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___________________________ Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra Meeting of the COSAC Chairpersons Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on 'Human Rights and the External Actions of the EU' organised by the European Parliament 20 - 21 November 2018 Brussels, Belgium Hon Claudette Buttigieg, MP REPORT FOR THE SPEAKER ON PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCE/MEETING/VISIT OF A PARLIAMENTARY NATURE ABROAD 1.
TITLE OF CONFERENCE: INTER-PARLIAME TARY COiYilviiTIEE MEETING ON HUMAN RJG HTS A D THE EXTERNAL ACTIONS OF THE EUEUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES & THE HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON T H E 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVE RSAL DECLARATIO OF HUMAN RJGHTS 2.

DATE: 20 NOVENfBER 2018 3.

NAME OF MEMBER/S: HON.

CLAUD ETTE BUTIIGIEG 4.


SUBJECT ON THE AGENDA: The ICM addressed the following topics: mainstreaming human rights into external actions; business and human rights; and sustainable development and human rights.

The Inter-Parliamentary Committee Meeting also included the High-Level Conference marking the 70'h Anniversary of the Universal D eclaration of Human Rights.
The HLC centred around t\vo panel discussions: one on universality and indivisibility of human rights in today's global and digital world, and another on synergies in strengthening the global human rights architectures and mechanisms.

A copy of both programmes is attached as Doc.

A.

The speeches delivered by the following dignitaries are also attached: Ai Weiwei, artist and activist (Doc.

B); Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Doc.
C); Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Doc.

D); and Emily O'Reilly, European Ombudsman (Doc.

E).

the E uropean Commission and High A more detailed report on the content o f the t\vo meetings and the press release, are attached as D ocuments F and G , respectively.

5.

CONCLUSIONS OF THE MEETING: r o conclusions were adopted.

6.

INTERVENTION IS MADE BY THE MEMBERS: None.

Hon.
Claudette Buttig ieg Date European Parliament 2014-2019 Subcommittee on Human Rights 09 :00- 09:10 Welcome and opening remarks by Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri, Chai r of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament Panel1 - Mainstreaming Human Rights into external actions 09 :10- 10:10 Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Specia l Representative for Human Rights Mr Petras Austrevicius, MEP, Eu ro pea n Parliament Rapporteu r on the Annual Report on Huma n Rights and Democracy in the World 2017 Debate with MEPs and Members of EU National Parliaments Panel 2- Business and Human Rights 10:10- 11:45 Ms Makbule Sahan, Director of the Legal Department, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Labour rights and global value chains Mr Juan Andres Cano, Direct or of Business Development, Spain Business contribution to human rights Mr Dominique Potier, Member of the Committee on Econom ic Affairs of the National Assembly, Assemb lee Nationale, France Duty of care requirements for multinationals Senator Manuel Altava, Chair of the Justice Committee of the Senate, Cortes Generales, Spain The Spanish National Action Plan an Companies and Human Rights Ms Isabel Albornoz, Charge d'affaires Mission of Ecuador to the EU The outcome of the 4th session of the UN Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group for a legally binding instrument on business and human rights Debate with MEPs and Members of EU National Parliaments Panel 3 - Sustainable development and Human Rights 11:45- 12:20 MrAiWeiwei Key note speech on sustainable development and human rights Debate with MEPs and Members of EU National Parliaments Conclusions 12:20 - 12:30 Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament 14:45 - 19:00 High-level event in the Hemicycle in ce lebration of the 701h anniversa ry of the Universal Decla ration on Human Rights, jointly organised by the EU and the UN PHS building, Hemicycle The meeting is organ ised wi th the support of th e Directorate for Relatio ns with National Parliaments.
Latest update: 13 November 20 18 European Parl iament Human Ri ghts Week 19 - 22 November 2018 HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE Tuesday/ 20 November 2018/ 14:45 - 19:00 Brussels I Hemicycle - - 70t11 ANNIVERSARY-- UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS UNIVERSAL DfCLARATIO N OF HUMAN RIGHTS BACKGROUND The European Parliament has always made full use of its democratic scrutiny powers to contribute to shaping the EU's policies and instruments in advancing human rights both inside and outside the EU.
The high-level con ference on Tuesday 20 November 2018 to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Universa l Declaration of Human Rights launches the European Parliament's Human Rights Week, 19 to 22 November 2018.
It offers the opportunity for t he European Parliament and for representatives from academ ia and international organisations to ren ect on the core principles of human rights as set out in the UDHR: universality, inter-dependence and indivisibility, equality and non-discrimination, while at the same time addressing new challenges in a global and digital world.
Universality and indivisibility of human rights Synergies in strengthening the global human rights Over the last 70 years, international cooperation has helped to codify human rights in a universally recognised regime of treaties and norms.

Efforts at national, regional and international level have involved a dynamic and decentralised network of civil-society actors.
Today's global environment is marked by uncertainties, national ist rhetoric, cultural relativism, and trampling of rule of law and democratic principles.

Defending existing standards, strengthening the international human rights system and promoting new norms remain significant challenges.

Against this backdrop, climates of hope emerge across the globe.

Positive experiences and significant achievements show that the drive to defend human rights is alive and irreversible.
Many people perceive human rights as irrelevant as persecution, social exclusion, discrimination and mass-crimes that the international community had pledged to tolerate never again but that, nevertheless, still continue across the globe.

Some feel excluded from the debates, whi le others wonder if denouncing abuses is limited to vanishing words.
Tackling this widespread feeling requires joi nt efforts and strategic action to defend the global human rights system , and to build broader support with the involvement of emerging players (small and middle sized states, regional institutions and NGOs).

