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U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk marked Human Rights Day on Dec. 10 with a sharp warning that core human rights values are being weakened across Europe, urging EU states to “reclaim” commitments that are increasingly under strain.
Turk cited the latest EU Rule of Law Report, noting that “civic space is shrinking in about half of EU member states.”
He stressed that civic space is essential for democratic societies: “We need an open and free civic space. We must be able to express our views, to protest, to assemble. Yet I see many trends and political debates aiming to restrict civic space, including on the environment, climate and migration.”
Turk also addressed digital governance, referring to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA).
“Europe has made an extremely useful global contribution,” he said, but warned of emerging pressure to lower standards: “There are trends and debates suggesting we should reduce these standards. I hope the EU’s 27 members will not go down that path.”
He emphasized Europe’s leadership in regulating business and human rights, noting that many companies themselves demand strong human-rights-based frameworks.
On migration, Turk criticized political rhetoric, saying, “At the political level, migrants and refugees are often demonized. We must never start by demonizing any group, because it becomes a very slippery slope.”
He said current debates ignore the human dimension of displacement and risk fueling discrimination.
The theme of Human Rights Day 2025 is “Our Everyday Needs.”
Turk said the concept emerged from the misconception that human rights are abstract, even though they are embedded in daily life.
“They relate to food, water, sanitation, affordability, housing, health, education. These are all human rights,” he said, adding that he hopes to remind people of their tangible role.
“We must return to the basics of what human rights are and defend them, for ourselves and for others,” he added.
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