights of women and gender equality	Rights of women, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality

 

Amendment  47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27 a. Stresses that SRHR education and information is one of the main instruments for achieving the commitments made on the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development; emphasises that SRHR education and information can significantly contribute to reducing gender-based violence and sexual harassment; stresses that comprehensive and age-appropriate sexual and relationship education and sexuality information is key to building children’s and young peoples’ skills to form healthy, equal and safe relationships, in particular by addressing gender norms, gender equality, power dynamics in relationships, consent and respect for boundaries, and contributes to achieving gender equality; calls for the EU, the Member States and their international partners to pursue efforts to ensure access to age-appropriate and comprehensive SRHR and sexuality education, while eliminating gender stereotypes and harmful societal norms, as well as to ensure access to comprehensive family planning care, including contraception, emergency contraception, unbiased information, antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, fertility services, safe and legal abortion and treatment, and preventative treatment, for all sexual-health-related issues, including HIV, and to information for children around the world, promoting shared responsibility in family planning and supporting women’s rights and well-being;

 

Amendment  48

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27b. Points out that equal pay is a recognised human right; recalls that ensuring that the work done by women and men is valued fairly and that ending pay discrimination is essential to achieving gender equality; calls on the Member States to swiftly implement the Pay Transparency Directive1a and to promote the principle of equal pay for equal work at international level;   ______________ 1a Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms, OJ L 132, 17.5.2023, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/970/oj.

Amendment  49

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27c. Strongly condemns, based on the statements of the UN, the fact that those who suffer the most in any armed conflict are women and children;

Amendment  50

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial; calls for EU-funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU10 , including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries;	28. Denounces the erosion of the human rights and the safety of refugees, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons; reaffirms their inalienable human rights and fundamental right to seek asylum; recalls the obligation of states to protect them in accordance with international law; calls for the EU and its Member States to effectively uphold their rights in the EU’s asylum and migration policy and in the EU’s cooperation with partner countries in this regard; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and, where possible, step up their support for countries hosting the most refugees, as well as for transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling are crucial; calls for EU-funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and women and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU10 , including the development of talent partnerships with partner countries;
_________________	_________________
10 Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).	10 Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).

Amendment  51

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
29. Deplores the human rights violations, including discrimination, persecution, violence and killings, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons around the world; is extremely concerned by the spreading of hatred and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives and legislation that target LGBTIQ+ persons and HRDs; reiterates its calls for the full implementation of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ+ people around the world;	29. Deplores the ongoing human rights violations, including discrimination, persecution, violence and killings, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons around the world; is extremely concerned by the rising hatred and anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives and legislation targeting LGBTIQ+ persons and HRDs and restricting their enjoyment of their fundamental rights and freedoms, both in and outside the EU, in particular the backlash in some Member States, such as Hungary, where anti-LGBTIQ+ laws, such as Act LXXIX of 2021, undermine LGBTIQ+ rights and safety; reiterates its calls for the full implementation of the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 as the EU’s tool for improving the situation of LGBTIQ+ people around the world; condemns all forms of violence, discrimination, stigmatisation, persecution, hate crimes, hate speech, conversion therapies, intersex genital mutilation and sexual violence against LGBTIQ+ people within the EU and globally; calls for the EU and its Member States to denounce these injustices and commit to protecting the rights, dignity and safety of LGBTIQ+ individuals; denounces, in this regard, conversion practices targeting LGBTIQ+ persons aimed at changing, repressing or suppressing the sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression of their victims; calls for the implementation of an EU-wide policy to legally ban practices of this kind; emphasises the increasing concerns and fears within LGBTIQ+ communities and urges the EU to take a firm stance against any legislative or social actions that endanger LGBTIQ+ people;

Amendment  52

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29a. Demands, in view of the increase in restrictive legislation on LGTBIQ+ rights inside and outside the EU, guaranteed safe paths to offer asylum to LGTBIQ+ people who are persecuted, discriminated against or threatened in their countries of origin;

Amendment  53

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life;	30. Is concerned by the challenges to the full enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities; reiterates its calls for the EU to assist partner countries in the development of policies in support of carers of persons with disabilities; underlines the specific needs of girls and other children with disabilities around the world, drawing on recent legislative initiatives such as the European Disability Card for EU citizens and residents of non-EU countries; calls for the EU, in its external policy, to make use of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 as a tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, particularly concerning poverty and discrimination, but also problems with access to education, healthcare and employment, and participation in political life, issues that, in the case of women with disabilities, result in extreme cases of multiple discrimination;

