Standing Up for Human Rights and Democracy

European Parliament 2024‑2029 – Human Rights and Democracy Resolution (2025)

The Parliament reaffirms that the EU is built on respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights. It calls for a stronger, more coherent EU policy to protect these values worldwide.

1. Global situation

• Democracy – Only 29 % of the world’s population lives in liberal democracies (down from 52 % in 2009).
• Human rights abuses – Rising authoritarianism, populism, terrorism and climate‑related crises threaten the rule of law.
• Digital threats – Surveillance, AI, deepfakes and internet shutdowns increasingly curb privacy, free speech and the work of human‑rights defenders (HRDs).
• Gender and minority rights – Women, LGBTIQ+ people, religious minorities and people with disabilities face discrimination, violence and restricted civil space.
• Education – 272 million children and young people are out of school, a rise of 21 million from the previous estimate.
• Climate – Climate change is a human‑rights crisis that undermines life, food, water, health and culture.

2. EU policy priorities

3. Financial and institutional measures

• Action Plan 2020‑2027 – Align with the EU budget cycle; a full review is needed.
• Global Europe instrument (2028‑2034) – Calls for a dedicated human‑rights budget line, clear targets and enforcement mechanisms.
• EUSR for Human Rights – Needs more resources, better visibility and coordination with EU delegations.
• Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion – Position remains vacant; Parliament urges appointment and reporting.
• Anti‑corruption – Calls for an EU sanctions regime against corruption.
• Death penalty – EU to engage with countries that still use it, encouraging judicial reforms.

4. Key recommendations

1. Speak with one voice in multilateral forums and strengthen EU delegations’ role.
2. Increase funding for human‑rights, democracy and rule‑of‑law programmes.
3. Enforce sanctions more quickly and transparently; use qualified majority voting for decisions.
4. Protect civil society – ensure independent national institutions, monitor human‑rights clauses in agreements, and create a complaint portal.
5. Promote gender equality – address gender‑based violence, support women’s economic participation and protect women journalists.
6. Guard against digital repression – hold tech companies accountable and support trustworthy media.
7. Support electoral integrity – strengthen election observation missions and protect observers from AI‑driven interference.
8. Address transnational repression – train law‑enforcement, document abuses and hold perpetrators accountable.
9. Advance climate justice – link climate action to human‑rights and security.
10. Combat racism and intolerance – adopt mechanisms for reporting discrimination and provide legal remedies.

5. Bottom line

The Parliament urges the EU to act decisively, with clear budgets, strong sanctions, and a coordinated approach that protects human rights, promotes democracy, supports civil society, and upholds the rule of law both at home and abroad. The goal is a safer, more inclusive world where every person can enjoy their fundamental rights.