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
11
June
2020
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field in 2019, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. This year’s focus chapter explores how to unlock the full potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Greece needs solid, sustained support and solidarity as it faces great migration challenges, says FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty after 2 days of meetings in Athens with authorities.
February
2020
In today’s media landscape the way in which journalists and editors receive, process and publish news is constantly changing. Journalists face immense time pressure, as news frequently breaks online To facilitate training on the coverage of migration news, this Trainer’s Manual is a tool to be used together with the e-Media Toolkit.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty speaks about the importance and power of hope accompanying the work of FRA in 2020. Particularly after a troubled start of the year.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Freedoms.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Equality.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapter about Solidarity.
The European Union Fundamental Rights Information System EFRIS is a Human Rights Gateway, bringing together data and information from existing human rights databases, and enables viewing and analysis of relevant assessments of fundamental rights in the EU.
Improve law and policies by always checking the applicability of the Charter!
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue and its chapters starting with Dignity.
Check out the EU's modern human rights catalogue! The Charter celebrates this year its 10th anniversary since it became legally binding!
12
November
2019
The Charter is most effective, and has a real impact on people’s lives, when parliaments, governments and courts at local, regional and national levels all actively apply it. The national sphere is particularly relevant. A strong fundamental rights architecture and committed national governments and parliaments are key to letting the Charter unfold its potential at this level. Civil society organisations (CSOs) and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) are also crucial given their contributions to the protection and promotion of Charter rights.
This video, shot at the recent Human Rights Communicators' Network Workshop, highlights many comments from the inspirational discussions on how elements of FRA's 10 keys to effectively communicate human rights can influence our day-to-day work.
Talk by Sarah Wishart of Rights Info at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
Talk by Szczepan Orlowski of Animorph at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
Talk by Flavia Kleiner of Operation Libero to the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at FRA on 3-4 October 2019.
FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty gave the opening talk at the Human Rights Communicators' Workshop held at the Agency on 3-4 October 2019.
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the migration situation in the Mediterranean Sea and makes three proposals.
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: The Charter of Fundamental Rights is the EU’s bill of human rights. These rights and principles have to be respected and promoted by EU institutions and Member States whenever they act within EU law. Approaching the Charter’s 10th anniversary, Member States do not yet make full use of the potential it offers.
FRA took part in a network meeting of EU Agencies Heads of Communication and Information.
FRA took part in a network meeting of EU Agencies Heads of Communication and Information.
FRA attended a conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on ‘Civil society organisations defending and strengthening European democracy’.
On 30 and 31 March, FRA participated at the International Public Information Directors Roundtable in Stockholm.
FRA held a hybrid meeting with NHRIs and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) from 21 to 22 March. FRA also invited its National Liaison Officers and EU Charter Focal Points.
FRA developed practical guidance for cities to help them improve their efforts to respect human rights.
FRA held its regular meeting with the National Liaison Officers (NLOs) online on 23 March.
FRA participated in the first meeting in 2023 of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies’ Network in Valetta on 17 March.
The Executive Director of the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL), Montserrat Marin López, and the Executive Director of the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Nina Gregori, presented the highlights and priorities of the outgoing and incoming presidencies of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies’ Network (JHAAN) at the European Parliament today.
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights’ updated Charter app promises a one-stop-shop for fundamental rights for mobile devices.
The EFRIS advisory group brings together the main partners in the EU Fundamental Rights Information System (EFRIS) project.
Many cities throughout the European Union hosted people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. To gauge how cities addressed Europe largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) approached selected cities in the EU.
FRA’s Director took part in the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on 26 and 27 January in Stockholm.
The recently-elected Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, Michel Forst, met FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty on 19 January in Vienna.
On Human Rights Day, 10 December, the FRA Director delivered the annual distinguished guest lecture at Leiden University.
On 16 December, FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty spoke at the launch of the OECD’s first global report on the protection and promotion of civic space.
On 7 December, FRA contributed to annual Human Rights celebration organised by the municipality of Vienna and the Vienna Human Rights Office.
FRA provided training on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights to law drafters in Finland. It was part of a training course on fundamental and human rights when drafting laws.
FRA contributed to a two-day multi-stakeholder dialogue conference on civic space.
On 22 and 23 November, the FRA Director met with Swedish government officials in Stockholm in the run-up to the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
FRA Director, Michael O’Flaherty, will deliver a video message at the closing conference of the 2023 edition of the Human Rights go local Winter Academy.
FRA’s Director will meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on 6 February in Geneva.
On 12 December, FRA will speak at the online seminar in Turku about Human Rights Cities and its framework for localizing human rights.
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The Agency’s Executive Board and Management Board will meet in Vienna on 15 and 16 December.
FRA will speak at the official opening of the International Human Rights Day celebration ‘Dignity, Equality, Solidarity’ in Warsaw on 9 December.
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Once again, FRA is cooperating with this year’s 'this human world', Vienna’s international human rights film festival. FRA supports the screening of three films on human rights.

On 21 November, FRA will hold a virtual lecture for students of the European University of Cyprus.
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FRA’s Director will visit the Council of Europe from 15 to 16 November in Strasbourg.
On 8 November, FRA will host a delegation from the Fundamental Rights Sector Coordination (FRSC) Project in Turkey’s European Affairs Directorate.
The annual meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform will take place online on 10 November.
On 21 October, FRA will add concluding remarks during a launch event on how cities operationalise the Leave no one behind principle in their local policies.
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FRA will hold its regular meeting with the National Liaison Officers in Vienna.
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From 6 to 7 October, FRA will host an expert event on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Vienna.
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FRA’s Director will visit the Council of Europe on 10-11 October in Strasbourg.
FRA will speak at the European Economic and Social Committee’s (EESC) annual conference on fundamental rights and the rule of law.
On 28 September, FRA will welcome a delegation of law students from ELSA Jena in Germany.
On 29 September, FRA will welcome a delegation of students from the Volda University in Norway.
On 6 September, FRA management will meet a Council of Europe delegation.
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FRA will host a high-level meeting of fundamental rights leaders and experts in Rust, Austria from 7 to 8 September.
On 1 September, a delegation of students will visit FRA from the Stichting Libertas International.