The 2022 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World, report of the EU High Representative, is published in a world that is once again marked by war on the European continent and many other conflicts and crises. The EU is strongly mobilised against the unprecedented attacks on democracy, violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law worldwide and the alarming rise in authoritarian regimes and their onslaught on democratic values across the globe.
In 2022 the EU has held more dialogues and consultations to forge new partnerships for human rights and democracy. The EU has also extended more cooperation and support to partners, including civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The EU has also adopted more restrictive measures in response to human rights violations and abuses, under geographic sanction regimes and the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, which now includes listings for acts of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict.
EU Delegations, reinforced by the network of human rights’ focal points, have been at the forefront of promoting and protecting human rights across the world. Human rights and democracy are and will continue to be at the heart of the EU’s external action. While this report highlights multiple urgent challenges, it testifies to the EU’s continuous commitment to work and to provide leadership in difficult situations. The report tracks progress and presents examples of activities, which foster human rights and democracy around the world, often carried out in partnership with civil society, private sector, and regional or international organisations.
In 2022, the EU continued to call on China to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights and expressed concern on human rights violations occurring in the country. As the EU’s human rights engagement with Beijing continued to be limited, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights addressed the situation in China, in particular in the Xinjiang province, through exchanges with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, civil society organisations and like-minded partners.
The EU also works with international organisations to promote of human rights. For instance, the EU continued its joint engagement with the ILO and the OECD through the ‘Responsible supply chains in Asia’ project to promote environmental and human rights due diligence along the supply chains in six trading partners, including China. The WeEmpowerAsia (WEA) EU-UN project, implemented in 7 Asian countries including China increased women’s leadership and participation within the private sector through capacity-building training for women entrepreneurs and implementing gender-sensitive business practices.
Through its Delegation in Beijing, the EU continued to regularly address human rights issues, both bilaterally with the Chinese authorities and through public communications, individual cases involving human rights defenders and journalists. The EU Delegation to China also produced the video “Together for Human Rights: Diverse voices, universal aspirations” with EU high officials, Chinese members of independent civil society and diplomats from EU Member States reading, each one in their own language, the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Another local initiative, the Diversity Week, jointly prepared with EU Member States, enabled engagement with local audiences.
Read the full report (English) here: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/2022-annual-report-human-rights-and-democracy-world-report-eu-high-representative-foreign-affairs_en
