Inside Geneva: Europe, the UN and the battle for human rights

Imogen Foulkes

Is the world still committed to human rights? Our Inside Geneva podcast is in Strasbourg, where the Council of Europe is discussing how to defend the fundamental principles that were agreed upon after the Second World War.

“We can’t just say, ‘Do it because it’s a human right’ or ‘Do it because it’s in a treaty’. We have to demonstrate: ‘Do it, and this is how it will make your society better and stronger’,” says Michael O’Flaherty, Human Rights Commissioner at the Council of Europe.

With autocracies in Russia and China and uncertain times ahead in the US, can Europe hold the line?

+ A Swiss at the top of the Council of Europe

“If Europe doesn’t get this right, I can guarantee you it will not be good for Europe. It will be worse in the rest of the world as well, so it’s a vicious spiral,” continues Peggy Hicks, Director at UN Human Rights.

But even in Europe, the commitment to human rights is sometimes weak.

“For many, human rights are a bit of an afterthought in our policy. It’s something to make us feel good about ourselves,” says Olof Skoog, the EU’s Special Representative for Human Rights.

We also talked to Sofia Moschin, a student and human rights defender, who said: “Inside Europe, there are constant violations of human rights, so I don’t agree with the narrative that Europe is a human rights champion.”

How should Europe stand up for its values?

“I’m not going to accept defeatism. Get furious – that’s what we need to do now. Don’t throw in the towel, don’t surrender. Get indignant, get furious and fight back to save this astonishing achievement,” says O’Flaherty.

Join host Imogen Foulkes on the latest episode of our Inside Geneva podcast to listen to these interviews in full.

Find out more about the ‘Inside Geneva’ podcast and our other Swiss podcasts in English here.

Subscribe below to the ‘Inside Geneva’ newsletter to make sure you never miss a new episode.