Thus making sure that no one feels left behind, which can eventually help to regain credibility for the fi ght for human rights.
The first panel of the conference will therefore focus on: The second panel of the conference will therefore focus on: Defending the central role of the UN Human Rights Council Addressing the counter-narrative on universality and reaffirming indivisibility of HR Defending targeted rights holders: migrants/refugees/women/children/ LGBTI Reinforcing international accountability and fight against impunity Learning from good human rights stories Improving prevention, early response and accountability Engaging with emerging states and actors stepping into leadership ro les Enhancing national and regional institutions' monitoring activities on democracy and human rights Reaching out towards broader sections of society on the importance of human rights Safeguarding human rights in new environments: digital t echnology/ climate change Brussels, Tu esday 20 November 2018, Hemicycle PROGRAMME- High-level conference l@flel Registration of participants 14:45 - 1 4:50 Jeunesses Musicales performs with the cooperation of BOZAR 15:00 - 15:30 Opening speeches Mr Antonio TAJANI, President of the European Parliament Ms Federica MOGHERINJ, Vice-President of the European Comm ission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Pol icy Mr Antonio GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations (video message) 15:30- 17:00 Panel I Universality and indivisibility of Human Rig hts in today's global and digital world Chair: Mr Pier Antonio PANZER!, Chair of the Subcomm ittee on Human Rights Speakers: Ms Michelle BACHELET, United Nations High Commissioner fo r Human Rights Ms Fatou BENSOUDA, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court Mr Stavros LAMBRINIDJS, EU Special Representative on Hu man Rights Ms Emily O'REILLY, European Ombudsman Mr Patrick GASPARD, President of the Open Society Foundations Q&A session with the active participation of UNICEF and EU-NGOs Forum Closing remarks by Mr Claude MORAES, Chair of the Committee on Civi l Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs 17:10-17:25 Video stories- Human rights defenders:
 journeys and struggles 17:30 - 19:00 Panel II Synergies in strengthening the global Human Rights architectures and mechanisms Chair: Mr David MCALLISTER, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Speakers: Mr Thorbj0rn JAGLAND, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe (video message) Mr Joel HERNANDEZ GARCiA, Commissioner of the Inter-American Commi ssion on Human Rights and vice-president of the Inter-American Jurid ica l Commit tee Prof. Remy NGOY LUMBU, Commissioner of the African Commission on Hu man and People's Rights Ms Katarzyna GARDAPKHADZE, First Deputy Director of th e OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rig hts Prof. Beate RUDOLF, Chair of the Global Alliance of Nationa l Hu man Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Member of the Board of the European Net work of National Human Rights Institution s (ENNHRI) Prof. Pamela PALMATER, Lawyer and Professor at Ryerson University Q&A session with the active part icipation of UNICEF and th e EU-NGOs Forum J)oc 0 On Human Rights Ai Weiwei At the core of human rights is the question of what it means t o be human.
To be human has specific implications: human self-awareness and the actions taken to uphold human dignity-these are what gives the concept of humanity a special meaning.

Human self-awareness and human actions are embodied in the interplay between individual thought and language and the wider society, in economic security, the right to education, and the right to free association and free expression; it is human actions that create conditions for protecting expression and encouraging bold thin king.
If we abandon efforts to uphold human dignity, we forfeit the essential meaning of being human, and w hen we waver in our commitment to the idea of human rights, we are abandoning our moral principles.

What follow from such a failure are duplicity and folly, corruption and tyranny, and the endless stream of humanitarian crises that we see in the world today.

More than two centuries have passed since the concept of human rights was first proposed.
During that time humanity has gone through various stages of historical development and the world has seen enormous changes.

In Europe, what was once a collection of colonialist, autocratic states has transformed into a democratic society with a capitalist orientation, establishing a democratic framework and a mechanism that protects individual rights.

Under the new globalizing order, other societies are also seeing structural changes, and the concept of human rights is facing grave challenges.
In part the challenges stem from the disparate demands of countries in different stages of development, w ith contrasting economic situations and competing economic interests.

But challenges also come from divergent conceptions of human rights, from divergent understandings of human dignity, morality and responsibility, and from different interpretations and applications of th e core principles of human rights.
In the contemporary world, as we weaken our grasp of the fundamental values and principles of human rights and humanitarianism, we risk losing our right, responsibility, and power to uphold human dignity.

History shows that a moral failure is always accompanied by painful realities, visible everywhere.

The global refugee crisis is worsening daily, and 70 million refugees have been forced to leave their homes by war and poverty.
Our living environment is constantly being degraded, and the ecological balance is ever more fragile.

Armed conflicts persist and pot ential political crises lurk; regional instabilities grow more acute; autocratic regimes brutally impose their will, while democratic government is in decline.

Unreasoning and unrestrained expansion under a nationalist, capitalist order is exacerbating the global gap betw een rich and poor.
Our views of the world have become more divided and more conflicted than ever before.

In many countries and many regions of the world, individuals have no chance to receive an education, no chance to access information or communicate freely, no chance to exercise their imagination and creativity and fulfill individual and social ideals, no chance to enjoy freedom of belief and freedom of association.

Such rights and freedoms pose a fatal threat to autocracy and authoritarianism.
This is why, in so many places, lawyers have been imprisoned, why journalists have been disappeared and murdered, why censorship has become so pervasive, why religious and non-governmental organizations have been ruthlessly suppressed.

Today, corrupt regimes continue to benefit from reckless arms sales, and dictatorships enjoy the quiet support of capitalist nations.

Religious divisions, ethnic contradictions, and regional disputes all feed into primitive power plays.
Their logic is simple: to weaken individual freedoms and strengthen the controls imposed by governments and dominant elites.

The end result is that individuals are deprived of the right to live, denied freedom from fear and freedom of expression, or denied the right to maintain their living environment and t heir right to development.

The concept of human rights needs to be revised.


Discussions of human rights used to focus on the one-dimensional relationship between state's rights and individua l rights, but now .

human rights involve a variety of multidimensional, mutually impacting relationships.

Today, no matter whether demands are framed in terms of the rights of the individual or in terms of the goals pursued by political entities and interest groups, none of these agendas exist in isolation.
Compared to other periods in history, the conditions govern ing human existence are now all the more globally interdependent.

2 The right of children to grow up and be educated, the right of women to receive protection, the right to conserve nature, the right to survival of other lives intimately connected with the survival of the human race--all these rights have now become major elements in the concept of human rights.
As science and technology develop, authoritarian states invade privacy and limit personal freedom in the name of counter-terrorism and stability maintenance, intensifying psychological manipulation at all levels.

Through controls of the Internet and command of facial recognition technology, authoritarian states tighten their grasp on people's thoughts and actions, threatening and even eliminating the political rights of groups that are seeking freedom.
Similar kinds of controls are being imposed to varying degrees withi n the global context.

From this we can see that under these new conditions human rights have not gained a common understanding, and if discussion of human rights becomes narrow and shortsighted, it is bound to become nothing more than outdated, empty talk.

Today, Europe, the United States, Russia, China and other governments manufacture, possess, and sel l arms.
If we fail to curb these dangerous practices that make armed conflict all the more likely, to pontificate about human rights is simply self-deluding.

