UN, OSCE and other international organisations

The Agency cooperates with the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and other international organisations. This cooperation forms part of FRA's Founding Regulation and includes expert consultations, conferences and seminars as well as data and information sharing. Cooperation creates synergies and optimises resources so duplication of work is avoided. It also helps ensure the different organisations’ work complements each other, so that recommendations and advice are more aligned.

This page provides information on FRA cooperation with:

United Nations

The Agency cooperates with a wide range of UN bodies. For instance, it compiles targeted findings from EU Member States and submits them to the UN human rights treaty bodies and special procedures. It also feeds the UN’s Universal Periodic Review process.

FRA regularly meets with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Focusing FRA’s work on the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set global development targets for the period 2015–2030. They replace the Millennium Development Goals, which covered 2000 to 2015. Coordinated by the UN, the 17 SDGs set the framework for much of the world’s development and multilateral cooperation. The table below provides an overview of the SDGs, linking them to the most relevant Articles in the EU's Fundamental Rights Charter. It also gives examples of recent FRA projects.

 

Recent FRA projects related to Sustainable Development Goals
Goal EU Charter Article Examples of FRA projects and deliverables
1. No poverty Art. 34 - Social security and social assistance (+ Arts 1, Arts 24-26)
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well-being Art. 35 - Health care
4. Quality education Art. 14 - Right to education
5. Gender equality Art. 23 - Equality between women and men
6. Clean water and sanitation Art. 37 - Environmental protection
7. Affordable and clean energy Art. 36 - Access to services of general economic interest
8. Decent work and economic growth Art. 15 - Freedom to choose an occupation and right to engage in work (+ Arts. 27-32)
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure Art. 16 - Freedom to conduct a business
10. Reduced inequalities Art. 21 - Non-discrimination (+ Arts 1, 14, 20, 23, 24-26, 31, 34-35)
11. Sustainable cities and communities Art. 37 - Environmental protection
12. Responsible consumption and production Art. 38 - Consumer protection
13. Climate action Art. 37 - Environmental protection
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Art. 21 – Non-discrimination (+ Arts 1–6 and 20, 22, 23)

Art. 47 - Right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial (+ Arts. 48-50)

17. Partnerships for the goals Not applicable

Tools linking SDGs to human rights instruments:

States and civil society, but also entities such as corporations, contribute to delivering on the SDGs. Efforts at the start of the 2015–2030 period focus on populating the 230 indicators with data, organised under 169 targets and the 17 SDGs. FRA is contributing to this by working with Eurostat to populate indicators at the EU level and by contributing to methodological consultations at the UN level.

The UN is commemorating the 70 year anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 2018 with the year-long campaign Stand up for human rights.

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

FRA closely cooperates with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), especially its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). This comprises joint activities in EU Member States.

Examples of this cooperation include:

Combating hate crime

FRA and ODIHR work together to help states record and collect hate crime data. They jointly organize national workshops providing technical assistance to national law enforcement and criminal justice authorities. This initiative followed the launch of ODIHR’s Practical Guide on Hate Crime Data Collection and Monitoring in 2014. ODIHR also takes part in the Subgroup on methodologies for recording data on hate crime, which FRA coordinates.

Uncovering the extent of violence against women

FRA’s survey on violence against women became a source of reliable and comparable data on the extent, nature and consequences of violence women in EU Member States. The Gender Section of the OSCE Secretariat launched a similar survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women based on FRA’s survey. It covers a number of non-EU countries in South East Europe, Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. FRA has provided technical advice throughout the OSCE survey - the first results are expected in 2019.

Promoting political participation of people with disabilities

FRA is part of the ODIHR group of experts on participation of people with disabilities in political and public life. This group advises ODIHR on disability-related issues and relevant developments in different OSCE participating States. The group first met in Skopje on 22 June 2017.

FRA also cooperates closely with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM).

Other International Organisations

In addition, the Agency cooperates with other international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and other entities with an international character, in particular the EEA and Norway Grants.