Human Rights Day 2023 - UNRC Opening Remarks

Dobar dan, dear Minister Zigmanov, dear guests. Thank you all for joining us on a Sunday, I am ever grateful for your commitment.

Today, we come together on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Back in 1948 this was a groundbreaking agreement through which States commit to uphold the equality and dignity of every human being – in order to build "the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was crafted with lessons drawn from two global wars, the Holocaust, atomic destruction, profound economic devastation, and generations of colonial exploitation, oppression, injustice and bloodshed. It was conceived as a roadmap to a more stable, more just world, and includes rights such as peace, access to education, employment, fair pay, voting rights, healthcare and more; the values of free speech, privacy, and mutual respect irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, or religion...

There has been great progress since the Declaration was adopted in 1948 – we should celebrate every progress more… - There has also been, in the past 75 years, many failures to uphold human rights. Yesterday, we also marked the 75th anniversary of the Genocide convention - the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly in 1948, which signified the international community's commitment to 'never again' after the atrocities from the Second World War. And here we are today, 75 years later… we cannot remain silent, and children in one country have equal right to live than children in another country.

Human rights must be at the centre of governance – not just in our speeches. They must be in policies and in laws, and guide how these laws and policies are implemented. They must be the common thread, running through all aspects of governance, economy and society. They must be at the core of our education system and democratic structures.

Over the course of my four-year tenure, I have witnessed sustained efforts and achievements from diverse stakeholders, starting with the Government and civil society, with great support from the academia, and some commendable efforts in some of the local governments. I will name only a few.

I believe that elevating the office for Human and Minority Rights to a Ministry 3 years ago gave a lot more visibility to the topic, and the practice of having social dialogs between multiple government and non-government stakeholders has been fruitful. I hope that both practices will be sustained in the next version of the cabinet, and the modalities of engagement of the government.

Serbia’s legal framework is mostly harmonized with international human rights standards, and Serbia has already committed to most protocols, treaties and reporting mechanisms. The ratification of the Optional Protocol on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will empower individuals in Serbia whose economic, social, or cultural rights are violated to directly seek protection from the UN expert committee. It is important to continue with the alignment of the legal framework and adopt laws and policies that are missing such as the Same-Sex Unions Law - but also to accelerate implementation, including at the level of where people live, in cities, in rural areas, .

The collaborative development of the Leave No One Behind tool to be used in the formulation of laws and policies reflects Serbia's commitment to Agenda 2030 and its main principle to leave no one behind, allowing space and solutions to lift up, support all vulnerable and marginalised segments of society and reduce inequalities. It is worth to acknowledge the commencement of the National Development Plan formulation process, and we encourage all relevant stakeholders to actively participate in a manner that is both inclusive and transparent, giving social and environmental matters an equal weight as economic development.

The tragic events in May 2023 have deeply impacted the entire population. The shootings were an unprecedented incident in Serbia and has left the society, institutions and families at a loss on how best to provide support to children, young people, parents and teachers. Citizens going to the street showed that addressing violence should be a priority for all, a demand that should trigger greater social cohesion, rather more polarisation and division. We, as the UN in Serbia, provided strong support to relevant authorities in dealing with the consequences and preventing potential recurrences. The Memorandum of Understanding which was signed in October between 6 Ministries as an additional state effort to support the mental health of children and young people in Serbia, is much welcomed.

Femicide and violence against women and girls is a global tragedy of pandemic proportions. 30 women have been killed in Serbia in 2023 because of their gender, and that is 30 too many. Today we also mark the end of the 16days of campaigning to combat violence against Women and Girls, and I spoke extensively in the past 2 weeks about the prevention work that needs to be accelerated, through the judiciary system, the funding of service providers to victims of violence, the education system, and equally important the need to work a lot more with boys and men.

Let me now move to media. We welcome the new media law. Some of the areas must be strengthened particularly on the governance of the media monitoring body (REM). It remains important to strengthen media freedoms and prevent pressures and attacks on journalists, on politicians or on any citizen. This includes financial attacks using SLAPP lawsuits, which is particularly important in the pre-election period. I commend the growing number of journalists and editors who have formally committed or want to commit to ethical reporting and ethical journalism, many of them are in this room today. I hope that in the coming months, those who will have been elected as new members of parliament will take an equal commitment to ethical behaviours. Two weeks ago, at the national library, we heard from very young people how confused they are by the increased violence they see on screen. I can only call on private media owners and the REM leadership to clean up their act and shape a media world that is entertaining, educative, informative and promote positive values – one that can help combat ignorance, negligence, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation.

The upcoming elections scheduled for next Sunday will mark the third parliamentary elections within four years. While I hope the election cycle will slow down in the coming years, to allow a focus on critical long term transformations, I also hope that all stakeholders, particularly Members of Parliament, comprehend and actively foster a culture that prioritizes and upholds human rights. This is a country where leadership at all levels, and from all sides, should foster social cohesion and healthy dialog. Looking forward on the path to EU accession, we will continue to focus on strengthening the rule of law, fight corruption and all spectrum of human rights, as well as dealing with climate change and protecting biodiversity.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a life guide encompassing 30 articles that address rights and benefits, which have been realized by many – yet still outside the reach of many others. While the declaration is still so pregnant, we have to constantly expand its reach around new areas that may affect people’s rights: AI, environment and climate change, aging society, etc… If there was ever a moment to rekindle the hope of human rights for every person, it is now. More than ever we should remember what is at the core of the UDHR: the principle that all people are equal, and entitled without discrimination to equal protection of the law. Our common agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also places people, and equality, at the heart of the global effort to eradicate poverty & exclusion, secure human rights and protect the planet.

We, as the UN in Serbia, are looking forward to continuing to support Serbia and all the relevant actors to build a positive force for change with trust in the human rights architecture, resources to ensure rights are upheld, and a commitment to solidarity and equality. May 2024 be a good year for the realisation of human rights for all.