Likewise, if there are no limits placed on capita list global expansion and the pervasive penetration of capital power, if there is no effort to curb the sustained assault by authoritarian governments on natural human impulses, a discussion of human rights is just idle chatter.

Such a blatant abdication of responsibility can lead to no good outcome .
Human rights are shared values.

When we talk about human right s, we are not talking about the rights of one individual or the rights of people in one part of the world-we are ta lking about the co llective values of humanity.

Hum an rights are our common possession, and shared human rights are all people's rights.

When abuses are committed against anyone in any society, then all of us suffer injury and the dignity of humanity as a whole is compromised.
By the same token, it is only when the rights of any individual and rights of t he people of any region receive our care and protection that humanity can achieve a shared redem ption.

Such is the principle of human right s, in all its stark simplicity.

But a sha red understanding of that truth still eludes us.

Why so?

Cou ld it be t hat we are too benighted, t oo selfish, too lacking in courage?
Or, perhaps, it is rather because we are insincere, because we 3 don't really love life enough: we con ourselves into imagining we can get away without discharging our obligation to institute fairness and justice, we foo l ourselves into thinking that chaos is acceptable, we are willing to entertain the idea that the world may wel l collapse ·in ruin, all hopes and dreams shattered.
Conversely, if we truly believe in the existence of values that we can all identify with and aspire to-a recognition of truth, an understanding of science, an appreciation of the self, a respect for life and a faith in society-then we need to eliminate obstacles to understanding, uphold the fundamental definition of humanity, affirm the shared value of human lives and other lives, and acknowledge the symbiotic interdependency of human beings and the environment.
A belief in ourselves and a belief in others, a trust in humanitarianism's power to do good, and an earnest recognition of the value of life-these form the foundation for all human values and all human efforts.
10 November 2018 Translated by Allan H. Barr 4 20/ll/2018- 20:28 :tx;c c HR/VP SPEECHES Speech by HR/VP Federica Mogherini at the EP event for the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the European Parliament event for the 70th Anniversary of the Universa l Declaration of Human Rights Check against delivery!

Grazie, Antonio [Tajani, President of the European Parliament].
Permettimi di iniziare con un sincere ringraziamento a tee al Parlamento eu ropeo per aver deciso di celebrare insieme questa giornata.

Abbiamo pensato che fosse Ia migliore cosa da fare- organizzare le ce lebrazioni per l'a nniversario della Dichiara zione Universale dei Diritti Umani insieme al nostro forum annuale sui diritti umani con le ONG .
E credo che sia stata un'ottima scelta, anche per indicare il modo in cui le istituzione europee insieme lavorano per tutelare e promuovere i diritti umani non soltanto all'interno deii'Unione europea, ma anche in tutto il resto del mondo, in partnership con i nostri amici della societa civile.

Seventy years after the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was written, we are still working to turn each and every word from that Declaration into practice.
And a big part of our col lective work is carried out by NGOs.

So, I wou ld like to thank very much and really sincerely you from Civil Society Organisations and those working to defend human rights - friends from across the world -with whom we work daily in your countries and who today have made the trip to be here with us.

You are the essential part of our work to promote and defend human rights.

When you read the Declaration, it is immediately clear that we still have a long way to go.
Seventy years ago, the Declaration stated that everyone has the right to work, and the right to equal pay for equal work.

It recognised everyone's right to education - without distinction as to race, gender, religion, ethnicity, social background and financial means.

Yes, the Declaration was ahead of its time.

In my own country- Italy- women were not allowed to vote until just two years before the Declaration.

And in many other countries, voting rights were still restricted to certain social groups.
And yet, the Declaration recognised that /I everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country," and that "the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government."

We do have a very long way to go towards truly inclusive democracies; towards closing the gender pay gap; towards respect and dignity for all, beyond faith, colour and ethnicity.

Many of you who are here today have put your entire life to the service of these goa ls.

And we have to be grateful for that.


And for this commitment some of you have faced violence, harassment, imprisonment.

So many friends, personal friends, are today in prison.

Too many of your colleagues and friends cannot be here with us today because they have lost their freedom or they have lost the ir life.

Seventy years after the Universal Declaration we cannot take human rights for granted .

And I think this is the first message we are here to pass- col lecti vely, to all of us.
On the contrary, human rights and fundamental freedoms have come under new pressure.

Some, around the world, are arguing that human rights are outdated; That national interest can justify the suppression of individual and collective rights; That national security requires the suspension of certain rights.

I believe we are all here today, to affirm the opposite: that the only sustainable security is the one based on fu ll respect of all human rights.
When civil rights, social rights and individual freedoms are guaranteed, it is then that our societies are really strong and protected and secure.

Every violation of human rights is a violation of our collective and national interests.

During this year, we have tried to show this in practice, through the real stories of people like you in this room.

In a moment when human rights are under attack, we want to move from a defensive approach to a more proactive one.
Precisely because human rights are questioned, we should keep in mind what human rights mean in practice, in the daily life, and what we have achieved together in these 70 years since the Universal Declaration.

Some of our countries gave the right to vote and to study to people who never had it before and this is the most powerfu l engine for change.

Some of our cou ntries brought thousands of people out of poverty, and let them contribute more, fully, to public life.
Some went from dictatorship to democracy, also in Europe.
To tell these stories we joined forces with 13 countries from all continents, to show that progress on human rights is happening all around the world and that is only thanks to our determ ination- I wou ld say to our stubbornness- and to your cou rag e. And I am gratefu l to Miche lle [Bachelet, United Nat ions High Comm issioner for Human Rights], because we were together in New York during the [UN] Genera l Assembly presenting these good stories on human rights, showing that determination, courage and common work delivers resu lts.
We have told these stories to show that progress on human rights is possible and is happening and to show that thanks to people like you, there is hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

These are stories of empowerment and emancipation, wrongs that were made right, communities made stronger through the work of civi l society organisations.

Girls who have refused early marriage are getting help and support.

Indigenous people can continue t o live in their fathe rs' land and preserve their culture.
Migrant people have been welcomed to places that they now call home.

But let me say that in too many places t his is still not happening.

It is true that human right s continue to be violat ed, all around the world, including here in Europe.

And that in some countries the situation is getting worse.

But the good news is that t here is nothing inevitable about this.

We can all contribute to positive change and we all have an interest to do that.
Each ind ividual, each country and institution has a clear choice to make.

