Human Rights Day 2024: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now

On this Human Rights Day, the United Nations and European Union in Albania reaffirm that human rights are key to empower individuals and communities and enable them to forge a better tomorrow. Rights and values are critical issues both in Albania’s negotiations for EU membership and in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The commitments Albania has made in the context of EU accession negotiations - Fundamentals Cluster - and the five human rights pledges Albania made on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights last December, are drivers for fundamental reforms which will positively impact the lives of Albanian citizens. They promise improvements in the Criminal Justice system, improved standards and services for persons with disabilities, increased efforts and results in the fight against corruption, higher standards in the Juvenile justice system, and progress in the empowerment of women and other people suffering discrimination.
 

Human rights are not mere aspirations; they are the foundation upon which we build a better, more peaceful, and just world for all. In Albania, as in every corner of the globe, upholding human rights means empowering individuals, civil society actors and communities to help them shape a brighter future.  As UN Secretary-General António Guterres reminds us, "Human rights are the foundation for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies."
 

As we pause to celebrate Human Rights Day, we should not simply reflect on and celebrate the progress made together, but also confront the work still ahead. It is time to speak out—against hate speech, against discrimination of any sort, against disinformation, and against any actions that threaten the dignity of the individual. It is time to harness the transformative power of human rights principles to protect the vulnerable, to prevent injustice, to support the crucial work of human rights defenders and to create lasting change in society.
 

Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.