“Push back the pushback” – this rallying cry has been resonating from Geneva to New York and back because we all see the rising tide of human rights violations.

We have to work in Geneva and in New York to stop it – as the Secretary-General stressed again earlier this week.

And yet, New York and Geneva don’t always speak with one voice.

As a member of both the Human Rights Council and the Security Council, we are working to change that.

We aim to strengthen the institutional exchange between Geneva and New York – through mutual visits, regular briefings and meetings like ours here today.

Even more importantly, we follow a human-rights-based approach when dealing with peace and security.

We are witnessing a pushback on gender equality, especially on self-determination and sexual and reproductive rights.

The 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Women and the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1325 are opportunities to reverse this dangerous development.

Secondly, climate change. For too long, we have treated this as a purely environmental issue. But it affects the security, the rights, and the lives of millions of people.

That is why we will continue to raise the threat of climate change in the Security Council.

And as a signatory to the Geneva Pledge, we will ensure that climate change is addressed in the Human Rights Council next year.

Artificial intelligence bears great potential for humanity. But it is also becoming a tool to control and restrict civil society, and to keep certain groups from asserting their rights.

I’m also concerned about reports about the complete monitoring of the people in Xinjiang province. Algorithms seem to determine how ethnic and religious groups are treated there.

We need an ethical approach – one that respects human rights and avoids discrimination.

This is the guiding principle of the European Union’s new digital strategy. And we will also advocate for the right to privacy here, in the United Nations - including through resolutions in the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Some of the challenges I just raised are relatively new. But our answers should be guided by a principle that all of us agreed on 71 years ago: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

It is this principle that compels us to work together to “push back the pushback”!

Thank you very much.