And I believe in th e inspirational power, t he contagion that can be spread when the positive resu lts are shown and the good stories are told.

We, as the European Union, we have made our choice very clearly.

This Parliament has ce lebrated and supported people like Denis Mukwege [Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2018] and Nadia Murad [N obel Peace Prize Winner 2018], through the years and, most importantly, in the moment of need.
With our programme to protect human rights defenders, we have supported people like you when you were on trial, or when your life and your family came under threat.

Together we worked - in public and silently, in private -to achieve the liberation of civil society activists and opposition leaders - as we did a few months ago in a country like Azerbaijan and as we continue to do every single day everywhere in the world, in the cou ntries close to ours and far away.
And last September, we joined forces with the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation- for t he first t ime ever- to pass a reso lution in the UN Human Rights Council, to establish an international accountabi lity mechanism on Myanmar.

These are just examples, but as Antonio [Tajani] was mentioning, our work continues at home: our societies here in Europe are not perfect and we have a duty, also as a matter of credibility, to keep a constant focus on the situation of human rights inside our continent.
It would be great if human rights could be achieved once and for all -but that is not how things work, also in life.

Things are never achieved once and for all.

Human rights are always a work in progress, and every single generation has a specific responsibility.

In difficult times like ours, our responsibi lity is to avoid one mistake: We cannot give in to the idea that this Declaration belongs to another era, or maybe only to a few countries.

That it is something from the past.


It is called the Universal Declaration for one reason: because Representatives from all parts of the world joined together and agreed on principles that did not just belong to one culture or one civilisation.

The world had just gone t hrough the greatest catastrophe in human history for which we European carried the majority of the responsibility .
And the whole world at that point found the courage to come together, to find some common ground after the most devastating destruction in history, beyond all ideological, cultura l and rel igious divides and unite.

Today, we need to find once again that spirit of globa l unity.

We need to remember t here is something that binds us together as human beings, beyond all our differences and disagreements.
I believe that we must keep in mind that the Universal Declaration, the United Nations, the International Criminal Court and all the rules that we have agreed together are not an restraint, are not an obstacle against the achievement of our particular national interests.

When we come together, it is the contrary that happens.
These principles, these common grounds are the foundation of our co-existence, and the only way we have to preserve, promote national interests and to avoid and prevent yet another catastrop he.

Seventy years on, we need to go back to the spirit of 1948.

And we must keep that Universal Declaration at the centre of our daily work.

So let me conc lude by saying that this is not an anniversary; it is not a commemoration .

The Universa l Declaration remains a manifesto for today.
It must be the guiding light for the future of our European Union, as it is, and of the whole world.

I thank you very much -most of all for the daily work you do.

Thank you .
Thank you .

Link to the video: Press contacts Maja KOCIJANCIC Maja KOCIIANCIC Spokesperson for Foreign Affa irs and Security Policy/European Neighbou rhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations +32 (0)2 29 86570 + 32 (0)498 984 425 Esther OSORIO Esther OSORIO EEAS Press Officer +32 (0)2 29 62076 +32 (0)460 762 076 Source URl: http:/ /eu europa eeas.

fpfis .sl b. ec .europa.
eu: 80 84/head qua rte rs/hea dq ua rters-hom epage/5412 4/speech-h rvp-fede ri ca-mog he ri n i-ep-event-7Oth-ann iversa ry-u n ive rsa I-dee Ia ration-human-rights_ en www .eeas.europa .eu European Parliament Human Rights Week Panel discussion: Universality and indivisibility of human rights in today's global and digital world Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet Distinguished Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Members of the European Parliament, Members of the 28 National Parliaments, Excellencies, Commissioners Colleagues, Friends, It is a great honour to be present among such distinguished panellists, and to speak on behalf of the Secretary General, on how we can advance the rights of the peoples of Europe and the world, to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In the words of my compatriot Heman Santa Cruz, one of the drafters of the Universal Declaration, its adoption represented " ... a truly significant historic event, in which a consensus had been reached as to the supreme value of the human person - a value that does not originate in the decision of a worldly power, but rather in the fact of existing; which gives rise to the inalienable right to live, free from want and oppression, and to fully develop one's personality."
The Declaration's recognition of specific and universal rights has driven vast improvement in human wellbeing over the past 70 years - in health, education, peace, more sustained development, and less marginalization and abuse of many minorities.

People have affinned their rights to equality, and to live free from tyranny and exploitation, with fair access to justice, key services and economic opportunities.
We can well measure the power and the value of their achievements in this region, which was just decades ago the epicentre of wartime devastation, economic depression, and the horror of the Holocaust.

Disputes have been resolved by the impartial workings of justice.

Democracies have been grounded on a strong legal framework and governed by the rule of law.

Solid institutions, vibrant media and civil society ensure wide and open debate in the marketplace of ideas.
Societies have become more inclusive, and more respectful.

In some cases, the perpetrators of violations have been prosecuted.

In a growing number of countries, people's rights to .the truth, and to redress, have been upheld.

And Governments have grown in their understanding that they should serve the needs and rights of their people.
Where once, our parents or grandparents experienced an era in which tyrants could inflict the worst suffering- without recourse - now, Constitutions across the globe refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and incorporate many of its provisions into law and practise.
Over seventy years, the world has set up a framework of binding treaties, established international and inter-governmental institutions, and adopted a web of laws to establish and support precise commihnents willingly made by States.

Honourable panellists, Human tights values are powerful.

They have effected- and continue to drive - immense positive change.

But all of us are aware of the turbulent and increasingly polarised context of thi s 70th anmversary year.
A rising wind of divisiveness undermines for peace and progress towards shared human rights goals.

Conflicts are causing unbearable suffering, and contributing to unprecedented levels of displacement.

Even within this European Union-- with its strong human rights benchmarks and its cmmnendable institutional principles --judicial independence, freedom of the press, and the civic space are being eroded.

Hate speech is being directed at migrants and minorities to generate and reinforce political support.
For EU policies towards third countries to be credible, it is essential that human rights advance within the European Union - and are not scaled back.

In many EU countries, much remains to be done to fully include the Roma, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and the poor, in society.

My Office is also concerned about approaches to migration governance that view migrants as a threat rather than a contribution, and which fai l to focus on the experiences and needs of the individuals concerned.
Across the globe, inequalities on a scale not seen in our lifetimes threaten our hopes to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - with its transformational human rights promises to the peoples of the world.

