Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Our world is going through a period of turbulence and unpredictability, reflected in growing conflict and divided societies.
The international community has come through many setbacks and periods of geopolitical turmoil since the founding of the United Nations.
But what we are experiencing goes to the very core of the international order – an order that has brought us an unprecedented level of global stability. We cannot allow the fundamental global consensus around international norms and institutions, built painstakingly over decades, to crumble before our eyes.
I am here to sound the alarm.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 120 conflicts rage around the world. War is the ultimate violation of human rights.
It is outrageous that across these conflicts, the legal frameworks designed to safeguard civilians, limit damage, and ensure justice are dismissed and discarded, blatantly and repeatedly.
Civilians are deliberately attacked. Sexual violence and famine are used as weapons of war. Humanitarian access is denied, while weapons flow across borders and circumvent international sanctions. And humanitarian workers are targeted. In 2024, a record 356 humanitarian workers were killed while providing aid to people in some of the world’s most appalling crises.
Mr. President,
Conflict is a chaos machine.
As I briefed last week, the conflict in Sudan threatens to explode across the region. Parties to the conflict and their allies continue to launch devastating attacks on densely populated areas and civilian infrastructure with total impunity, as the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe deepens. Civilians are paying an unbearable price, in a naked struggle for power and resources. All countries must use their influence to apply pressure on the parties and their allies, to stop the war, embark on an inclusive dialogue, and transition to a civilian-led Government.
In Ukraine, three years since the full-scale Russian invasion, people continue to suffer appallingly.
Civilian casualties rose by 30 percent between 2023 and 2024. Russia's armed forces have systematically targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure with coordinated strikes, severely reducing electricity capacity and causing widespread disruptions to essential services. Relentless attacks with aerial glide bombs, long-range missiles, and drones have placed civilians in a state of constant insecurity and fear. In occupied territory, the Russian Federation continues to restrict Ukrainians’ fundamental rights and freedoms severely. I am dismayed by continued reports of summary executions and the widespread and systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces. This situation is dire.
Any discussions about ending the war must include Ukrainians and fully respect their human rights. Sustainable peace must be based on the United Nations Charter and international law.
In Gaza, Israel’s means and methods of warfare, in response to the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, have razed the territory and shredded the social and physical fabric. We must above all make sure the fragile ceasefire in Gaza holds, and becomes the basis for peace. Any solution to the cycles of violence must be rooted in human rights, including the right to self-determination, the rule of law and accountability. All hostages must be freed; all those detained arbitrarily must be released; and humanitarian aid into Gaza must resume immediately.
In the West Bank, I am alarmed by the use of military weapons and tactics, including tanks and airstrikes, against Palestinians; the destruction and emptying of refugee camps; the expansion of illegal settlements; the severe restrictions on movement; and the displacement of tens of thousands of people. Israel’s unilateral actions and threats of annexation in the West Bank, in violation of international law, must stop.
The recent escalation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is now drawing in regional players and devastating entire communities in North and South Kivu. In the past five weeks, thousands of people have reportedly been killed during attacks by the M23 armed group, backed by the Rwandan Armed Forces, in intense fighting against the Armed Forces of the DRC and their allies. There are horrifying reports of rape, sexual slavery and summary executions. More than half a million people have been forced to flee this year, adding to almost 7.8 million people already displaced in the country. The violence must stop, violations by all parties must be investigated, and dialogue must resume.
In Myanmar, 2024 was the deadliest year for civilians since the military coup four years ago. The military ramped up brutal attacks on civilians as their grip on power eroded, with retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling of villages and urban areas, arbitrary arrests and prosecutions, and the forcible conscription of thousands of young people. I urge the international community to cut decisively the supply of arms and finance that enable the military’s vicious repression.
In Haiti, gang violence spiraled out of control last year. More than 5,600 people were killed, and thousands more were injured or kidnapped. Deep economic and social inequalities have been exacerbated by violence, including sexual violence and violence against children. Over one million people are internally displaced, half of them children. Full implementation of the Security Council's arms embargo and support to the Multinational Security Support Mission are crucial to resolving this crisis.
