James Cleverly – 2022 Speech on Human Rights Day

The speech made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 12 December 2022.

As you gather to mark International Human Rights Day:

• in Ukraine, civilians gather in shelters from bombardment, as prosecutors gather evidence of atrocities and sexual violence, committed by Vladimir Putin’s forces
• in Iran, brave peaceful protestors continue to gather on the streets in spite of the brutal crackdown. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps report that the average age of those arrested is 15. We know many are young girls, who have gathered the courage to call for freedoms they’ve never had before
• in Afghanistan, women and girls are also being targeted. And erased from all spheres of public life
• and in China and Russia, we’ve seen protestors so concerned about speaking out, that they hold aloft blank sheets of paper

2022 has been a bad year for the respect for human rights in many, many countries.

If you take a step back for a moment, all this evidence confirms my belief, that autocracy and repression are always fundamentally wrong, and fundamentally destabilising. And that human rights, and transparent democratic government, are in the interests of all people, all economies and the long term stability of every nation.

That is why I believe in human rights. There are now 8 billion people on this planet, and each and every one should be able to enjoy their rights and fundamental freedoms, as set out in the Universal Declaration and subsequent Conventions, and I will do all I can as Foreign Secretary to ensure that they can.

On Friday, on International Anti-Corruption Day, the UK government announced a package of sanctions targeting those involved in serious human rights abuses and violations, and serious corruption. Sanctions are one of a wide range of diplomatic and development tools that we will use to promote human rights, to promote freedoms, and to promote democracy.

We will continue to shine a spotlight on human rights violations – including through the UN Human Rights Council.

We will not shy away from difficult conversations – be it on the arbitrary detention, torture or forced labour in supply chains.

We will offer advice and expertise to improve human rights adherence – as we do with countries across the world.

We will strengthen our partnerships with allies to promote and protect rights and accountability – as we did at the PSVI Conference.

We will defend the international human rights system – and use it to hold those who violate or abuse human rights to account.

Hand-in-hand with standing up for human rights, we will continue to build democratic resilience, promote civil space, and nurture the institutions of free and open societies. Central to which, we will continue to support and work with civil society, particularly human rights defenders and free media.

Because human rights cannot be fully enjoyed without democratic freedoms. And democratic freedoms cannot be fully realised where there is a lack of respect for human rights.

Human rights, underpinned by democratic values and the rule of law, have the power to unite, to transform lives, and to change the world for the better. As Foreign Secretary I will work tirelessly with all our allies to promote and protect them.