Human rights

Human rights: a few notions

Human rights are the fundamental rights inherent to every person, solely by virtue of being human. These basic standards protect each person’s life, dignity, freedoms and equality, irrespective of status, origin or the situation he/she is in. Human rights are universal standards, recognised for the first time at international level in 1948 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All human rights are also inter-related, inter-dependent, indivisible and of equal importance, as declared in 1993 at the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights.

Human rights at international level

The promotion and protection of human rights are a priority for Belgium, both at national level and in its relations with other countries. Respect for human rights is of prime importance in itself, but also contributes to peace, security and development in all countries. These three aspects must in turn reinforce the protection of human rights. States have the prime responsibility of respecting, protecting and implementing these rights.

Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations and other regional organisations have drawn up many binding agreements which have considerably strengthened human rights protection.

Belgian initiatives

The human rights field of initiative has been considerably extended and diversified over recent years at international, regional and national level. Belgium strives to ensure respect for these rights and their development in the international arena, within the competent institutions as well as in the field.

Human rights are incorporated into all aspects of our foreign policy, whether it be in our relations with third countries, in the field of development cooperation or combating terrorism, for example.

The priorities for Belgium in terms of human rights are in particular:

• The fight against the death penalty, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishments.
  
• Respect for civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights and the universality of these rights.
  
• The protection of women’s and children’s rights and the rightsof human rights defenders.
  
• The fight against impunity, respect for the rule of law, and the promotion of international criminal justice.
  
• The fight against all forms of racism, xenophobia and intolerance, as well as all forms of discrimination.
  
• Respect for fundamental rights within the framework of the fight against terrorism.
  
• The strengthening of the powers and efficiency of international and regional institutions active in the field of human rights.

Further explanations on these different points are available on the related pages.

For any information on Belgian human rights policy, please contact:

Departments: Droits de l’Homme - M3.1 and Conseil de l’Europe - M3.2
FPS Foreign Affairs
Rue des Petits Carmes 15, 1000 Brussels.
+32 (0) 2 501 81 11

Women, Peace and Security (PDF, 317.14 Kb)

State of Play – 12 December 2011