Hostilities in and around Yemen continue, with an alarming impact on the human rights and humanitarian situation. Almost 20 million Yemenis need humanitarian support.
I am outraged by the death of a World Food Programme colleague in detention earlier this month. All 23 UN staff - including eight colleagues from my own Office - who are arbitrarily detained by the Houthis must be released immediately.
Mr. President,
Conflict causes chaos – but it arises from its own twisted logic.
Some people – autocrats, demagogues, profiteers – benefit from that chaos, whether through divide and rule tactics, predatory business practices, or simple theft.
Conflict bleeds into all our lives, from the products we buy to the newsfeeds we scroll; from minerals mined in war zones, to the so-called bot farms and scam centres that flourish in the most lawless corners of the world.
We are all somewhat implicated, and we all have a responsibility to act – through our consumption habits, our social media use, and our political and social engagement.
Accountability is key: making sure perpetrators of abuses and violations are held to account for their crimes.
We can trace a clear line between the lack of accountability for airstrikes on hospitals in Syria in the 2010s, attacks on healthcare facilities in Yemen, and the destruction of health systems in Gaza and Sudan. According to one study, 2023 was the deadliest year for healthcare workers in a decade. Some 480 were killed during armed conflict – nearly double the previous year.
Accountability remedies the past and protects the future.
Last month, for example, a Swedish court convicted an ISIS-affiliated woman of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Yazidis in 2015.
A court in Mexico recently upheld the conviction of five military officers for the extrajudicial executions of university students in 2010.
And ongoing investigations by the International Criminal Court into various situations create hope of justice for victims everywhere.
Around the world, civil society, lawyers and victims are calling on warring parties to respect international law and pursue avenues of accountability. States need to be put on notice that the world is watching, including on arms transfers to conflict zones.
Beyond States, corporations must also be held to account, including for damage to our climate and our environment.
In December, for example, the Supreme Court of Kenya reaffirmed a landmark decision awarding compensation for deaths caused by lead poisoning. I am also encouraged by a growing wave of litigation that seeks to hold fossil fuel companies to account for climate-related damage.
But these cases are the exception rather than the rule.
In this connection, I urge the European Union to maintain robust human rights and environmental due diligence at the heart of their corporate sustainability laws, as they consider reforms.
Mr. President,
An absence of accountability leads directly to an absence of peace.
And yet, a tireless search for peace is what the world needs most.
Pre-emptive strikes cannot replace preventive diplomacy.
Today, wars are lasting longer, and peace negotiations are less successful. According to one study, the number of conflicts that ended through peace agreements fell from 23 per cent in the 1970s to four per cent in the 2010s.
For millions of people around the world, war has become a simple, devastating fact of life. This should shake us all.
We need to build peace from the ground up; to grasp it, nurture it, protect it, and promote it, at every opportunity. Bring warring parties to the table. Ensure that women are involved from beginning to end. Build peace around human rights.
Transitional justice seeks to do exactly that.
It helps fractured societies to heal, reconcile and rebuild. We see its impact all over the world.
In Liberia, my Office’s support has played an important part in advancing transitional justice and promoting accountability. Establishing the Office of a War and Economic Crimes Court last May was a significant step towards justice for victims of the civil wars between 1989 and 2003.
In Colombia, we are reminded of the importance of the participation of civil society in peace-building efforts, notably women, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous Peoples. Peace requires constant vigilance as part of a sustained, victim-centered transitional justice process.
The design and implementation of Ethiopia’s transitional justice process will be key to demonstrating its ability to address past violations. This is a fragile moment. The human rights situation continued to be dire in 2024, notably in the Amhara and Oromia regions. The situation in Tigray has improved since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, but tensions remain high.
Worryingly, civic space has become more restricted throughout the country. Proposed amendments to the media law put the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly at risk. None of these steps are conducive to sustainable peace.
