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.
    Publications and data
    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.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Implementing fundamental and human rights helps create a sustainable future.
    Here the EU plays a key role.
    19
    June
    2019
    In 2018, some 2,299 people are estimated to have died or gone missing at sea while crossing the sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is on average more than six people per day. Before mid-2017, a significant share of migrants in distress at sea have been rescued by civil society vessels deployed with a humanitarian mandate to reduce fatalities and bring rescued migrants to safety. In 2018, however, authorities in some Member States viewed civil society-deployed rescue vessels with hostility. As a reaction, they seized rescue vessels, arrested crew members, and initiated legal procedures against them (more than a dozen altogether). In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues.
    12
    June
    2019
    The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has applied across the European Union (EU) since 25 May 2018. One year on, this paper looks at how the new regulation has affected the daily work of civil society organisations (CSOs).
    6
    June
    2019
    This year’s focus explores the interrelationship between the human and fundamental rights framework and the Sustainable
    Development Goals (SDGs) of the global Agenda 2030 in the context of Member States’ and the EU’s internal policies.
    It takes a closer look at the SDGs related to reducing inequality (SDG 10) and promoting peace, justice and strong
    institutions (SDG 16).
    6
    June
    2019
    The year 2018 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2019 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these
    opinions.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on press freedom and the importance of an independent media for the society.
    22
    March
    2019
    Member States have an explicit duty to promote the Charter’s application. These country-sheets support that effort by giving examples of the Charter’s use and highlighting how it adds value.
    26
    November
    2018
    Civil society organisations play a critical role in democracies, and the importance of their work is widely recognised in international legal and policy documents. However, they face many obstacles when it comes to their day-to-day work. Based on the results of an online consultation with FRA's civil society network, the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP), in September 2018, this paper complements the January 2018 report.
    26
    October
    2018
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights’ 2018 Fundamental Rights Forum
    brought together more than 700 human rights champions at a time of
    widening social divisions and increasingly polarised politics across
    Europe.
    23
    October
    2018
    ES, HU, LT, LV, SK, SL and PT versions now available
    18 November 2020
    As a very modern human rights catalogue containing many rights not found in established bills of rights, the Charter indeed looks good on paper. Those familiar with the main principles of EU law can usually quickly recite that the Charter is always binding on the EU, and binding on Member States only when they are "implementing EU law". But what does this often-quoted language from Article 51 of the Charter actually mean?
    1
    October
    2018
    This note draws attention to the recent trend of criminalising search and rescue operations (SAR) in the Mediterranean Sea carried out by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or other private entities. This includes seizing rescue vessels, as well as arrests for crew members, in some EU Member States. Most of such incidents concerned NGOs operating in the Central Mediterranean Sea.
    1
    October
    2018
    With this Opinion, FRA aims to contribute to the European Parliament's own-initiative report on the “Implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the EU institutional framework”, being prepared in the Parliament’s Committee for Constitutional Affairs (AFCO). The request aims at understanding the interaction between the Charter’s implementation at national and EU level, and whether there are “instruments, mechanisms and practices” available at EU level to assist Member States to better implement the Charter.
    26
    September
    2018
    These 10 keys sum up the core points
    communicators and practitioners in various fields
    raised in FRA’s expert meetings, practitioners’
    seminars and focus groups in 2017 and 2018.
    This video blog by FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty is released periodically and will address burning fundamental rights themes.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on ways to push back against challenges to our human rights system.
    6
    June
    2018
    The year 2017 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2018 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern.
    In this third edition of his video blog FRA Director, Michael O'Flaherty, focuses on bolstering our human rights communications to underline why human rights matter to us all.
    18
    January
    2018
    Civil society organisations in the European Union play a crucial role in promoting fundamental rights, but it has become harder for them to do so – due to both legal and practical restrictions. This report looks at the different types and patterns of challenges faced by civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU.
    On 8 and 9 June, the FRA Director met with Spanish government officials in the run-up to the Presidency of the Council of the EU in Madrid.
    The European Commission and FRA hosted a seminar on ‘Supporting civil society organisations and human rights defenders through funding’ on 19 June in Brussels.
    FRA launched a major new version of its European Fundamental Rights Information System – EFRIS.
    FRA presented its ongoing work on a report on human rights defenders’ access to the EU at the annual meeting of the EU Temporary Relocation Platform.
    Fundamental rights have weathered multiple storms recently as various crises impact Europe and the wider world. Participants at a high-level conference drew lessons from crises, past and present, and charted a way forward to make human rights structures more resilient.
    FRA took part in the regular meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies Heads of Communication
    FRA had its annual Directors level meeting with the EEA and Norway Grants in Oslo on 5 June.
    The impact of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, rising child poverty, widespread hate and protecting rights in the face of technological change are just some of the pressing human rights issues in FRA’s 2023 Fundamental Rights Report. With a focus section on the impact of the aggression within the EU, the report examines the support and solidarity provided by governments, local authorities and society. It suggests how EU countries can better ensure effective protection, especially for women who fled the conflict and need targeted support.
    The EU & International Affairs Committee of the Law Society of Ireland invited FRA’s Director to deliver a speech in Dublin on 15 May.
    FRA met online with member organisations of the European Youth Forum to consult on their civic space challenges.
    FRA spoke at a European Commission seminar on protecting civic space on 10 May in Brussels.
    On 26 April, FRA joined a webinar on the role of local governments policies based in human rights.
    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.
    FRA Director will be a keynote speaker at the 2023 OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference Council on 2 October in Warsaw.
    FRA's Executive Board and Management Board will convene on 29 September.
    The meeting will take place online on Monday 2 October 2023 from 11:00-15:30 CEST.
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    FRA will present the Slovene translation of FRA's Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration in Ljubljana on 11 and 12 September.
    The Council of Europe Programme for human rights education for legal professionals (HELP) will host a hybrid conference on 6 July.
    On 3 July, FRA will run a webinar for the Fundamental Rights Platform to present and discuss the key highlights, opinions and findings from FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023.
    FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will present FRA’s upcoming report on protecting human rights defenders at risk to the European Parliament’s Human Rights subcommittee (DROI) on 28 June.
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    The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU will convene experts from Member States, EU institutions and other stakeholders for the Stockholm Symposium on Democracy and the Rule of Law.
    On 21 June, FRA will welcome a delegation from the Serbian judiciary.
    On 24 May, FRA will present to members of the European Association of Lawyers its work, tools and material on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
    FRA will have exchange views with Human Dimension experts from the EU Delegation and EU Member States Permanent Representations to the OSCE.
    FRA will present its Framework for Human Rights Cities to staff of Polish cities in a webinar organised by the Polish Association of Municipalities.
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    A high-level conference on institutional protection of fundamental rights in times of crises will take place in Lund from 20 to 21 April. It will provide a forum to discuss how structures to protect fundamental rights in the European Union can be made more robust and resilient in times of crises. The event aims to explore what can we learn from crises, past and present, and how can we best move forward. The event will be live streamed.
    On 25 April, FRA will hold one of its monthly webinars for civil society organisations participating in the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP).
    On 30 March, FRA will deliver the keynote address opening day 2 of the Media Freedom Rapid Response Summit (MFRR).
    On 21 March, FRA will host a hybrid event on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights for a group of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs).
    FRA will join a policy debate on protecting civil society and defending democracy hosted by the European Civic Forum.
    FRA will speak at this year’s Civil Society Days of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
    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.