Amendment  54

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employment; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work;	31. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues and programmes to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age-based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, limited access to free healthcare and other essential services, especially in rural and isolated or deprived areas, as well as barriers to employment, leading to the loss of a wealth of experience that can be of benefit to young people at the outset of their careers; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work, as well as actual implementation in both legislation and real life;

Amendment  55

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
32. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gender identity; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech, including online; reiterates the crucial role of education and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end;	32. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of sex, race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, social origin, genetic features, language, disability, religion, belief, being from a minority, property, birth, age, sexual orientation or gender identity; underlines that discrimination on any ground leads to rights violations in all spheres of life, including access to education, healthcare and, in particular, sexual and reproductive healthcare, work and access to justice; reiterates its calls on the Member States to adopt and implement strategies, policies and programmes to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of marginalised groups of women, and to eradicate the financial, legal, practical and social barriers they face; emphasises that women and girls experiencing intersecting forms of discrimination are particularly vulnerable; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech, including online; reiterates the crucial role of education and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end.

Amendment  56

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. Reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty, which is incompatible with the right to life and a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that is irreversible; stresses that the EU must be relentless in its pursuit of the universal abolition of the death penalty as a major objective of its human rights foreign policy; notes that despite the trend in some non-EU countries to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty, significant challenges in this regard still exist; deplores the fact that in other non-EU countries the number of death sentences that have been carried out has reached its highest level in the last five years; reiterates its call for all countries to completely abolish the death penalty or establish an immediate moratorium as a first step towards its abolition;	33. Reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty, which is incompatible with the right to life and a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that is irreversible; stresses that the EU must be relentless in its pursuit of the universal abolition of the death penalty as a major objective of its human rights foreign policy; notes that despite the trend in some non-EU countries to take steps towards abolishing the death penalty, significant challenges in this regard still exist; stresses that the aim of criminal justice continues to be the social reintegration of offenders, the compensation of victims for loss or damage and the prevention of reoffending; deplores the fact that in other non-EU countries the number of death sentences that have been carried out has reached its highest level in the last five years; reiterates its call for all countries to completely abolish the death penalty or establish an immediate moratorium as a first step towards its abolition;

Amendment  57

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
34. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities in certain non-EU countries; recommends that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU be granted more resources so that he can comfortably carry out his mandate; highlights the necessity for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees;	34. Reiterates its concern regarding violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief; deplores the instrumentalisation of religious or belief identities for political purposes and the exclusion of persons belonging to religious and belief minorities and religious communities in certain non-EU countries; notes with concern that the misuse of religious beliefs can lead to gender-based violence and discrimination, disproportionately impacting women and girls through practices such as forced marriage, female genital mutilation, restrictions on education and limitations on personal freedoms; recommends that the Special Envoy for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU be granted more resources so that he can comfortably carry out his mandate; highlights the necessity for the Special Envoy to continue to work closely and in a complementary manner with the EUSR for Human Rights and the Council Working Party on Human Rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to continue working with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees;

Amendment  58

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
35. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and access to trustworthy information for sustaining democracy and a thriving civic space; is seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti-corruption laws to suppress journalists and civil society groups; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones;	35. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and unrestricted access to trustworthy independent information for sustaining democracy and a thriving and free civic space without manipulation or constraints; is seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self-censorship, and the misuse of counter-terrorism or anti-corruption laws to suppress journalists, civil society groups, opposition politicians and, in the worst cases, lawyers; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of opposition politicians, dissidents, lawyers, journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones;

Amendment  59

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 39

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
39. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian and illiberal regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism;	39. Deplores that the right to participate in free and fair elections is not respected in authoritarian and illiberal regimes; highlights that these regimes conduct fake elections with the aim of entrenching their power, as they lack real political contestation and pluralism; emphasises the importance of promoting female political leadership and participation in strengthening democratic processes and ensuring diverse representation;

Amendment  60

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 41

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
41. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the sustainable development goals, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent work for all;	41. Highlights that in many regions of the world, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are often the driving force of local economies; underlines that MSMEs account for 90 % of businesses, 60 to 70 % of employment and 50 % of gross domestic product worldwide; acknowledges that women-led MSMEs may face unique challenges in accessing resources and opportunities, partly due to systemic gender discrimination; emphasises the need for support to enhance their growth and inclusion in order to maintain competitiveness in the global market and ensure adequate access to loans and credit, business angels and venture capitalists, which should be promoted through EU programmes and funds, as well as through the European Investment Bank for access to microfinancing; emphasises that the EU and its Member States must remove barriers for women to starting and owning businesses in order to bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship; highlights the importance of MSMEs in their contribution to the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the sustainable development goals, namely those on the eradication of poverty and decent work for all.

