Volker Türk Global Update at 57th Human Rights Council opening

“It seems to me we are at a fork in the road. We can either continue on our current path — a treacherous ‘new normal’ — and sleepwalk into a dystopian future. Or we can wake up and turn things around for the better, for humanity and the planet,” Türk said.

“The ‘new normal’ cannot be endless, vicious military escalation and increasingly horrifying, technologically “advanced” methods of warfare, control, and repression. The ‘new normal’ cannot be continued indifference to deepening inequalities within and between States,” he said.

“It cannot be the free-for-all spread of disinformation, smothering facts and the ability to make free and informed choices. Heated rhetoric and simplistic fixes, erasing context, nuance, and empathy. Paving the way for hate speech and the dire consequences that inevitably follow,” Türk said.

“The ‘new normal’ cannot be that national sovereignty is twisted to shroud – or excuse – horrific violations,” he added.

“We can and must make a different choice. Reconnect with our common humanity, nature, and our planet. In other words, we could choose to be guided by human rights and the universal values that we all share,” he said.

“I have been speaking about the negative impact on peoples’ rights of entrenched power structures, and of the misuse of power. And yet, movements such as those against apartheid, racism, for women’s rights, for environmental rights, and many others have shown us how human rights can trigger positive change in society, steering us towards greater justice and stability,” he said.

Amid elections scheduled during 2024, Türk called on voters to keep in mind the issues that matter most to them – be it a home, education for their children, their health or job, justice, their family and loved ones, the environment, to be free from violence, tackling corruption, being heard.

“I urge voters to ask themselves which of the political platforms or candidates will work for the human rights of everyone,” he said.

Türk stressed that States must not – cannot – accept blatant disregard for international law, including binding decisions of the Security Council and orders of the International Court of Justice.

He highlighted how, in many situations, even minimal humanitarian aid to civilians has been instrumentalized, diverted or indeed blocked altogether, as is access for human rights monitors.

“For those of us engaged in this work, it is as if we are standing on the banks of a river watching people drown, with lifebuoys piled at our feet,” Türk said.

“States themselves have designed international human rights and humanitarian law to preserve and guarantee our common humanity. These norms are our mainstay against unbridled power. All parties to conflicts and other States, particularly those with influence, must do everything they can to put an end to violations,” he stated.

ENDS

Volker Türk Global Update at 57th Human Rights Council opening

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