The Western Balkans are an example of transitional justice delayed. Almost 30 years after the end of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, more progress on peacebuilding, economic and social reforms, and the protection of human rights is badly needed. Across the whole region, leaders must abandon ethno-nationalist agendas and revisionist narratives that justify or deny atrocity crimes and glorify convicted war criminals.
My Office is working to get transitional justice back on track.
I am following closely the ongoing peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the hope that they will lead to a process of truth-telling, healing, and reconciliation. We stand ready to support. All those arbitrarily detained in Azerbaijan, including ethnic Armenians, must be released immediately, and fair trial rights must be respected fully.
Bangladesh last year experienced a paroxysm of violence as the government of the time brutally suppressed a student movement that carried human rights as its torch.
The country is now charting a new future. Our recent independent fact-finding report on the grave human rights violations that took place is an important contribution to this journey. I hope it will support truth-telling, accountability, reparations, healing, and reform. It will be crucial to ensure due process in criminal cases and investigate revenge violence, including against minorities.
Syria is also at a critical turning point. My Office, together with local and international organizations, raised the alarm and documented appalling human rights violations and abuses for over fourteen years, before the regime was ousted. This record can now support justice and truth telling.
The interim authorities are facing difficult challenges and we are ready to accompany them moving forward. I am concerned by reports of revenge violence and abuses. The authorities have an opportunity now to deliver on Syrians’ expectations, guided by the human rights of all Syrians, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion and race. Women must play a full role in all transitional institutions and decisions.
When I visited Lebanon earlier this year, I was encouraged by the commitment of the new leadership to human rights. The country now has a unique opportunity to embark on legal reforms and address deep inequalities and other social and economic issues. These will be crucial to restore social cohesion, build public confidence in State institutions, and deliver on the aspirations of the Lebanese people.
Mr. President,
Even in societies that are nominally at peace, people are feeling insecure and unmoored.
Communities and societies struggle with polarisation and division – which are anathema to human rights.
I have followed recent election campaigns in Europe, North America and beyond with increasing trepidation. Single-issue soundbites devoid of substance oversimplify complex issues and are often based on scapegoating, disinformation, and dehumanization.
Migration, for example, is an age-old phenomenon that can be addressed to everyone’s benefit. Refugees fleeing persecution are entitled to live in safety, free from harassment.
And yet, migrants and refugees are widely labelled as illegals, criminals, vermin or worse. We have heard these terms before.
Excessive use of force and deaths of people of African descent at the hands of law enforcement officials persist, often rooted in systemic racism.
Other communities face deep-seated, caste-based discrimination, related to work and descent.
LGBTIQ+ people, particularly transgender people, continue to face high levels of violence, harassment, and discrimination, in all regions of the world.
People with disabilities face discrimination, bias and stigma every day.
Dehumanization is a well-worn step towards treating an entire group as outsiders, unworthy of the basic rights we all enjoy. It is a dangerous precursor to hate and violence and must be called out whenever it occurs.
Mr. President,
From autocracies to democracies, women and girls are denied their rights in myriad ways.
In Afghanistan, women and girls are subject to State-sponsored gender apartheid that is unparalleled in today’s world. Virtual prisoners within their homes, they are denied the most basic and fundamental freedoms essential to normal life, including movement, education and work. I am deeply concerned for the long-term future of a country that is self-harming on a national scale.
In Iran, the Hijab Law has been temporarily suspended. I call again on the authorities to repeal the law fully and permanently, along with all other laws and practices that discriminate against women and girls. I also urge them to release all human rights defenders from detention and to end arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. I am deeply troubled by the marked increase in executions last year, with over 900 reported cases. I have urged the Iranian authorities to place an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
More broadly, I am concerned about the resurgence in some quarters of toxic ideas about masculinity, and efforts to glorify gender stereotypes, especially among young men. It is shocking to me that misogynistic influencers have millions of followers on social media and are hailed as heroes in some quarters. Online and offline, these ideas are translating into a wider pushback against gender equality, as well as violence and hateful rhetoric against women, women human rights defenders, and women politicians.
