News

On 26 February in Geneva, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Neris Germanas participated in the high-level segment of the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council and stressed that Lithuania would continue to consistently support activities of the UN human rights bodies. When speaking about Lithuania’s Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of this year, Germanas stressed Lithuania’s aim to ensure the compliance with international principles of equal opportunities, to invest considerable efforts in the fight against trafficking in human beings and against violence in a close environment. Lithuania will continue to defend freedom of expression, as well as electronic and Internet-based modes of expression, and ensure the safety of journalists. The Vice-Minister noted that Lithuania’s efforts to ensure equal opportunities and combat social exclusion were acknowledged - its independent candidate was elected to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2012.

The Vice-Minister expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria and Mali. Germanas noted that Lithuania was among the 50 countries that supported the Swiss initiative to refer the Syria crisis to the International Criminal Court.

The Vice-Minister also presented Lithuania’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2014-2015.

Germanas evaluated positively the potential of the mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council and efforts of this UN body to rapidly and effectively respond to human rights threats worldwide. According to the Vice-Minister, Lithuania is deeply concerned about some countries’ overall refusal to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council.

At the meeting with Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights Chief, the Vice-Minister stressed that he supported her activities. The meeting discussed the contribution of expertise by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to national human rights bodies in Lithuania. Pillay and the Vice-Minister exchanged views on a potential role of the Office in strengthening the dialogue between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries.

The Human Rights Council is the main body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006.  Lithuania has an observer status in the Human Rights Council.