NEWS

President Rumen Radev in Geneva: The protection of human rights is not attainable without lasting peace and sustainable development

Bulgaria extends strong support to the UN efforts to reinforce international solidarity and to the pursuit of a sustainable, global and preventive approach to the protection of human rights. This is what President Rumen Radev said in his address to the UN Human Rights Council. The 41st session of the international body is held in Geneva, which the Bulgarian head of state is attending.

Since 2019, Bulgaria has been a full-fledged member of the Human Right Council and will be such in the period until 2021. This has happened for the first time since the creation of the international body. In his speech before the participants in the 41st session, President Radev highlighted the fact that Bulgaria attaches particular attention to the efforts to ensure the Council’s preventive function and to enhance its effectiveness. „Bulgaria is a member of the Human Right Council for the first time and contributes to strengthening the integrity and independence of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights“, Rumen Radev argued.

?ore than seven decades after the establishment of the United Nations, the international cooperation in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms remains a core value and main purpose of the Organization, the President noted. In his words, the adequate and prompt actions in this respect reinforce the mandate, credibility and relevance of the world organization.

The protection of human rights is not attainable without lasting peace and sustainable development, the head of state further said and called for enhancing the connectivity and cooperation between the bodies and agencies of the UN system in this regard. The President reconfirmed Bulgaria's commitment to conducting national politicies in the sphere of human rights protection and to participating in the regional and international bodies such as the Council for the accomplishment of this supreme goal for the United Nations.

The head of state emphasized the values of tolerance and understanding, which represent the very foundation of modern democracy and are the key factors for the protection of human rights. In his speech the President recalled the country's historic contribution to the rescue of all 50 000 Bulgarian Jews in 1943. Bulgaria’s full membership to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is recognition of our adamant response to the growing anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hate speech.

Before the participants in the forum, Rumen Radev highlighted climate change as a serious challenge and deterrent in many countries to exercising basic human rights. „In line with its obligations under the Paris Agreement Bulgaria has adopted National Action Plan on Climate Change that stipulates specific measures for the reduction of Green House emissions“, the President pointed out. The head of state reaffirmed our country's readiness to actively participate in the debate on the impact of the new digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, on human rights.

The President singled out the protection of children’s rights as first priority and recalled that, at the Council's previous session, Bulgaria had launched various initiatives on inclusive education of children with disabilities. Bulgaria is encouraging the participation of the young people in all spheres of the social and political life, Rumen Radev pointed out.

The head of state also emphasized our country’s progress in the sphere of gender equality. Rumen Radev gave as an example the IT sector, in which Bulgaria ranks first in the EU in terms of the number of employed women (27.7%, given the EU average of 16%). Bulgaria ranks first in the EU in terms of the number of women-experts in the IT sector with nearly 30%, given the EU average of 16%.