While, in parallel, climate change is intensifying, creating negative human rights consequences.

Together, we face a moment of truth.


We have an opportunity to reassert the critical relevance of multilateral and inter governmental approaches in responding to the turmoil of these trans-national challenges.

An opportunity to take and implement decisions, guided by the clarity and obj ectivity of international human rights law .
Whether we are talking about migration, nationalism, climate change, economic and social inequalities, judicial independence, freedom of expression, mass surveillance, artificial intelligence, the vital importance of the broadest possible space for public participation and expression -- at the core of all these challenges are civil, cultural, economic, political and social tights.
Preventing or mitigating their effects require all of us to work together, within the framework of international human rights law - a framework that is solidly in place, and has demonstrated great success in achieving beneficial outcomes.

Parts of this framework are under heavy pressure today, but they stand, and remain very broadly respected.
Part of our challenge is to make these international nonns and standards more acceptable to policy and decision makers, by better communicating the many ways that they, and their people, will benefit from the protection and promotion of human rights.

I agree with Stavros Lambrinidis: we need to showcase good stories that can demonstrate that upholding human rights leads to stronger societies, with better, more sustainable development, and more effective conflict prevention.
Above all: to move forward, we need to push back.

Push back against the vilification of migrants, minorities and other targeted communities with the clarity of principle and truth.

Push back against agendas ofhate, by shining a light on the values of the Universal Declaration - the fairness, and dignity, which sustain the wellbeing of all humanity.

I look to a Europe which has the courage, the vigour and the will to continue building on its powerful achievements.
A Europe which has the conviction to sustain and uphold the human rights, social progress and inclusion that constitute its greatest strengths.

Which has the foresight to grasp that human rights ptinciples must guide policies at the frontiers of the digital universe, as they should guide all public policies.

We need to build a culture of human rights and a culture of dialogue.

We need to reinforce the culture of respect, with the embrace of multitudes of diverse voices.
So that the children of this region, the children of the world- and their children, too - can grow up amid recognition of"the inherent dignity, and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family"- which as States acknowledged 70 years ago, is "the foundation offreedom, justice and peace in the world."

Thank you.
Thank you.

Doc E 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights SPEECH - CITY Brussels - COUNTRY Belgium - DATE Tuesday I 20 November 2018 Dear Mr Panzeri, Dear Fellow speakers, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honoured to be able to speak at this conference and I thank the organisers for the invitation to give the perspective of the Ombudsman as we celebrate the Universal declaration of the rights that all of us have through the simple fact of our humanity.
The document was never supposed to be, and could never be, a static thing and as it moves through time and through change its articles are read through the prism of new realities and new perspectives always facing the challenge of never losing sight of its fundamental values, of its fundamental core.

The creation of the modern Ombudsman office across the world in the last century was one way of realising many of the rights contained in the Declaration.
The fundamental role of an Ombudsman is to protect citizens from any abuse of state power when that state is administering its laws and regulations.

It evens out the power imbalance as between citizen and state enabling the realisation of fundamental rights through the use of soft power and- in countries where the rule of law is strong- through the willing compliance of an administration to accept an Ombudsman's recommendation.
In that way we mirror the soft power intent of the Universal Declaration and if our work is disregarded that acts as an alert for challenges in the wider sphere of fundamental rights compliance.
Some Ombudsmen in Europe and around the rest of the world do have an explicit human rights mandate but as Ombudsman in Ireland and now as European Ombudsman I have tended not to invoke the term 'human rights' when proposing a resolution to a state body as experience tells me that despite the rhetoric- even if well intentioned - state bodies at times see demands based on 'human rights' as difficult and potentially expensive.
It is easier therefore to talk of administrative errors and procedural flaws even if the end result is the realisation for the citizen of a basic right, whether to housing, to social protection, to healthcare, or to some other benefit that enables the citizen to be treated in the way the Un iversal Declaration intended.

Of course, most of those issues just mentioned are within the competence of the Member State and not of the EU.
The complaints that I receive have a different quality often concerning transparency, the opacity of the way in which EU legislation is formulated and decided, allegations of conflicts of interest, procedural fairness in EU infringement investigations, some ethical issues and a range of other matters including allegations of breaches of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
But while some of those issues might seem removed from the daily concerns of citizens they ultimately go to the heart of the lives of all of us yet in ways that are not always obvious.

In that regard, through the Network of European Ombudsmen which I have the honour to chair, I have engaged member state colleagues in some oft hose matters in order to work together to deliver for all of the citizens of the EU and to share good practice internationally.
We worked together for example in investigating how the EU's external border agency Frontex and Member State administrations treat failed asylum seekers while being flown back to third countries.

I have also worked with a number of Ombudsman Network colleagues to ensure that the use of export credit insurance to protect investments in countries considered unstable, does not conflict with human rights obligations under the EU treaties.
But while those two issues have a clear human rights intent, I have also engaged my colleagues in the issue of lobbying transparency within the EU and the member states, as it is obvious that lobbying by vested interests that acts against the public interest when it comes to matters ofthe environment, of public health, ofthe digital economy, of a wide range of policy matters may ultimately result in the denial of human rights.
I believe that any lack of transparency around the influencing of public policy - and that includes matters such as conflicts of interest and the revolving door between the public and private sector- should be seen in the 21" century as a human rights issue even if it is rarely if ever viewed through that prism.
It is important to observe the link for example between lobbying in Brussels by the tobacco industry and the ultimate global health impacts or the links between lobbying practices and car industry practices in relation to the concealment of damaging diesel emissions into the environment that ultimately impact on public health.

Lobbying in relation to banking and financial regulation may also have eventual implications for human rights.

The world is a much more interconnected place than it was in 1945.
Decisions taken in Brussels, in Washington, ripple around the globe often producing unintended and sometimes unforeseen impacts.

Decisions to deregulate banking in the US helped to cue the 2008 banking crisis that damaged the lives of many people on this continent also.
But European banks too played their role, investing in the fragile US housing market and thereby creating a transatlantic loop of risk that rebounded on both sides of the ocean and indeed around the world, the effects of which are still being played out politically, socially, and economically.

The reversal of some climate change policy under the current US administration will almost certainly have consequences in other parts of the world.
Climate change in turn leads to environmental and agricultural degradation forcing people to migrate, thus creating social and political pressures that are all too obvious to us now.

And none of us are immune.