We see these trends across all regions, from Latin America and Africa to East Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. In some cases, they are making their way into reforms to laws and policies, and risk reversing hard won gains on gender equality.
While more than 60 countries and territories have liberalized their abortion laws over the past 30 years, we are now seeing attempted rollbacks in many countries. Forty percent of women globally live under restrictive abortion laws. As always, it is the most marginalized women who suffer most.
Mr. President,
We have enjoyed bipartisan support from the United States of America on human rights over many decades, thanks to the generosity and compassion of the American people. I am now deeply worried by the fundamental shift in direction that is taking place domestically and internationally.
In a paradoxical mirror image, policies intended to protect people from discrimination are now labelled as discriminatory. Progress is being rolled back on gender equality. Disinformation, intimidation and threats, notably against journalists and public officials, risk undermining the work of independent media and the functioning of institutions. Divisive rhetoric is being used to distort, deceive and polarize. This is generating fear and anxiety among many.
On these issues and more, my Office will continue building on our long history of constructive engagement.
Mr. President,
Societies need certain ingredients to thrive: a free public square with space for open debate, free and independent media, an independent judiciary, and transparent and representative state institutions.
But when I look around the world, I see a troubling picture.
In Nicaragua, the recent Constitutional reform significantly increases the concentration of power in the Presidency, and dismantles checks and balances. Fundamental rights are at risk of being further curtailed, including the elimination of the prohibition of torture. I urge the Nicaraguan authorities to return to a democratic path, and to pursue a meaningful and constructive dialogue to this end.
In Venezuela, I noted the announcement that more than a thousand people were released after being detained following the presidential elections. All those arbitrarily detained must be released immediately. Political negotiations between the different stakeholders are urgently needed, to agree on a viable pathway forward. I call for all electoral processes to be transparent, inclusive, peaceful, and fully in line with international human rights standards.
In Argentina, I am troubled by recent executive actions that bypass established procedures for Supreme Court appointments, which risk undermining the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. I also have serious concerns about the effect of austerity policies on the growing number of people living in poverty.
In Mozambique, I call for the impartial and independent investigation into human rights violations and abuses which took place in the post-election period. My Office is ready to work together with the new government and civil society to advance respect and protection of human rights in the country, including to strengthen human rights compliance of security forces.
We have received many reports about a continued crackdown in the Russian Federation on civil society and independent media, under the guise of national security. Stringent laws have been adopted to stifle free expression, labelling critical voices as foreign agents or undesirable organizations. Many journalists and activists, including anti-war protestors, have faced harassment, arrest, or exile, resulting in the near elimination of any form of dissent within the country.
In Belarus, severe limitations on freedom of expression, association, and assembly persist, and human rights activism has all but disappeared. I note the recent series of releases from detention and call on the authorities to free all those who remain arbitrarily detained.
While China is engaging with the international human rights system, I refer back to my previous updates raising serious concerns and hope to see meaningful progress on these issues. I continue to make representations on behalf of lawyers, human rights defenders and citizen journalists who have been arbitrarily detained under vague criminal offences. In Hong Kong S.A.R., the broad application of national security laws continues to stifle civic space. The recent report by International Labour Organization experts, on counter-terrorism measures and labour programmes in the Xinjiang region, reinforces our own grave concerns and the urgency of addressing our longstanding recommendations. I am also concerned by the impact of education policies and continued restrictions on freedom of expression, religion and belief in the Tibet Autonomous Region. I will take these issues forward in our ongoing engagement.
In Thailand, I remain troubled by the dissolution of the Move Forward Party last August, and the legal cases being pursued against its leaders. This impacts people's right to participate in public affairs and political life. Given last week’s deportation of ethnic Uyghurs, I also call on Thailand to respect the fundamental principle of non-refoulement.
India’s democracy and institutions have been its greatest strength, underpinning its diversity and development. Democracy requires constant nurturing of participation and inclusion at all levels of society.