Amendment  61

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry12 ;	42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, while also recognising the advantages of AI and new technologies; reiterates the need for greater political attention to be paid to the profound changes arising from AI systems, which have the potential to promote, among other things, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls; points out the risk of creating or perpetuating gender inequalities and biases in our societies through AI, and the risk of incentivising cyber and physical violence, against women, if adequate action is not taken; welcomes the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, with built-in high levels of protection of fundamental rights and gender equality, which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human well-being; welcomes the adoption of the first Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law; emphasises the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in equipping women and girls with future-oriented skills, enabling access to employment and challenging gender stereotypes that have traditionally categorised these fields as male-dominated; calls for the EU, the Member States and international partners to intensify global efforts to promote and encourage STEM learning from an early age to ensure that girls and women are not at an unfair disadvantage when later seeking employment in the scientific and technical sectors, increasing girls’ and women’s access to and leadership in STEM and information and communications technology education and careers; emphasises that gender equality needs to be a priority in the process of conceptualising and building AI systems; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human well-being; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry1a.
_________________	_________________
	1a Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake-content-industry.
12 Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake-content-industry.

Amendment  62

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	42a. Welcomes the adoption in May 2024 of the first Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, aimed at ensuring that activities within the entire life cycle of AI systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law; reiterates the need for greater legislative attention to be paid to the profound changes arising from activities within the life cycle of AI systems, which have the potential to promote human prosperity, individual and social well-being, sustainable development, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, but also pose the risk of creating or exacerbating inequalities and incentivising cyber and physical violence, including violence experienced by women and individuals in vulnerable situations;

Amendment  63

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	42b. Reiterates the need to establish a globally applicable legal framework setting out general principles and common rules to govern activities throughout the life cycle of AI systems, effectively preserving shared values and harnessing the benefits of artificial intelligence to promote such values in a manner conducive to responsible innovation; encourages the EU to champion such legislative innovation and therefore calls on the Commission to focus more closely on the risks and opportunities presented by machine learning systems in the field of human rights and democracy, as well as equal opportunities and preventing violence against women;

Amendment  64

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 43

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
43. Stresses that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; considers, nevertheless, that the rights of individuals need to be respected; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon;	43. Stresses that the rights of all individuals need to be respected; considers, nevertheless, that the internet should be a place where freedom of expression prevails; underlines the disproportionate harassment and (sexual) abuse faced by women and girls online; is of the opinion that, where applicable, what is considered to be illegal offline, should be considered illegal online; deplores any use of AI-generated deepfakes and other abusive image-based actions against women and girls, all of which can have devastating consequences for women’s physical and mental health; urges the EU to implement safeguards to detect and prevent harmful deepfakes and to address gender-specific digital threats under AI regulations; expresses concern for the growing number of internet shutdowns; highlights that internet shutdowns are often used by authoritarian regimes, among others, to silence political dissidence and curb political freedom; calls urgently for the EU to combat this alarming phenomenon;

 

 

 

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

 

The rapporteur for opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	12.12.2024
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	24 10 0
Members present for the final vote	Irmhild Boßdorf, Mélissa Camara, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Valérie Devaux, Elisabeth Dieringer, Viktória Ferenc, Heléne Fritzon, Lina Gálvez, Alexandra Geese, Arba Kokalari, Sebastian Kruis, Judita Laššáková, Eleonora Meleti, Irene Montero, Carolina Morace, Alessandra Moretti, Mirosława Nykiel, Giusi Princi, Emma Rafowicz, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Benedetta Scuderi, Laurence Trochu, Maria Walsh, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas
Substitutes present for the final vote	Kathleen Funchion, Elisabeth Grossmann, Billy Kelleher
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Fredis Beleris, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Mélanie Disdier, Geadis Geadi, Lukas Mandl, Alexandra Mehnert

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

24	+
PPE	Fredis Beleris, Arba Kokalari, Lukas Mandl, Alexandra Mehnert, Eleonora Meleti, Mirosława Nykiel, Giusi Princi, Maria Walsh
Renew	Valérie Devaux, Billy Kelleher, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas
S&D	Heléne Fritzon, Lina Gálvez, Elisabeth Grossmann, Alessandra Moretti, Emma Rafowicz, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus
The Left	Kathleen Funchion, Irene Montero, Carolina Morace
Verts/ALE	Mélissa Camara, Alexandra Geese, Benedetta Scuderi

