David Cameron – 2023 Speech on Human Rights Day

The speech made by David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, in London on 7 December 2023.

Thank you for joining us in marking Human Rights Day.

75 years ago, in the aftermath of the horrors of the Second World War, the world declared that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. A universal entitlement. A simple truth. An historic step.

Tragically today, that principle is under growing threat. Autocracy rising again. New tech misused. Individual freedoms violated and abused.

I therefore make three commitments to you today.

First, the UK will continue to stand up for the rights of all.

As Foreign Secretary, I have sanctioned Hamas terrorists, and called on Israel to respect Palestinian civilians’ rights and freedoms. I have shown solidarity with the brave defenders of Ukraine, and backed the OSCE.

Any violation and abuse is wrong – be it Iran’s execution of juvenile offenders, the Taliban trampling on women’s rights or China’s suppression of dissent.

And so I am determined that the UK will: Hold malign actors to account. Offer support and sanctuary to victims. Defend the open international order.

Second commitment: we will champion the open societies which guarantee these rights in the first place.

Rights do not exist in a vacuum. The world’s poorest are increasingly found in states which lack respect for the rule of law, have high levels of corruption, and exclude citizens or communities.

As our new Development White Paper makes clear, we will focus on tackling these issues. This is vital to protecting individual rights and unleashing every individual’s potential.

Third, we do not seek to do this alone.

We are proud of Britain’s free and tolerant society. But countless individuals worldwide contribute to realising human rights globally. Britain stands together with allies, friends and partners – old and new.

We needed strength and unity to defeat Nazism. We needed strength and unity to realise the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And we need strength and unity to defend those rights today.

And if we show that strength and unity, there is no reason that we cannot prevail.