Dear Madam Assistant Secretary-General,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me start by thanking OHCHR for organizing today’s important event and discussions.

As we mark, this year, the 75^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are witnessing a worrying trend with increasing crackdown on civil society in many countries of the world. More and more people are now living in countries where civic space is closed or severely restricted.

What we see is different types of legislation and measures to limit the activities of civil society organisations (CSOs) or their access to resources, allegedly in the name of national security, anti-terrorism, anti-money laundering, foreign interference and other pretexts. In addition, civil society actors increasingly face physical threats, harassment, arbitrary detention and even killings.

The EU firmly condemns all attacks against civil society organizations and undue restrictions on the essential work they carry out. Not only does this violate international human rights law, as set out in the Universal Declaration, but it strongly undermines the realization of other human rights, as well as the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Civil society has a crucial role in protecting and fighting for human rights, democracy, rule of law and sustainable development around the world. They support and give voice to the most vulnerable and those at risk of being left behind. Their work is essential to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

Therefore, the EU works actively to protect and support civil society, working together with likeminded and other partners. This includes fostering a conducive normative framework as well as ensuring a meaningful participation for civil society in decision-making. The EU is also one of the leading donors worldwide to CSOs, as their proximity to people and communities give them unique expertise to efficiently address and implement human rights, humanitarian aid and development work.

Partnership with civil society is part of the EU’s DNA. We engage in a regular dialogue with civil society here in New York, in Geneva, Brussels and across the world. We continue to promote NGOs’ involvement in the work of the UN, including in the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and other multilateral fora. We support and defend NGOs’ right to speak and by promoting the open participation of civil society in high-level events held by the General Assembly.

We may not always agree with what the NGOs have to say about us, our governments or policies – the EU is certainly not immune to strong criticism from civil society – but we strongly believe in the importance of having an open, transparent discussion about the challenges our societies are facing.

We therefore strongly condemn any form of reprisals against civil society representatives and human rights defenders who cooperate, seek to cooperate or have cooperated with the UN system, in the pursuit of the protection and promotion of human rights.

As we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the EU reiterates its commitment to working together with civil society to uphold the universal principles enshrined in this Declaration.