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
On 29 September, international organisations exchanged information on business and human rights-related activities.
Staff from intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions responsible for cooperation with civil society and for supporting human rights defenders met online on 28 September to exchange information about ongoing and upcoming activities.
EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies exchanged experiences on 24 September on how they apply the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter.
On 24 September 2020, FRA’s Management Board formally decided to extend the contract of Michael O’Flaherty as Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for another three years.
FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty gave a keynote speech in Salzburg on 28 August on fundamental rights during the COVID 19 pandemic.
National human rights institutions (NHRIs) are crucial for the protection and promotion of fundamental rights across the EU but their full potential remains untapped, finds a new report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It suggests next steps to boost NHRIs’ impact and efficiency, such as providing adequate resources, strong powers and clear mandates in line with the United Nations Paris Principles.
Verbal threats, physical attacks and lack of funding are some of the main challenges for civil society organisations working on human rights in the European Union. Moreover, almost half say that the situation in their country has deteriorated in the last year. These findings come from the second annual consultation, carried out by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) among civil society organisations across the EU.
On 9 July, the CoE-FRA-ENNHRI-EQUINET collaborative platform on social and economic rights discussed the societal challenges triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nine Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies (CEPOL, EASO, EIGE, EMCDDA, eu-LISA, Eurojust, Europol, FRA and Frontex) have been supporting the Member States and EU institutions in meeting the unprecedented challenges resulting from the outbreak of the virus – each agency in its respective area of work, in both the short term and the long term.
On 13 July, Elise Barbé takes office as the new Chairperson of the Management Board of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Sunniva McDonagh will join her as Vice-Chairperson. FRA’s Management Board elected them during its meeting in June 2020.
On 23 June, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty presented the key findings of the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) of the Council of the EU.
On 26 June, FRA joined the first exchange of views of the Council of Europe’s Child Rights Steering Committee.
Most people trust in human rights to create fairer societies according to survey findings from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). However, if you struggle to make ends meet, are young or vulnerable you often believe human rights are not for you FRA’s Fundamental Rights Survey reveals stark divides across society in Europe. It highlights the need for governments to reconnect Europeans with their human rights to ensure that everyone benefits equally from them.
On 16 June, FRA contributed to an ARIADNE network webinar on the role of cities in promoting and protecting human rights and how philanthropy can help.
FRA moderated a webinar on 19 June on universities and human rights cities. The Global Campus of Human Rights invited representatives from over 20 universities to take part.
FRA is introducing a series of changes to deepen its cooperation with civil society organisations through its Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP).
On 9 June, FRA’s Management Board elected a new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson as the mandates of existing members draw to a close.
Growing intolerance and attacks on people’s fundamental rights continue to erode the considerable progress achieved over the years, finds FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020. As Europe begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic we see a worsening of existing inequalities and threats to societal cohesion.
The Advisory Board for FRA’s Fundamental Rights Forum held their first meeting on 2 June online.
On 28 May, the FRA Director took part in a virtual meeting of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
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FRA’s migration reporting toolkit for journalists will feature in two workshops and be discussed with media partners during the III International Congress of Migration Reporting. The workshops will present how journalists’ knowledge of fundamental rights affects migration reporting.
The FRA Director will give a keynote speech at the 2020 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform on 15 October. He will focus on ‘Where are we today in terms of connectivity between regional and global human rights mechanisms’.
FRA will present its European Fundamental Rights Information System (EFRIS) tool to civil society via its Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) on 7 October.
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The next Fundamental Rights Forum will take place in Vienna on 11 and 12 October 2021.
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FRA will contribute, for the first time as a cooperating partner, to the annual NHRI Academy.
On 28 September, FRA’s Director will give a keynote speech on the impact of COVID-19 on the realisation of human rights now and in the long run. He will speak during a meeting of the Human Rights Delegation of Finland, a body of the Finnish NHRI.
The European Commission invited FRA to join two advisory bodies to support the implementation of the ‘European Green Deal’.
The regular study visit of judges and prosecutors to FRA, organised by the European Judicial Training Network, takes place this time as a virtual meeting.
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FRA’s Executive Board and Management Board will convene virtually on 25 September.
On 28 September, FRA’s Director Michael O’Flaherty takes part in a seminar on how to best communicate equality and diversity messages.
On 14 September, FRA invites civil society organisations to a webinar about its recent report on civic space experiences in the EU.
FRA will hold an online meeting with Human Rights Cities on 16 September to share information on current priorities and challenges.
FRA’s Director kicks off a series of targeted presentations in Member States of its report on Strong and effective NHRIs: challenges, promising practices and opportunities.
On 4 September, the Scientific Committee members will discuss FRA reports and have an exchange on current FRA research activities.
On the 9th of July, the CoE-FRA-ENNHRI-EQUINET collaborative platform on social and economic rights meets virtually.
On 29 June, FRA will take part in EuroPCom, the European Public Communication Conference.
On 23 June, in the run-up to the German Presidency of the EU Council, FRA will host a webinar for legal staff of the German Federal Foreign Office and the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany.
On 18 June, the agency’s National Liaison Officers (NLOs) will meet via video conference for the first time.
On 23 June, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty will present the key findings of the Fundamental Rights Report 2020 to the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) of the Council of the EU.