The United Nations in 1950 declared 10 December the Human Rights Day in order to highlight the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948 and still provides the fundamental guidelines for respecting human rights. This year’s slogan is “Human Rights 365”, a reminder that each one of us, no matter where they are, has the right to full enjoy all human rights, that human rights belong equally to all of us and make us a global community of shared values and ideals.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs believes that human rights are built into the foundations of country building and subsequently into all facets of Croatia’s foreign and European policy. We see the protection and promotion of human rights as a precondition for maintaining peace and security as well as integral part of promoting the rule of law, strengthening democracy, preventing violence and crime, and managing humanitarian crises.
The state of human rights world wise requires the prevention of violence and discrimination, assistance and support for the victims, efficient measures to end the culture of irreproachability and bring the perpetrators to justice.
In 2014, Croatia continued with the development cooperation and assistance projects it is implementing in various countries around the world, which are always based on the criteria of supporting the strengthening of democracy and human rights. In international organizations we have been actively promoting and advocating policies founded on the need to incorporate human rights in all political decisions, strategies and activities.
As a side event of this year’s central part of the UN General Assembly in September, MFEA organized an international gathering on the importance of gender equality and women empowerment for the overall political and economic development of society in post-conflict countries. Preventing sexual violence in conflicts, promoting LGBTI rights, strengthening the human rights of women and girls, the rights of children and their status in armed conflicts, the rights of physically disabled persons, minority rights, the freedom of expression, the right to information, and the importance of dialogue and cooperation with civil society organizations are just some of the topics within international organizations, initiatives and forums in which we have participated with strong national messages.
In the coming period, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs will continue to promote human rights for all, regardless of their nationality, residence, gender, background, skin colour, religion, language or any other status – in our bilateral cooperation with individual countries, in international institutions and in the human rights protection mechanisms. Our membership in the EU and participation in the shaping of EU policies has given us new possibilities as well as a commitment to continue building and developing the national rights protection mechanisms and a responsible and active participation in responding to human rights violations in the world.
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