Systems

Support for human rights systems and defenders

Many organisations work to defend your rights. We help their efforts with independent evidence, advice and expertise.

We support their frontline work. And we shine a light on potential risks and priority areas. Together we make your rights a reality.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    19
    December
    2023
    All EU funds must be spent in a way that respect fundamental rights. The EU spends billions of euros on creating jobs, economic growth, sustainable development and improving people’s lives. To prevent funds from being spent in ways that directly violate people’s fundamental rights, the EU strengthened the conditions how funds can be spent in 2021. This report looks at how the newly introduced conditions related to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can be upheld in practice. It analyses the potential role of national human rights institutions, ombudsperson institutions and equality bodies. These safeguards can advance compliance with fundamental rights.
  • Periodic updates / Series
    6
    February
    2024
    The 2024 update on NHRIs accreditation status and mandates also covers their engagement in the monitoring of fundamental rights compliance in the use of EU funds at national level. Moreover, the update also shows how NHRIs make use of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in their work when advising government or in education, training and awareness raising activities. Since its 2020 report 'Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities', the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has been regularly tracking the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIs.
  • Periodic updates / Series
    18
    October
    2023
    Civil society organisations struggle to maintain an environment safe from threats and attacks. FRA’s sixth annual update on civic space explores the challenges for organisations across the EU. While there has been significant development since FRA began monitoring the situation in 2018, civil society organisations remain under immense pressure. Abusive lawsuits and attacks against those involved in migrant search and rescue at sea are just some of the challenges identified. This report presents ways forward to protect civil society and human rights.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    October
    2021
    This report proposes a framework for becoming, and functioning as, a ‘human rights city’ in the EU. It includes ‘foundations’, ‘structures’ and ‘tools’ for mayors, local administrations and grassroots organisations to reinforce fundamental rights locally. It is based on existing good practice and expert input by representatives of human rights cities in the EU, academic experts, international organisations and city networks.
Products
A book launch looking at FRA’s impact took place at the European Commission on 22 January in Brussels.
This year FRA looks forward to a new decade for fundamental human rights across Europe, as the new European Parliament and Commission hit the ground running with a raft of new strategies promoting and protecting rights.
Today marks human rights day, a day that celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it means to all of us. But it should be a cause for celebration every day.
There is a vast array of human rights information. The trouble is, you often have to search through so many different places online. Much of it is relevant for the EU and its Member States. Now, help is at hand with FRA’s European Union Fundamental Rights Information System, EFRIS. It draws together information from these various sources, providing a much-needed single entry point.
Ten years ago on 1 December, the full force of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter came into play. This landmark bill of rights for the EU has the power to make a difference. One decade on, it is yet to reach its full potential. This is changing, slowly but surely.
The European Judicial Training Network recently signed a Letter of Intent with FRA.
On 14 November, FRA’s Director spoke at the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions’ 2019 Annual Conference ‘Realising Economic and Social Rights in Europe: the role of National Human Rights Institutions’.
What does effective human rights communications really mean? And how should we do it? Participants at FRA’s recent workshop share their views.
FRA joined an online seminar on fundamental rights in forced returns.
The nine EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies are marking the 10-year anniversary of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights by pledging to continue to respect and promote fundamental rights throughout the work.
The Ethical Journalism Network and FRA provided face-to-face media training at the Thomson Foundation in London on 21 October.
On 3 October, FRA presented the guidelines on improving the collection and use of equality data at a national stakeholder conference organised in Dublin by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
If you are old, chances are you have been discriminated against. It is so common in fact that, across the EU, over 40% of Europeans feel that discrimination towards older people is widespread in their country. Marking International Day for Older People, FRA calls on EU institutions and Member States to fully respect the rights of older people.
Practitioners are often unsure whether or not the Charter of Fundamental Rights applies to a given situation, and how it adds value.
On 12 September, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty presented the Fundamental Rights Report 2019 to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in Brussels.
FRA participated in the EEA and Norway Grants Financial Mechanism Office’s second International Partner Organisation coordination meeting in Brussels on 27 June.
Representatives from intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions responsible for cooperation with civil society and for supporting human rights defenders in Europe will meet online for an internal exchange on 17 April .
FRA supports the European Commission with ongoing consultations as part of the upcoming strategy on the application of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter.
FRA will give a presentation on the agency's work to develop human rights indicators at a seminar in Helsinki.
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FRA will join the Council of Europe’s steering committee for human rights (CDDH) meeting.
FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will visit the Council of Europe on 4 March in Strasbourg.
The agency’s Scientific Committee will meet on 10 February at FRA.
How can we strengthen citizen involvement in the EU’s cohesion funds?
FRA’s Director and a delegation of its Management Team will meet the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on 7 February in Geneva.
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The Advisory Panel of the FRA’s Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) will discuss the platform’s future development.
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FRA's online international human rights tool, the European Union Fundamental Rights Information System, will be presented and discussed in Strasbourg from 16 to 17 January.
FRA will take part in the 9th meeting of its collaborative platform on social and economic rights.
On 19 November the Annual Rule of law dialogue - as established by the Council and the Member States end of 2014 - takes place in a General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
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FRA is the current chair of the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (ANSA).
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FRA will take part in a conference discussing various issues linked to security research.
On 14 November, a group of people of all ages and different backgrounds living in Vienna will visit FRA.
FRA will take part in the meeting of the Subgroup on data and evidence of the European Commission’s interservice group on integration of non-EU nationals.
On 13 November, FRA’s Director will be part of a Citizens’ Dialogue at the European Commission’s representation in Luxembourg.
FRA will speak to the European and International Affairs Committee of the Vienna City Council on 6 November about the relevance of the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter for regional and local authorities, as well as about its cooperation with the City of Vienna.
FRA will speak at a joint meeting of the working group of the Council of the EU’s Working Parties on Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) and on Human rights (COHOM).
The FRA Director will take part in the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meeting in Luxembourg on 24 October.