Speeches

Speech

Human rights and migration: 5 key elements

02/10/2024 Strasbourg

Speech by Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered at the Joint debate of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on “Missing migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers – A call to clarify their fate”and “A shared European approach to address migrant...

Read More

Speech

Speech at the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

01/10/2024 Strasbourg

Speech by Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered at the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. (A shorter version of this speech was delivered at the joint debate on “Missing migrants,...

Read More

Speech

Commissioner’s video message to the Berlin Process Ministerial meeting on Roma integration within the EU enlargement process

18/09/2024 Strasbourg

Video message delivered to the Ministerial meeting on Roma integration within the EU enlargement process, organised in the context of the Berlin Process Meetings 2024, Berlin, 18 September 2024: Hello, and thank you so much for inviting me to this important meeting. I apologize that I can only...

Read More

Speech

Speech at the 2nd International Conference on Migrant Smuggling

10/09/2024 Strasbourg

Speech by Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the 2nd International Conference on Migrant Smuggling, organised by the Council of Europe European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC), in collaboration with the Office of the Special Representative on Migration and...

Read More

Speech

Social Rights are Human Rights!

04/07/2024 Vilnius, Lithuania

Introductory speech at the opening session of the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter, organised in Vilnius, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Minister, as part of the follow-up to the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe Ministers, Excellencies,...

Read More

Speech

How standing up for social rights can help counter Russia's war on human rights in Ukraine

03/07/2024 Vilnius, Lithuania

Opening remarks at the side event “Protecting social rights in times of war in Ukraine” on the occasion of the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter, organised in Vilnius, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Minister, as part of the follow-up to the...

Read More

Speech

A Commissioner’s call to action for civil society

24/06/2024 Helsinki, Finland

Speech delivered by Michael O’Flaherty at the 100th session of the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH), Conference on the Protection and the Promotion of Civil Society Space in Europe. Chairperson Oinonen, distinguished members of the steering committee, Friends, I apologise for not being...

Read More

Speech

Exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers

19/06/2024 Strasbourg

Speech by Michael O’Flaherty at the Exchange of view with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe President, distinguished Ambassadors, Thank you for the invitation to engage in dialogue with you today. I have been in office for ten weeks. During that time, I have engaged the human...

Read More

Speech

Journalism Excellence Awards 2024: the media is a key ally in defending the human rights of Roma

18/06/2024 Strasbourg

Speech by Michael O’Flaherty on the occasion of the Journalism Excellence Awards Ceremony - “Ethical media reporting on Roma and combating racism and antigypsyism through the media” Good evening, everybody. It is a great pleasure to be here on the occasion of the Journalism Excellence Awards. ...

Read More

Speech

Ministerial 2024: a vision for an agile and flexible Commissioner's mandate

17/05/2024 Strasbourg

Address at the 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres, Monsieur le Président, Excellences, Il y a un an, à Reykjavik, les chefs d’État et de gouvernement ont décidé de renforcer l’institution du Commissaire aux droits de l’homme du...

Read More

Speech

IDAHOT+ Forum 2024, not a time for business as usual: wake up!

15/05/2024 The Hague, The Netherlands

Speech given at the Opening Plenary Session of IDAHOT+ Forum 2024 at The Hague Minister, Excellencies, Friends, It is a great pleasure to be with you. I'm a 65-year-old gay Irish man, and this means I have lived through significant times of social development. For the first 20 years of my life, I...

Read More

Speech

Exchange of views between the Commissioner for Human Rights and the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

17/04/2024 Strasbourg

Speech delivered on the occasion of the exchange of views between the Commissioner for Human Rights and the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Chairperson, esteemed members of the Committee, Thank you very much for this opportunity to exchange views. Cooperation between this...

Read More

Speech

Commissioner pledges to prioritise the defence of civil society

08/04/2024 Strasbourg

Speech delivered at the exchange of views with the Council of Europe's Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (CINGO): “Dear friends, Thank you for inviting me to this exchange of views with the Council of Europe’s Conference of International non-Governmental Organisations....

Read More

Speech

The Commissioner calls for an enhanced respect for the dignity of Romani people

08/04/2024 Страсбург

Participating in an event to mark International Romani Day in Strasbourg today, the Commissioner delivered the following speech: “Excellencies, esteemed representatives of the city of Strasbourg, distinguished chair of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues,...

Read More

Speech

Commissioner addresses the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

26/03/2024 Strasbourg

Speech at the 46th Session of the Congress of the Council of Europe Dear Mr President, distinguished members of the Congress, I am grateful for the opportunity to address this assembly today. As my mandate comes to an end in the coming days, this moment offers a valued space to reflect with you...

Read More

Speech

Presentation of the 2023 Annual Activity Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

22/01/2024 Strasbourg

Dear Mr. President, esteemed members of PACE, As I stand before you today to present my final annual report as Commissioner for Human Rights, I feel a profound sense of honour and responsibility. It has been, and it is still, a privilege to serve at the helm of this Institution, championing the...

Read More

Speech

Reconquering Lost Ground: A Reflection on 75 Years of the UDHR in Europe

22/12/2023 Paris

Speech (delivered online) at the Conference organised by the Université Paris Nanterre to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Excellencies, Dear participants, It is a great honour for me to be...

Read More

Speech

Let us keep doing our utmost to bring all Ukrainian children back home

08/12/2023 Kyiv

Speech (delivered via video message) by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović for the Conference “Joint Steps to Bring Kids Back UA”, organised by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in Kyiv on 8 December 2023 Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,...

Read More

Speech

The resilience of the Ukrainian people stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of freedom

07/12/2023 Kyiv

Speech by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović (delivered via video message) for the International conference "Freedom or Fear" dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, organised by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for...

Read More

Speech

Europe 75 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A journey of progress, setbacks and persistence

30/11/2023 Berlin

Speech by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, at the event organised by the German Institute for Human Rights (Deutsches Institute für Menschenrechte) and Evangelical Academy of Berlin (Evangelische Akademie zu Berlin) to mark the 75th Anniversary of the...

Read More