We may think that the plight of a farming community in a developing country forced to migrate because of climate change induced drought has little to do with those of us in the developed world.
But when scarce resources and migration provokes civic unrest and state oppression- and therefore more migration- and when that migration cues political tensions in our part of the world, then the circle is complete and none of us can escape the consequences.
It is therefore important that this interconnectedness extends to those networks that promote human rights and that we all learn how to join the dots between bad decisions made in one part of the globe and the outcomes that ultimately impact on other parts.

My office has conducted investigations into trade agreements between the EU and other parts of the world, looking to make sure that such trade decisions do not impact on the human rights of people in places very far away from Brussels.
Equally we ensured that young people engaged as interns in the European External Action Service are given an equal opportunity to access those opportunities by being paid and not falling behind their already privileged colleagues, invoking the Treaty principle of non-discrimination to state our case.
As Ombudsmen we try to play our role in making sure that an administration puts the citizen front and centre of its work and of its duty and that there is clarity between the demands of the public interest and the private interests of others.

The universal community of Ombudsmen in proud of the role that it plays in continuing to give life to the Un iversal Declaration of Human Rights.
Brussels, BELGIUM, EUROPEAN PARLIAl\IIENT 20 November 2018 Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting on Human Rights and the External Actions of the E U and its Member States & High-Level Conference on the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights RODIANNE SPITERI REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PARLIAMENT OF 1\tU\LTA TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS 1 Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting on H uman Rig hts and the External Actions of the E U and its Member States 20 N ovember 2018 09:00-12:30 The draft programme can be accessed thro ugh this link: http:// 'vww.eu roparl.europa.eu/ cmsuata/156802/ 1 C i\J 0,~.2(lDraftl'!o20Programrn c'!ill20D RO l n,;,,., 014 'lJc,2(lN ov'l/u2020 18.pd f The meeting's video reco rdings can be accessed here: http: // www.europarl.curopa.cu / ep-live len /committec~ /Yidc0?e\·ent=20181120-0900- COMi\1lTTEE -DRO I Panell- Mainstreaming Human Rights into external actions Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Special Representative for Human Rights It is true that we have reached a number of important milestones in th e area of human rights; however, we live in a world in which human rights are constantly under attack and some countries are committed against them.
These countries are trying to pass on the negative rhetoric and practices against human rights to those countries with which they have close relations or in which they invest, as well as in the UN and other international institutions.

In its current fo reign policy, the EU is playing better defence without being defensive and it is playing better offense without being offensive.
As regards the former, Mr Lambrinidis means the way in which the E U addresses the negative human rights narrative and practices by some countries, and human rights violations, including through 'quiet' diplomacy.

As regards the latter, he means the EU's attempts to export its own positive human rights narrative and practices.

Therefore, the EU does no t stop at figh ting those who try to undermine human rights, but also focuses on building a good narrative overall.
The EU tries to build coalitions with important institutio ns and organisations worldwide and with co untries too.

H e argued that those who want to attack h uman rights start by attacking the multilateral system.

The EU also focusses on those countries that belong in the grey zone that is, countries that are not necessarily against human rights, but do not yet have the structure and the traditio n .

to enfo rce them.

These countries d o not have a commitment against human rights.
Countries in democratic transition fall in this category, as they do not yet have strong institutions and a strong rule of law and have a relatively free civil society but not up to the same extent as in o ther advanced democracies.

H e said that the EU launched together with the latter group of countries, the good btunan rights stories initiative.

EU High Representative Mogherini launched the initiative in New York at the UNGA in September 2018.
The aim was to bring together those countries that are positively committed to wards human rights, to show those countries committed against them, that if enforced and upheld, human rights could serve the interests of states.

Secondly, the EU also focusses its work and efforts on civil society.

If civil society is allowed to raise awareness about human rights, local ownership of human rights becomes possible.
H e claimed that the EU is the biggest supporter o f civil society worldwide, financially and politically.

Thanks to the EU, civil society has gained a more prominent role because it brings civil society 2 representatives to the fore, whenever there are negotiations or discussions on human rights.
The EU also defends human rights defenders all over the world, especially when they are threatened, and it does so including by focussing on strengthening protection mechanisms in those countries where human rights are abused.

H e referred to the efforts made by the EU to streamline human rights in the UN's SDGs.
Finally, arguing against those that criticise the EU for not doing enough, for not practising what it preaches, he said that the most important thing is to have the will to do something about one's imperfection.

Mr Petras Austrevicius, MEP, European Parliament Rapporteur on the Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2017 The EP has a special role in mainstreaming human rights into the E U's external actions.
It can put pressure on other EU institutions and bodies to focus more on human rights in their relations with third countries.

The report published annually on human rights and democracy in the world could serve as a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the EP's work on human rights.

The 2017 annual report was only adopted a few days before the meeting.
The annual report makes a number of recommendations on how to improve the EU's action on human rights, including as regards mainstreaming them into all the EU's external actions, such as development, migration, security, enlargement, counter-terrorism, trade, among others.

Coherence between the EU's internal and external actions is crucial to ensure effectiveness in the EU's human rights and foreign p olicies.
Member States' role is crucial too, in order to render the EU's position more credible in the eyes of other states.

The EU must speak with one voice, which requires better coordination between the EU Member States as regards their external policy responses.

There must also be timely adoption and effective implementation and enforcement of international human rights texts.

Furthermore, civil society must be protected and its role reinforced both within the EU and beyond.
Finally, yet importantly, the EU must take stock of the lessons learned in order to identify examples of best practices.

Debate A number of MPs and :NfEPs took the floor in the ensuing debate.
Some of the subjects covered included the following: the responsibility of the EU to do more and the negative impact of its involvement in the anns trade on human rights; criticism was also levelled against the EU for not facilitating access to justice; the EU should also do more when it comes to climate change, which also contributes to famine, and mass displacement; the securitization agenda is becoming more prominent, despite the negative impact of the role of armies on people's human rights, as the Mediterranean example clearly illustrates; one parliamentarian spoke about India and China and long-term dispute resolutions and how the EU's relations with those countries could bring positive change if they are centred around values; using conditionality when granting aid with the aim of achieving better enforcement; the importance of constantly reviewing and strengthening international human rights law and humanitarian law; and the different positions of EU Member States on the Global Pact on :Migration and how this undermines the EU's influence on the international stage, among many other subjects.
Panel 2 - Business and Human Rights 3 Chair's introduction -According to international law, states have a duty to ensure that companies, including those operating between borders, respect human rights.
T he Chair explained that individual Member States have passed legislation targeting the responsibility of international corporations towards their international workforce and that at the EU level, there are regulations on, for instance, the diligence requirements that need to be fulfilled by large corporations or regulations dealing with labour rights, to name a few.
T he Chair also referred to two UN initiatives, the first being about voluntary guiding principles o n businesses and human rights, going back to 2011, and the second about the open-ended inter-governmental WG on the elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights.
The EP adopted a resolution on 4 October 2018 on the EU's input to the UN binding instrument on transnational corporations with respect to human rights.

