Now available: 2021 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World - Report by the EU High Representative

19.04.2022 Strategic Communications

The 2021 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World is published at a truly extraordinary moment. Fighting for human rights and democracy is more important and urgent than ever in the context of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine where we see widespread violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law. This comes on the foot of increased attempts by authoritarian states to abuse the COVID-19 pandemic and to reshape the rules-based multilateral order and roll back on human rights, democracy and multilateralism. The EU has stood united against the challenges to human dignity and has acted as a reliable international partner mobilising support aimed at upholding the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights and democratic values. This Annual Report is a key instrument to track the progress in implementing the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024.

Due to the high level of poverty in Honduras, many children are forced to work or migrate. This was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EU supported activities to prevent child labour and promote the rights of the child. © EU Delegation to Honduras

“The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by armed forces of the Russian Federation is not only an attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty, territory and democracy, it is also causing unspeakable suffering and affected the enjoyment and protection of human rights in Ukraine and beyond. Russian military forces are responsible for indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Ukraine, including women and children, journalists, humanitarian workers and those seeking to use humanitarian corridors.”

- EU High Representative, Josep Borrell in his foreword to the annual report

The growing violence, authoritarian trends and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular on persons in vulnerable situations such as women, children, human rights defenders and persons belonging to minorities, triggered decisive EU action. The EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism ‘ProtectDefenders.eu’ (EUR 35 million for 2015-2022) is an example of EU concrete action by supporting nearly 53,000 human rights defenders at risk and their families since its launch.

The establishment of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime in December 2020 sent a clear message that human rights violations and abuses will not be tolerated, no matter where they happen. It allowed adopting restrictive measures in 2021 targeting individuals and entities from China, DPRK, Libya, South Sudan, Eritrea and Russia, as well as against the Wagner group and its members.

Women rights picture Mauritania — Three Mauritanian artists (ArtGallé AmySow, Albak and Oumar Tiss) painted a mural to fight inequality and gender-based violence and to encourage victims to reflect and speak up. © Amy Sow

In 2021, the EU took the lead in the multilateral fora to address the most pressing human rights situations such as in Belarus, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Mali and Afghanistan. For example, as a vocal advocate of gender equality and women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of all human rights, the EU stepped up its efforts, pushing for a return to school for all girls and for women’s rights to be protected in Afghanistan. The EU has also provided leadership on UN level resolutions that led to the creation of a Special Rapporteur.

“No continent on earth is free from human rights abuse and violation. By advancing dialogues with governments, supporting defenders and using multilateral engagements, we are making progress. The continued global health crisis and Russia’s unprecedented aggression at Europe’s border have shown us what is at stake – human dignity itself.”

- EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore

EUSR picture Ukraine — EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, visiting the closed entry/exit checkpoint ‘Mayorsk’, during his visit to Ukraine in October 2021. Members of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine outlined the impact of the closure of the crossing point on the civilian population. © EU

The now available annual report monitors the progress in implementing the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024). The Action Plan sets out the EU’s ambitions and priorities to address the challenges to human rights and democracy in all areas of external action: from human rights and the environment, climate change, gender equality and women’s rights, economic, social and cultural rights and the human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, to the shrinking space for civil society, threats and attacks against human rights defenders and journalists, disinformation campaigns and the impact of digital technologies.

Rights of migrants picture ASEAN. — A Cambodian woman migrant worker in Thailand scanning a QR code on a Safe and Fair Service Directory. The Service Directory enables referrals of women, including women migrant worker survivors of violence, by sharing information on available violence against women specialised service providers across the ASEAN region. © UN Women/ Wara Suttiwan

EU Delegations, reinforced by the network of human rights focal points, have been at the forefront of promoting and protecting human rights across the world. For example, in 2021, more than 47 emergency grants for digital security and protection measures were awarded, benefiting 130 human rights defenders working in countries such as Belarus, Brazil, Russia, or Uganda. In addition, the ProtectDefenders.eu digital security reinforcement grants for organisations and local communities contributed to the security set up and training of more than 850 local NGOs staff members.

Health training picture Jordan — Ayaat Nouais, a Jordanian EDU-Syria student, offered free basic medical services to her community in Al-Mafraq during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ayaat acquired her medical skills thanks to the EDU-SYRIA II scholarship funded by the European Union via the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (EUTF Syria). © EU Delegation to Jordan

Human rights and democracy are and will continue to be at the heart of the EU’s external action. The annual report testifies for the EU’s continuous commitment to upholding the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights and democratic values. It highlights challenges, but also progress and leadership to reinvigorate human rights and democracy globally.