Every 10th of December, the whole world celebrates the Human Rights Day to remember the importance of the rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled: equality, dignity, life, liberty, security, justice, education, health, freedom of speech, political participation and culture.The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and announcement, in 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In addition on this day it is a tradition that the United Nations Prize in the field of human rights and Nobel Peace prize are awarded. It is important for us to be reminded of the importance of human rights and to let these rights be protected and respected in our daily life and society.
These are not empty words for us; the European Union is highly committed to ensuring the full compliance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights both within its borders and worldwide, including in Cambodia. In doing so, the EU partners with the United Nations. We believe it is an important advantage for Cambodia in its efforts to promote and protect human rights to have both an Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and a Special Rapporteur, who on this important occasion is in Cambodia to celebrate Human Rights Day with us. It is also the EU's hope that Cambodia's acceptance of all the recommendations made under the Universal Periodic Review will serve as an example to others. The EU stands ready to support the implementation of these recommendations.
Within the EU, we are not complacent with regard to our human rights record. The EU continues to fight racism, xenophobia and other types of discrimination based on religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation. The EU domestically is particularly concerned about human rights in the area of asylum and migration. Human rights require a constant vigilance. The EU has gradually pushed the human rights issue to the forefront of its relations with other countries and regions. All agreements on trade or cooperation with third countries contain a clause stipulating that human rights are an essential element in the relations between the parties.
We strongly believe that in a country where people fully enjoy their rights there are better conditions to achieve sustainable development, social cohesion and good governance. That is why The European Union is supporting more than half of development assistance worldwide, worth €50 billion, to contribute to help some of the poorest people be able to invoke their human rights.
Human rights are a cornerstone of the European Union foreign policy; our commitment to human rights reflects our aspirations for a world in which everyone can live in freedom and security, free from fear and want.
The European Union works closely with Cambodia to raise the capacity of both the government and the civil society in order to build a firm base for long-term sustainable development. The EU seeks to strengthen democratic institutions, processes and actors collaborating on many different issues, such as indigenous people’s rights, land rights, women's rights; from legal and judicial reform to combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Finally, no statement on human rights is complete without remembering that we all have a role to play. We can all be human rights defenders within our families, friends and neighbourhoods. We can all be involved in the promotion and respect of the human rights: from our rice paddies or our offices to our pagodas or social media networks, which today enhance our power as citizens. Participating in public debates or online fora gives us the opportunity and the responsibility of sharing opinions and ideas on how to build a better society.
Article by H.E. Mark Gooding, UK Ambassador, on behalf of the European Union
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