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

  • 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.
  • Page
    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.
  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    23
    October
    2018
    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?
Products
10
October
2012
Copenhagen Seminar Report
Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU and EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (15–16 March 2012)
26
January
2010
The European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) conducted European-wide research in 2009 on the contribution of memorial sites to Holocaust education and human rights education in the European Union (EU). This summary report, derived from the main report 'Discover the past for the future. The role of historical sites and museums in Holocaust education and human rights education in the EU', provides selected findings, discussion points and recommendations.
Fundamental rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to everyone in the EU. They are the same no matter where you’re from, what you believe or how you live.
The Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) is FRA’s channel for cooperation and information exchange with civil society organisations working on fundamental rights in the EU.
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.
7
May
2010
The EU plays a pioneering role in the protection of personal data. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU enshrines the right to data protection as an autonomous fundamental right. Despite the underlying importance and centrality of the right to data protection in the EU, many deficiencies are present in the data protection system. This study on data protection identifies deficiencies in the EU Member States.
7
May
2010
EU-MIDIS "Data in Focus" report 3 focuses on respondents' knowledge about their rights in the field of non-discrimination, including knowledge about Equality Bodies in Member States. This Data In Focus report on 'Rights Awareness and equality bodies' relates to Article 21, on 'non-discrimination', as enrshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
7
May
2010
Human rights are first and foremost to be addressed at the national level. National human rights institutions (NHRIs) play an important role in the human rights architecture at the national level. This report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), is intended to identify gaps and concerns in the fundamental rights architecture in the European Union.
FRA presented on 23 October the key findings of its Fundamental Rights Report 2021 during a seminar on multilateral diplomacy in international organisations.
On 13 October, FRA brought together the National Liaison Officers network.
FRA’s Director was in Italy for a series of meetings on 19-20 October to discuss setting up Italy’s National Human Rights Institution.
FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major developments in fundamental rights protection, identifying achievements and areas of concern.
FRA launched its new Charter e-learning courses. These courses provide judges and other legal practitioners with practical guidance on when and how the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights applies at the national level. It includes the Charter e-guidance.
Two days of stimulating discussions, over 145 different sessions, 6 locations – that was the Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 in a nutshell. With over 3,000 people joining the Forum in Vienna and online, it was the biggest human rights event in Europe this year.
Today at the Fundamental Rights Forum 2021, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) together with representatives of several European cities unveils a new Framework for Human Rights Cities in the EU.
FRA held a webinar with its civil society network, the Fundamental Rights Platform to present its ‘Protecting civic space in the EU’ report.
On 28 September, FRA issued an update of its data on the accreditation status and mandates of National Human Rights Institutions.
FRA’s Management Board elected Rick Lawson as its new Vice-Chair on 24 September. He will take office on 11 October.
Staff from intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions responsible for cooperation with civil society and for supporting human rights defenders met online on 23 September.
FRA’s Director was in France to discuss topical human rights issues and to explore continued cooperation, in particular during the upcoming French Presidency of the EU.
Civil society organisations across the EU provide services, engage in communities, raise awareness, advocate on behalf of others and hold authorities to account. But they face threats, attacks, funding cuts and disproportionate restrictions. These are just some of the challenges human rights civil society organisations face in some parts of the EU, and the Coronavirus pandemic has worsened their working conditions, highlights a new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). FRA calls on policymakers to foster a more conducive working environment for civil society, helping to realise all human rights for all.
FRA held a webinar on 16 September with over 50 civil society organisations from its Fundamental Rights Platform.
FRA spoke at an anniversary event of La Strada International about civic space challenges in the EU for human rights civil society organisations.
FRA joined an online meeting of Swedish cities, regions, and other local-level stakeholders on human rights.
The FRA Director was in Brussels from 1 to 3 September to present the Fundamental Rights Report 2021 to the European Parliament’s Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
The year 2020 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection.
The EU is founded on the values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. Yet these values, and discussions on fundamental rights at the EU and Member State level, can seem remote in people’s daily lives. With this in mind, FRA’s Fundamental Rights Survey explored what people understand, know and experience with respect to their fundamental rights in practice.
On 21 April, the Association of Polish cities will host a virtual event for mayors and vice-mayors.
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On 22 and 23 March, FRA’s National Liaison Officers (NLOs) will come together via video conference to discuss FRA’s cooperation with EU Member States.
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UNECE will hold an online workshop on poverty measurement from 25 to 26 March. FRA will present innovative approaches put into practice by various EU Member States. The workshop aims to provide hands-on training and address the capacity-building needs expressed by countries on adapting their surveys.
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FRA will present findings from its recent artificial intelligence and fundamental rights report during a two-day training webinar.
On 17 March, FRA will present selected findings from its surveys during the European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS) General Assembly and Annual Conference.
FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty will be one of the inaugural speakers at an event to discuss challenges and the future for civil society organisations during and after COVID-19.
FRA will present findings from its work on the impact of COVID-19 on fundamental rights during the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development. It will be part of discussions on 10 March on how human rights can guide sustainable recovery. FRA will also draw on its work on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU. The event focuses on how to ensure that the principle of leaving no-one behind is entrenched in COVID-19 recovery strategies and plans.
FRA will give a presentation during a meeting on victims’ participation in criminal proceedings and access to justice. FRA will draw on its recently-published results from the Fundamental Rights Survey, as well as other FRA research.
FRA Director, Michael O’Flaherty, will address the online high-level international conference on ‘Human Rights Go Local: What Works’ on 9 February. He will join discussions on building bridges with local governments on human rights.
On 23 February, the Fundamental Rights Agency’s Director, Michael O’Flaherty, listened to fundamental rights concerns and discussed ways to solve them. The second Fundamental Rights Dialogue invited young people to participate in shaping our societies, placing human rights centre stage.
The Agency’s Scientific Committee will meet on 5 February.
On 1 February, editorial committee of FRA’s annual Fundamental Rights Report will meet virtually. The committee members will elect a chairperson.
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FRA will contribute to the first edition of the online ‘Human rights go local: what works’ event Winter Academy. It will bring expertise from its work on Roma indicators, equality data and cooperation with human rights cities. The event will look at how to base policy-making at the local level on scientific evidence through tailored human rights research. It aims at building bridges between all governance levels, disciplines and regions. It allows knowledge sharing among human rights researchers, local authorities, representatives of International, European and EU organisations, and policy-makers across regions.
On 28 January, FRA will meet Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. It forms part of his visit to the EU Institutions. It will focus on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It will also look at whether the funds will be used in line with human rights and address vulnerable groups. The Special Rapporteur will examine the impact of EU policies on the eradication of poverty in the region. He will present the report to the Human Rights Council session in June 2021.
On 1 February, FRA’s Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) will offer civil society organisations the possibility to connect with FRA experts, policy-makers and international organisations. They will discuss solutions to the most pressing human rights concerns experienced by civil society across the EU.
FRA's Director will speak at an event dealing with National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) hosted by FRA’s Italian Management Board member. He will draw on the Agency's 2020 report on NHRIs.
On 25 January, the European Commission representation to Albania is hosting an event with key stakeholders to exchange information about FRA's work.
The EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) will hold an online webinar on policing during the pandemic.
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The Agency’s Executive Board and Management Board will meet online on 10 and 11 December 2020.