Enlarge image
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) - here in front of the German Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York
Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa
The UN Human Rights Council meets three times a year in Geneva to assess the human rights situation around the world.
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
But the council meeting was anything but celebratory given the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the opening that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was “abused and abused”.
"She is exploited for political purposes and ignored - often by one and the same people." The world must oppose this.
Guterres appealed to governments and all people: "We must revitalize the declaration and ensure its full implementation in order to master the challenges of today and tomorrow." The world full of crises and conflicts is experiencing regression instead of progress.
Poverty and hunger would increase, social cohesion and trust would dwindle given the gap between the rich and the poor.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) also attended the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.
Before her visit to Geneva, she emphasized the importance of disarmament and arms control.
"At a time when a nuclear power is violating the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, negotiation forums like the Geneva Disarmament Conference are more important than ever," Baerbock said before her departure, with a view to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
“Every centimeter of progress” counts.
Baerbock emphasized that disarmament and arms control must remain a central component of security policy.
"We must not allow a few states to endanger all of our security by undermining rules that serve us all."
With regard to the Human Rights Council, Baerbock complained about the lack of a sanctions mechanism.
Progress would often seem slow or small, Baerbock added.
»But every resolution, every commission of inquiry appointed and every reporter appointed is a stone that strengthens the wall between right and wrong.«
The Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed in 1948.
In 30 articles, it sets out the rights to which every human being is entitled, regardless of ethnicity, skin color, gender, language, religion, political or other convictions, national or social origin, wealth, birth or other status. It starts with the words: » All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.«
The UN Human Rights Council meets three times a year to assess the human rights situation around the world.
He can set up commissions of inquiry like a year ago after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
However, among the 47 member countries elected for three years there are always some with dubious respect for human rights.
China, Cuba and Eritrea, who currently sit on the Council, have repeatedly dismissed criticism of other countries as interference in internal affairs.
mrc/dpa/AFP
