In an interview with UN News, High Commissioner for the Safeguarding of These Values, Volker Türk, stressed the need for their respect in view of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration.
The inequalities in Latin America are enormous, they are a problem for societies and it is essential that human rights are at the heart of every policy and every decision in order to move forward, the representative added.
“We are currently concerned about the reduction in democratic space in some countries,” he said, citing Guatemala and Peru as examples.
At the same time, Türk described the situation in Gaza as “more than devastating,” where human rights and all international law are being violated in the most serious ways on a daily basis.
The High Representative called for accountability for a future agreement after the end of hostilities.
“We know that when there is impunity and the facts and the truth are not revealed, there will always be complaints,” he warned.
Even in countries like Afghanistan, where there is a de facto authority that essentially systematically persecutes women and girls for who they are, women's rights are experiencing a severe setback, she complained.
“We have to find ways to stop this,” the representative emphasized.
Among the current challenges, the High Commissioner noted the spread of hate speech and disinformation, which is particularly driven by commercial interests.
We must denounce it and find ways and means to bring humanity back to its core and fundamentals, he urged.
“In today's tragedies we can also see what elements really pull us out of this abyss, away from this abyss and give us hope for a future that is more peaceful and also more embracing of the other,” he explained.
On December 10, the United Nations celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which first established societies' access to equality, fundamental freedoms and justice.
The instrument enshrines the rights of all people and is a global model for international, national and local laws and policies, as well as a basis for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
mem/ebr