Geneva: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned that the international system is undergoing a radical transformation and that human rights are under unprecedented pressure, noting that the global consensus on human rights is eroding, and that there are attempts to ignore, undermine and redefine these rights.
According to the United Nations daily news bulletin, Türk called at the opening session of the 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, Monday, for a comprehensive effort to ensure that human rights and the rule of law remain the basis of societies and international relations, warning that the world may witness a return to the brutal violations that were common in previous centuries.
The Human Rights Commissioner also referred to what he described as "concerted efforts to reduce gender equality, the rights of migrants, refugees, persons with disabilities and minorities of all kinds."
Regarding the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, where the suffering is unbearable, Türk renewed his call for an independent investigation into the serious violations of international law committed by Israel during its attacks on Gaza, and by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
He stressed that any sustainable solution must be based on accountability, justice, the right to self-determination, human rights and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians. He warned that any suggestion of forcing people to leave their lands is completely unacceptable.

Türk noted that conflicts and crises are tearing societies apart around the world, from Sudan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar and Afghanistan, adding that the climate crisis and digital technologies are exacerbating the situation. He stressed the importance of protecting human rights in this context, commending the work of his office to document violations and provide assistance to victims.

Last year, Türk said his office contributed to the release of some 3,145 people from arbitrary detention and participated in some 11,000 human rights monitoring missions; observed nearly 1,000 trials, and documented some 15,000 cases of human rights violations around the world. In addition to daily engagements with governments, the team issued some 245 statements, highlighting human rights concerns in some 130 countries. Türk called for an alternative vision rooted in facts, law and compassion, stressing the importance of his office’s work in monitoring and documenting violations, the role of international legal institutions in achieving justice, and the importance of national institutions in protecting vulnerable groups.

He concluded his speech by praising the brave human rights activists, stressing that defending human rights is of great importance for achieving stability, prosperity and a better shared future.
For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that human rights are “the oxygen of humanity” but are “strangled one by one” by wars and violence that deprive people of their rights to food, water and education, by tyrants, warmongers, and the patriarchal system that prevents girls from going to school and women from basic rights.
In his remarks, he noted that this session begins “under the weight of a somber event – ​​the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the UN Charter,” in which more than 12,600 civilians have been killed and many more injured, entire communities reduced to rubble, and hospitals and schools destroyed.

The Secretary-General added: “We must spare no effort to end this conflict and achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN General Assembly resolutions.”

He warned that conflicts such as the war in Ukraine “impose a heavy price” on people, fundamental principles such as territorial integrity, sovereignty and the rule of law, and the vital work of the Human Rights Council, stressing that he will continue to support the important work of the Council and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, “as we fight for human rights everywhere.”

“Without respect for civil, cultural, economic, political and social human rights, sustainable peace is an elusive dream,” Guterres said.

He also warned that “human rights are at stake and are being severely damaged,” posing a direct threat to all the hard-won mechanisms and systems established over the past 80 years to protect and promote human rights.
But he stressed that the recently adopted Charter for the Future provides a guide on how to win the struggle for human rights on several fronts.
Guterres explained that the first of these things that the Charter outlines is “human rights through peace and peace through human rights.”
He said that the Charter for the Future also calls for peace processes and approaches rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international law and the United Nations Charter.
He pointed to the widespread violations of human rights caused by conflicts.
He added that in the occupied Palestinian territory, human rights violations have risen dramatically since the horrific attacks by Hamas on 7 October and the unbearable levels of death and destruction in Gaza.
“I am deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and other violations, as well as calls for annexation. We are witnessing a fragile ceasefire. We must avoid a resumption of hostilities at all costs. The people of Gaza have already suffered too much,” he added.

He stressed that it is time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, and irreversible progress towards a two-state solution, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with Gaza as an integral part of it.

He pointed to what is happening in Sudan, where “bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country.”
He called on all warring parties to take immediate action to protect civilians, uphold human rights, cease hostilities and bring peace, stressing the need to allow local and international human rights monitoring and investigation mechanisms to document what is happening on the ground.