The PHRG and the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) were delighted to host the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, on 29 March 2017, who spoke to UK Parliamentarians about the continued importance of the universal human rights framework, including post-Brexit; specific challenges facing the UN human rights framework and system; countries where human rights violations are currently of most concern, as well as related thematic concerns; and, what the UK could do to help improve these country situations and address these thematic concerns.

We would like to Baroness D’Souza for chairing the meeting.

The High Commissioner noted some positive developments across the world but also expressed concern about a number of situations, and the multiple and growing challenges to the rules-based international system.

He stressed the need for countries to continue working together to tackle problems, using a human rights-based approach, and believed the starting point for dealing with conflict and terrorism was addressing deficits, denial and discrimination.

Internal and external consistency, as regards respect for human rights standards, was also very important, as was the protection of shrinking civil society space.       

The PHRG thanked the High Commissioner for the robust manner in which he was exercising his mandate since he took the role in September 2014, and hope to continue working with him and his officials to champion the importance of the universal human rights framework, in the UK and throughout the world.