COPENHAGEN, 10 December 2021 – Marking Human Rights Day, being observed this year under the slogan, “All Human, All Equal,” the three leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee – Chair Sereine Mauborgne (France), Vice-Chair Michael Georg Link (Germany) and Rapporteur Johan Buser (Sweden) – today issued the following statement:

“Equality is a bedrock principle of human rights and is the foundation of freedom and justice in the world. As stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which we celebrate today, ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’ What this means in practice is that everyone – no matter how rich or poor, whether one is disabled or not, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation – must be ensured equal protection under the law, and protected from discrimination. While we still have a long way to go before realizing true equality in our societies, let us take a moment today to remember the great strides that have been made, and thank all human rights defenders who continue to keep the struggle alive for a more just world.”

The OSCE PA’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions addresses humanitarian and human rights-related threats to security and promotes respect for fundamental freedoms in the OSCE area.