Ms Makbule Sahan, Director of the Legal D epartment, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Labour rights and globa/J;a/ue chains Ms Makbule Sahan explained that the ITUC represents 270 million workers globally.
The current model, which is based on ever-increasing globalisation, works against the working people and is disproportionately benefitting large corporations.

Global supply chains channel wealth to a few global corporations and not to the workers in those supply chains.

Less than 60 per cent of the global workforce has a formal employment contract and SO per cent of the largest corporations tend to recruit workers through illegal channels.
In fact, only 6 per cent of their workforce are employed 'directly', whereas 94 per cent come from the hidden shadows of the supply chain.

The latter are generally offered insecure jobs with indecent conditions, such as very long shifts.

88 per cent of workers told ITUC that they do not have a living wage.

Access to remedy in case a worker experiences corporate abuse is non-existent.
In her conclusion, Ms. Sahan emphasised the importance of focussing on what is needed next and on the remaining challenges, especially when it comes to legislation on human rights .

Mr Juan Andres Cano, Director of Business D evelopment, Spain Business contribution to human rights Companies should carry out their due diligence in line with the financial markets and with shareholders' expectations.
Not only the workforce is changing but also millennials are more aware of the importance of upholding human rights.

Aside from these factors, which are bringing positive changes, legislation and public policy are increasingly focus sed and detailed, including as regards human rights.

D ata protection in the EU is another aspect, as well as coordinating action with NGOs and cooperation from workers within companies who are well aware of human righ ts (activism within corporations).
A number of challenges, however, persist.

Cultural differences, including within a company, constitute a challenge.

Furthermore, the governabilit:y of those states in which the companies are based needs to improve.

We must understand such difficulties.

A change in the mind-set of large corporations is also urgently needed.

Corporations worry more about losing profits than about how to treat their workers.
4 Mr Dominique Potier, Member of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly, Assembl<~e nationale France Dury if care requirements for multinationals NIP Potier explained at length a· ne\v French law, adopted in the spring of 2017, which is inspiring many states to follow suit.

The new law creates o bligations for mother companies as regards anything that goes on in their subsidiaries, even if the latter are based in another state.
The main aim is to prevent serious human rights and environmental abuses.

The environment is closely linked to human rights because it is humanity's 'home', our common living space.

According to the new law, companies must have monitoring plans in place, identifying risks to both human rights and the environm ent, and suggest measures and solutions to deal with those risks.

The plan has to be pragmatic and implementable.


It is the responsibility of the company to both identify the risks and the necessaty measures to address them.

It is then an appointed judge who determines whether the company's plan is effective enough or not.

If the company does not draft a plan, or if the plan is deemed insufficient, the judge could take action against it.

This is known as the vigilance law.


Senator Manuel Altava, Chair of the Justice Committee of the Senate, Cortes Generales, Spain The .Spanish National Action Plan on Companies and Human Rights Sen. Altava spoke at length about Spain's national action plan on companies and human rights, which was ad opted in 2017 with the aim of implementing Resolution 1704 (2014) of the Human Rights' Council.
Ms Isabel Albornoz, Charge d'affaires Mission of Ecuador to the EU The outcome if the 4'b session if the UN Open-ended Intergovernmental U1'orking Grottp for a legai!J binding instrummt on business and human rights Ms Albornoz introduced an initiative of Ecuador and South Africa, Resolution 27/9, which was presented in the 24'h Extraordinary Session of the Human Rights Council of the UN.
The Resolution is on the establishment of an inter-governmental body tasked with developing an instrument to safeguard and uphold international human rights in the context of cross-border corporations.

The mandate of this body is not time-barred.

The T reaty, which the inter governmental body is tasked to create, will not contain new obligations; instead, it will guarantee the implementation of already-existing obligations in international law, especially in case of jurisdictional obstacles.
In her conclusion, Ms Albornoz invited participants to send their proposals and recommendations on this draft Treaty by February 2019.

The draft will be finalised by July, following which there will then be the first round of negotiations.

The negotiations are expected to take a number of years.

Debate A number of MPs took the floor.
Interventions highlighted the following subjects: the exclusion of certain people from applying for work in corporations, such as Roma people, and the 5 insufficient measures taken by corporations to prevent th.is; the urgent need to create more binding tools, and to move on to concre te actions, rather than continuing debating; the French vigilance law, and similar laws in other states; passing legislation on helping victims of abuse and on preventing abuse; and the tactic of naming and shaming governments which turn a blind eye to human rights breaches by corporations in their territory.
Panel 3: Sustainable development and human rig hts Mr Ai Weiwei, artist and activist The key note speech by Mr. Weiwei can be accessed here: http: I fw,vw.europarl.

europa.eu/ cmscbta / 157 201 /A i 0l(,'"~(J\Xieiwei%200n°:;.20Human%20Rights %,20Ncnrl/'o2Ll20%2020 l S.pdf Debate Parliamentarians who took th e floor in the debate mentioned a number of subjects.

The following are some examples.
Cultural and linguistic rights and the obstacles encountered by MSs when drafting policies on broadening these rights; minorities' rights in the EU; access to reproductive rights; border closure, even in the EU, goes against the right to seek asylum; freedom from poverty; initiatives taken by the regional Parliaments of Belgium, including the French-speaking Parliament of Brussels, such as the adoption o f a resolution on the facilitation of procedures to issue humanitarian visas, the de-criminalisation of civil participation and creating a solidarity-based and sustainable migration policy; the political situation in Burundi, where the President seeks re election against the countq's law; among others.
·.;...