 

10	-
ECR	Geadis Geadi, Laurence Trochu
ESN	Irmhild Boßdorf
NI	Judita Laššáková
PfE	Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Elisabeth Dieringer, Mélanie Disdier, Viktória Ferenc, Sebastian Kruis, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión

 

0	0

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted	30.1.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	49 15 11
Members present for the final vote	Mika Aaltola, Lucia Annunziata, Petras Auštrevičius, Jordan Bardella, Dan Barna, Wouter Beke, Robert Biedroń, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Marc Botenga, Grzegorz Braun, Sebastião Bugalho, Danilo Della Valle, Özlem Demirel, Elio Di Rupo, Loucas Fourlas, Michael Gahler, Geadis Geadi, Giorgos Georgiou, Raphaël Glucksmann, Bernard Guetta, Rima Hassan, Rasa Juknevičienė, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Rihards Kols, Andrey Kovatchev, Vilis Krištopans, Nathalie Loiseau, Claudiu Manda, David McAllister, Vangelis Meimarakis, Sven Mikser, Francisco José Millán Mon, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Leoluca Orlando, Kostas Papadakis, Tonino Picula, Thijs Reuten, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Andreas Schieder, Alexander Sell, Villy Søvndal, Davor Ivo Stier, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Stanislav Stoyanov, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Michał Szczerba, António Tânger Corrêa, Marta Temido, Cristian Terheş, Riho Terras, Hermann Tertsch, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Reinier Van Lanschot, Roberto Vannacci, Hilde Vautmans, Harald Vilimsky, Željana Zovko
Substitutes present for the final vote	Jaume Asens Llodrà, Malik Azmani, Engin Eroglu, Sandra Gómez López, Evin Incir, András László, Ana Catarina Mendes, Hans Neuhoff, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Tineke Strik, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Matej Tonin, Ivaylo Valchev, Isabel Wiseler-Lima
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Catarina Vieira

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

49	+
PPE	Mika Aaltola, Wouter Beke, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Sebastião Bugalho, Loucas Fourlas, Michael Gahler, Rasa Juknevičienė, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Andrey Kovatchev, David McAllister, Vangelis Meimarakis, Francisco José Millán Mon, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Davor Ivo Stier, Michał Szczerba, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Riho Terras, Matej Tonin, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Željana Zovko
Renew	Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Engin Eroglu, Bernard Guetta, Nathalie Loiseau, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans
S&D	Lucia Annunziata, Robert Biedroń, Elio Di Rupo, Raphaël Glucksmann, Sandra Gómez López, Evin Incir, Claudiu Manda, Ana Catarina Mendes, Sven Mikser, Tonino Picula, Thijs Reuten, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Andreas Schieder, Marta Temido
Verts/ALE	Jaume Asens Llodrà, Leoluca Orlando, Villy Søvndal, Tineke Strik, Reinier Van Lanschot, Catarina Vieira

 

15	-
ECR	Geadis Geadi, Sebastian Tynkkynen
ESN	Hans Neuhoff, Alexander Sell, Stanislav Stoyanov
NI	Grzegorz Braun, Kostas Papadakis
PfE	Jordan Bardella, Vilis Krištopans, András László, Sebastiaan Stöteler, António Tânger Corrêa, Hermann Tertsch, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Harald Vilimsky

 

11	0
ECR	Rihards Kols, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Cristian Terheş, Ivaylo Valchev
PfE	Roberto Vannacci
The Left	Marc Botenga, Danilo Della Valle, Özlem Demirel, Giorgos Georgiou, Rima Hassan

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

• [1] OJ L 115, 28.4.2006, p. 50, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2006/313/oj.
• [2] OJ L 410 I, 7.12.2020, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/1998/oj.
• [3] OJ L 209, 14.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/947/oj.
• [4] OJ L, 2024/1760, 5.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj.
• [5] OJ C 411, 27.11.2020, p. 30.
• [6] OJ C 404, 6.10.2021, p. 202.
• [7] OJ C 15, 12.1.2022, p. 70.
• [8] OJ C 99, 1.3.2022, p. 152.
• [9] OJ C, C/2024/6741, 26.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6741/oj.
• [10] https://goodhumanrightsstories.net/.
• [11] Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).
• [12] Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM(2022)0453).
• [13] Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake-content-industry.