Systems

Apoio aos sistemas e defensores dos direitos humanos

<p>Many organisations work to defend your rights. We help their efforts with independent evidence, advice and expertise.</p>
<p>We support their frontline work. And we shine a light on potential risks and priority areas. Together we make your rights a reality.</p>

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    12
    December
    2025
    As the EU prepares to join the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), this report outlines the main changes that accession would bring, offering an overview of the legal and operational implications. Presented in a Q&A format, it provides answers to 19 key questions for legal professionals and a broader audience. It describes the steps needed to conclude accession, the expected benefits for protecting rights, and some of the challenges that may come up. This legal analysis contributes to the current discussions on EU accession.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    8
    December
    2025
    This report examines how human rights impact assessments (HRIAs) are built into lawmaking across the EU and its Member States. It highlights that, although progress has been made, the use of HRIAs remains uneven and often superficial. In many EU countries, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is frequently overlooked. The report identifies insufficient consultation with external experts, limited stakeholder participation and a lack of evaluation once laws are in force. To address these gaps, it offers practical recommendations for more systematic, inclusive and evidence-based HRIAs that strengthen human rights protection and ensure better, more accountable legislation throughout the EU.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    July
    2023
    Across the world, human rights defenders protect and uphold human rights in some of the most challenging situations. In some countries they face worrying levels of threats and attacks, intimidation and harassment. This report outlines how human rights defenders can enter and stay in the EU when they need protection. It suggests how EU institutions and Member States could use the flexibility in existing legal provisions and provide shelter for defenders who seek protection.
  • 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.
    Produtos
    28
    July
    2020
    This paper presents key findings from FRA’s second consultation of its Fundamental Rights Platform, focusing on the experiences of civil society organisations (CSOs) working on human rights. FRA started an annual consultation with organisations participating in its platform in 2018.
    This video was produced for the launch of the Fundamental Rights Survey in June 2020 and gives an overview of the main results.
    Michael O'Flaherty introduces the July edition of FRA's bulletin on the impact for fundamental rights of Covid-19. In this vlog he talks about the important role that people play who are engaged with the promotion and the protection of human rights in these times.
    The July edition of the COVID-19 bulletin will be available from 30 July.
    24
    June
    2020
    Summary version now available
    07 December 2020
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Survey collected data from 35,000 people about their experiences, perceptions and opinions on a range of issues that are variously encompassed by human rights. This report presents a small selection of the survey results. It focuses on findings with respect to respondents’ opinions about human – or fundamental rights; their views and perceptions on the functioning of democratic societies – as a pillar on which human rights can flourish; and on their thoughts on and engagement with public services that have a duty to enforce human rights law and to protect people’s rights.
    19
    June
    2020
    In 2019, the International Organization for Migration estimated that 1,866 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is an average of five people per day. In recent years, a significant proportion 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. Since 2018, however, authorities in some EU Member States started viewing civil society-deployed rescue vessels with hostility. As a reaction, national authorities initiated about 40 administrative and criminal proceedings against crew members or vessels, including seizing the latter. In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues or the inability to meet technical requirements.
    In his latest vlog Michael O'Flaherty introduces FRA's survey of 35,000 people on attitudes to human and fundamental rights.
    11
    June
    2020
    O presente Destaque aborda mais de perto a aplicação da
    Carta dos Direitos Fundamentais da União Europeia, que se
    tornou juridicamente vinculativa há 10 anos. Ao nível da UE,
    a Carta ganhou visibilidade e deu origem a uma nova cultura
    de direitos fundamentais. No plano nacional, a sensibilização
    para a Carta e a sua utilização têm sido limitadas. Os tribunais
    utilizam cada vez mais a Carta, evidenciando o impacto deste
    moderno instrumento. Mas a sua utilização pelos governos
    e parlamentos continua a ser modesta. Por exemplo, há
    poucas indicações sobre a existência ou não de pessoas
    que se dedicam a examinar regularmente se as legislações
    nacionais que transpõem a legislação da UE são compatíveis
    com a Carta.
    11
    June
    2020
    Now available in all 24 official EU languages
    12 August 2020
    O ano de 2019 trouxe avanços e retrocessos no âmbito
    da proteção dos direitos fundamentais. O Relatório
    sobre os Direitos Fundamentais 2020 da FRA analisa os
    principais desenvolvimentos neste domínio,
    identificando tanto as realizações quanto os problemas
    que persistem. A presente publicação apresenta os
    pareceres da FRA relacionados com os principais
    desenvolvimentos nas áreas temáticas versadas
    e uma sinopse dos factos comprovados que sustentam
    tais pareceres. Deste modo, o documento fornece uma
    panorâmica compacta, porém informativa, dos
    principais desafios em matéria de direitos
    fundamentais com que a UE e os seus Estados-
    -Membros são confrontados.
    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.