6 High-Level Conference on the 70'h Anniversary of the U niversal D eclaration of Human Rights 20 N ovember 2018 14:45-19:00 The programme of the H igh-Level Conference can be accessed here: http:/ /\vww.curoparl.curopa.cu/cmsdata/156920/PROG~-ti\.
[l\fE''l'u20h.ig%20lcvcl';/o20confcrc nceLYo20FlN t\L.pdf The recordings of the HLC can be accessed here: http:// W\\7\.v.curoparl.curopa.eu/ cp-live/ en/ othc:r-evcnts/vidco?cvcnt=20181120-1445- SPEC1AL A t the end of the ICM, the Maltese delegation also attended a H igh-Level Conference entitled tl1e l(Jh Anniversary if the Universal Declaration if Human Rights.
2018 marked the 70'" anniversary of the Universal D eclaration o f Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document, which over the decades has inspired a rich body of legally binding international human rights treaties.
To renew the EU's commitment to human rights, the European Parliament held a High-level Conference to reflect on the core principles of human rights as set out in the Universal D eclaration: universality, inter-dependence and indivisibility, while at the same time addressing new challenges in a global and digital world.
T he President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, opened the conference in the presence of Vice President/ High Representative, Federica Mogherini, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, .Michelle Bachelet, General Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, and several other dignitaries.
Links to copies of speeches delivered at the beginning of the HLC Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the European Co mmission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy https: I I eeas.europa.eu /headquarters /he,1dquaners-homcpage/ 541 7 4/ speech -hrvp- fcdcrica moghcrin.i-ep-cvcnt-70th-annivcrsary-universal-declarat.ion-human-rights en Nlichelle Bachelet, United Nations H igh Commissioner for H uman Rights https: // www.o hchr .org I en /N C\.vsE vcn ts / P ages /D ispla yN C\'-'S.aspx?N nvsiD = 23 90 S&LangiD = E Emily O'Reilly, European Ombudsman bttps:/ /W\V\V.ombudsman.europa.eu/ en/speech/ en/ l 0665(!
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (video message) h ttps: I I m ul timedia.e uroparl.

europa.

eu/ en /70-annive rsa tY- u n iv ersal-decl a ration-human rights I 1636()4 03-V rv 7 D ebates Panel 1: Universality and indivisibility of human rights in today's g lobal and digital world During the first debate of the HLC, several participants, both representatives of civil society organisations and political institutions, took the floor on a wide range of issues.
T wo adolescents representing UNICEF took the floor first to ask questions to the panelists.

An adolescent from Italy spoke about how much suffering those children in Syria are experiencing, arguing that they are compelled to flee because the situation in their country is unlivable.

She referred to the right to peace, a right to \vhich every person is entitled.

She asked what could be done to ensure those children protection.
Another adolescent spoke about domestic violence, especially against women and girls, and the lack of awareness about such violence, d espite it being rampant in our societies.

Victims of this violence tend to feel guilty, something which he described as unfair and senseless.

A Belgian Senator spoke about the imprisonment of human righ ts defenders in T urkey and argued in favour of stronger cooperation between multilateral organisations and civil society organisations.
Another representative of the EU-NGO Forum also spoke about the importance of protecting human rights defenders, especially in the MENA region.

He said that human rights defenders who end up in jail in this region of the world even experience torture in prison.

The EU tends to be more reactionary towards this problem, rather than anticipating and keeping problems from emerging in the first place.
He also called on states to stop arming Saudi Arabia, which is using armaments to wreak havoc in Yemen at the expense of innocent civilians.

T he EU, the UN, and other international institutions should do their outmost to support the work of NGOs there, not to destroy it.

An Italian NIP from the Italian Camera dei D eputati explained in detail the role of the Chamber to strengthen human rights.
Other interventions focussed on the abolition of the death penalty; on reversing the ever-increasing wealth gap and on promoting social equality and justice.
Panel II: Synergies m strengthening the global Human Rig hts architectures and mechanism s Participants who took the floor during this session spoke about, inter alia, the deteriorating rights of indigenous communities, such as in Canada, and the discrepancy between discourse and authorities' actions; the potential clash between religious freedom and national security, the latter being used as an excuse to limit peoples' rights; how to better protect the rights of marginalised groups such as the LG BTI community in Africa; the culture o f stigmatising and de-ligitirnising human rights defenders in Africa and in South America and which synergies can be developed to address this specific problem; among others.
Among the replies given by the panelists, some of the arguments made by Prof. Rudolf are noteworthy.

She said that human rights are primarily about understanding values.

Governments have a role in creating opportunities to forge connections between the local people and marginalised groups in the country - this would address many of the concerns raised by the participants, such as on the rights of indigenous people or vulnerable groups.
H uman rights are indivisible and they belong to each one of us, irrespective of our differences.
8 !txJc G DIPARTIMENT TAL-INFORMAZZJONI DEPARTMENT OF I NFORMATION MALTA Press Release PR 182501 22.11.2018 PRESS RELEASE BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Delegation of the Maltese Parliament particpates in inter-parliamentmy committee meeting on human rights Claudette Buttigieg attended an inter-parliamentary committee meeting on human rights and the extemal actions of the EU organised by the Sub-committee on Human Rights of the European Parliament.
The meeting was held in the European Parliament, in Brussels, on 20 November.

This ICM was divided into the following sessions: mainstrearning human rights into external actions; business and human rights; and sustainable development and human rights.

Stavros Lambrinidis, EU Special Representative for Human Rights, was one of several dignitaries selected as panel speakers.

He spoke very passionately about human dignity and the universal and indivisible applicability of human rights.
He emphasised the multilateralism's commitment to human rights, which should be essentially about teaching and spreading love.

Chinese dissident artist and human rights activist, Ai Weiwei, was also invited to give a keynote speech on sustainable development and human rights.

Buttigieg also pat1icipated in the high-level conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This week, the European Parliament is holding the Human Rights Week, from 19 to 23 November.
The European Parliament's Pres ident Antonio Tajani and the Commission's Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Moghetini opened the HLC.

The HLC centred around two panel discussions: one on universality and indivisibility of human rights in today's globa l and digital world, and another on synergies in strengthening the global human rights architectures and mechanisms.
The HLC brought together impm1ant dignitaries and human rights defenders, such as UN Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, the European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, and a Prosecutor at the Intemational Criminal Cout1 Fatou Bensouda, who spoke about human rights from their work's perspective.

focussing not only on the most obvious examples of human rights violations, but also on other examples which are much less known.
Attachments: photo Page: 1 of1 3, CASTILLE PLACE, VALLETTA VL T 2000 Tel +(356) 2200 1700 Fax +(356) 2200 1775 press.releases@gov.mt www.doi.gov.mt