Themes

Themes

• Safety of journalists

Lithuania greatly values the media freedom and pluralism, as they are the essential pillars of democracy. Therefore, striving for more freedom of expression (online and offline), better protection of journalists and media workers, especially women journalists, and effective countering of disinformation, have been longstanding Lithuania’s top priority in international human rights agenda. Lithuania is also among the initiators of the informal Groups of Friends for the safety of journalists at the UN in New York and Geneva, the UNESCO and the OSCE.

• Women’s rights and gender equality

Lithuania is vocal advocate in the international arena in ensuring women’s rights and gender equality, as well as fostering the women economic empowerment. To ensure equal opportunities in the economic sphere and in the fight against women discrimination and social exclusion, Lithuania initiated, financed and carried out series of international projects for the promotion of gender equality and respect for human rights. Lithuania will stand firmly that the principles of equality, women economic and political empowerment, the fight of violence against women would be implemented.

• Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

Since 2010, Lithuania, together with other interested countries, participates in the activities of United Nations Human Rights Council’s Core Group, which bi-annually prepares and presents a resolution on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

• Rights of the child

Protection of human rights and the rights of the vulnerable groups – such as children – should be the basis of any policy international community agrees to implement. Rights of the child, including the fight against bullying and cyber-bullying, should also be at the heart of every policy.

• Business & Human Rights

In accordance with the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy approved by EU Foreign Affairs Council on the 25 June 2012 (11855/12), all EU Member States were obliged to develop their national implementation plans of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (A/HRC/17/31).

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania adopted Lithuania’s Action Plan on the Implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights on 18 August 2014. The document lists existing or planned measures and legislative provisions aimed:

• to strengthen Lithuania’s responsibility to protect, defend and respect human rights,
• to encourage enterprises to ensure respect and responsibility for human rights,
• to ensure effective remedies.

Currently Lithuania’s National Action plan is under review. There are plans in 2021 to develop second National Action Plan on business and human rights.