I am concerned by the use of restrictive laws and harassment against human rights defenders and independent journalists resulting in arbitrary detention and a diminished civic space, including in Kashmir. I also call for stepped-up efforts to address violence and displacement in Manipur, based on dialogue, peacebuilding and human rights.
Civic space is shrinking in Egypt, where the authorities are using anti-terrorism legislation against those expressing dissent, including human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and peaceful demonstrators. These practices are creating fear, silencing critical voices and hindering participation of human rights defenders in international human rights processes. I reiterate my call for the release of all those detained for exercising their human rights.
We are seeing similar trends in other countries, including Algeria and Tunisia.
Mr. President,
On a more general note, I am particularly concerned by the growing phenomenon of targeting journalists, human rights defenders and political dissidents across borders, using technology to track them. This insidious practice is used to intimidate, threaten, silence, detain, forcibly disappear and even kill opponents and critics. It sends a clear message that no place is safe, and leaves people living in a constant state of fear.
Globally, the number of direct, physical incidents of transnational repression has been rising since 2020, with egregious examples from around the world.
We have observed in particular a pattern of abductions, disappearances and in some cases killings, in mainland Southeast Asia.
I urge all States to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward extra-legal transfers, renditions and abductions, and to ensure full accountability for these violations, as well as respect for the principle of non-refoulement.
Mr. President,
Today’s massive shifts and profound transformations have left people in many countries around the world feeling alienated and abandoned.
They believe their grievances and fears for the future are not taken seriously.
As a result, they have lost trust in political leadership and institutions, which leads to more fragmentation.
My response is: your concerns are our concerns, because they are about human rights - to education, to health, to housing, to free speech, and access to justice. Human rights are about people’s daily concerns for their families and their future.
They are also about equity, global solidarity and sustainable development.
Human rights can never be played off against each other; they reinforce each other and reveal how we are all connected.
The solution to today’s pervasive unease lies in more respect for human rights, not less.
It lies in uniting around more effective and efficient multilateral institutions and frameworks that protect us all.
I am deeply troubled by efforts from a number of countries to undermine and inhibit the functioning of international legal frameworks and institutions, including the International Criminal Court, which is a fundamental pillar of international criminal justice. I am stunned by the ease with which various international institutions are cast aside, with measures that hinder the vital work they and their staff carry out.
Mr. President,
Economic systems must deliver on economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights, the right to development, and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
The Paris Agreement is an essential tool. We need a laser focus on stopping the climate crisis in its tracks and protecting those already feeling the heat.
The World Health Organization plays an essential role in preventing pandemics and safeguarding people’s wellbeing.
Sweeping cuts to domestic social safety nets, climate finance and foreign aid signal a massive setback for human rights protection, for conflict prevention, and for global stability.
Social security, humanitarian and development aid, climate finance and national security are not in opposition – they are mutually reinforcing.
Mr. President,
Today, power dynamics are changing. Individuals and corporations have never had so much control and influence over our lives.
A handful of unelected tech oligarchs have our data: they know where we live, what we do, our genes and our health conditions, our thoughts, our habits, our desires and our fears. They know us better than we know ourselves.
And they know how to manipulate us.
Any form of unregulated power can lead to oppression, subjugation, and even tyranny – the playbook of the autocrat.
We must adapt – fast.
States must fulfil their duty to protect people from unchecked power, and work together to achieve this.
Mr. President,
In response to all the challenges I have outlined, we need to bring back the value of science, knowledge and facts.
And we need a clear, unequivocal commitment to the rule of law, to transparency, and to independent institutions, all anchored in human rights.
We also need a global coalition pushing for an alternative vision, based on wisdom, justice and compassion. Last week, I was struck by how many leaders, from all regions of the world, are united around the cause of human rights.
We must inspire with our values and demonstrate that human rights are a winning proposition for humanity.
We must cherish the values of respect, unity and solidarity; and work together for a safer, more just, more sustainable world.
We can and will persevere.
