HC Türk to students at Belgrade University: Human rights work for peace, for justice, for people and for our planet

Distinguished professors, dear students and faculty,

It is a pleasure to be here with you today at this celebrated university, which has played such a central role in the history of Serbia and the entire Balkan region.

We meet at a challenging time for human rights around the world.

Some 120 conflicts rage, with a devastating impact.

From Sudan to Ukraine, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Myanmar to Gaza, the laws designed to protect civilians – including the Geneva Conventions – are disregarded and even dismissed.

Deadly weapons flow freely across borders, while lifesaving aid is blocked.

Sexual violence and starvation are used as weapons of war, in blatant violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.

I am horrified by events in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians, including hundreds of our UN staff, have already been killed.

It is imperative that the ceasefire is restored, humanitarian aid is reestablished, and the remaining hostages are released immediately and unconditionally.   

In Sudan, two generals are locked in a struggle for power and resources that has killed thousands of civilians and displaced more than eight million. Some 25 million people are staring hunger in the face, and sexual violence is being used to terrorize civilians.

But, even in countries that are supposedly at peace, many people feel insecure and anxious about the future.

The possibility of a global recession and a trade war are further threats to prosperity and jobs. 

Climate chaos is upon us, and the most vulnerable are suffering its deadly consequences.

And technological advances carry great promise – but also concerns that they could wipe out entire categories of work.

All this feeds alienation, cynicism, and a loss of trust in institutions. Communities struggle with polarization, while demagogues thrive on the extremes.

According to the respected think tank Freedom House, civil liberties and political rights have declined around the world for 19 years straight.

In many countries, including here in Europe, refugees and migrants live in fear as they are often demonized and scapegoated.

Women and girls face widespread discrimination, from the denial of their sexual and reproductive rights to gender-based persecution. Toxic ideas about masculinity are sometimes being normalized by online influencers.

LGBTIQ+ people, particularly transgender people, face harassment and violence, simply for who they are and who they love.

People with disabilities are stigmatized and rejected.

Human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and civil society groups are threatened and subjected to harassment and disinformation.

I’m sure many of you recognize this picture.

But we are not powerless – as you have shown.

Attacks on human rights and human dignity are not inevitable; they are deliberate decisions.

And as students, and particularly law students, you have an important role to play.

Many years ago, I, too, was a student of law.  The rule of law, based on human rights, is the simple but powerful principle that all of us – countries, corporations, citizens – are accountable to a fair set of common standards.

The rule of law protects the vulnerable; prevents discrimination, harassment, corruption and other abuses; defends against atrocity crimes; helps to resolve disputes; and supports reconciliation and healing after conflict.

It fosters trust in each other and in public institutions, and supports strong, cohesive, resilient communities and societies.

The erosion of the rule of law is both a cause, and a consequence, of a world in disarray.

Today, at the global level, there is growing disregard for international law and unprecedented attacks on multilateral institutions and frameworks.

The illegal use of force risks being normalized. 

The spectre of nuclear confrontation is back.

Essential international treaties – from the Paris Agreement to the Ottawa Convention on landmines – are being weakened as countries withdraw.

More than ever before, we do need leadership for peace. And where there is peace, we need leadership that protects and safeguards it for the future.

If we stop defending international law, we are paving the way for chaos; for a world where military power and wealth allow the strong to prey on the weak, leaving no one and nowhere safe.

We also see the rule of law being undermined at the national level in many countries.

Some of this is deliberate; some of it is a product of our times.

New technologies, including Generative Artificial Intelligence, have unprecedented power to solve many of our global challenges.

But they can also be used by leaders and tech companies to expand their control and influence over our lives, with new forms of oppression and subjugation.

Demagogues and autocrats and there are different shapes of what autocracy means are misusing these incredible technologies to build and maintain their power. They are surveilling and censoring their citizens to stifle free thinking and dissent.

And they are spreading disinformation and lies on social platforms to increase division and polarization, to distract people from the real problems they face, and sometimes, to feed fear, anger, dehumanization, and violence.

But we know where this leads – including in this region. Hate speech is a precursor to hateful actions, including harassment, intimidation and violence. Irresponsible leaders who think they can harness hate for their own ends, they are playing with fire.

These trends are most visible in the dehumanization of people from other countries, religions and cultures. 

I devoted many years of my life to the protection of refugees and stateless people.

History has shown time and again that no one is safe when a marginalized group is scapegoated.

And we see that today, in online campaigns and offline and hate speech against journalists, human rights defenders, and those who challenge authority – including student movements. 

We need to stand up always and everywhere for the fundamental truth that we are all born free and equal in dignity and rights. Human rights are not an ideology, instead they bring people together.

And let’s be clear: human rights did not appear like magic, as a gift to the world.

They were born of hardship, struggle, and bloodshed.

People fought and died for our human rights – the right to justice and equal  treatment before the law, the right to speak out, the right to education, to health, the right to live without discrimination.

Our rights are founded on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, agreed 76 years ago.

It emerged after Two World Wars, the Holocaust and atrocity crimes. 

The Universal Declaration represented a collective determination to consign such horrors to the past. It was intended as a compass to help guarantee standards of governance around the world.

And over the past 76 years, it has helped to guide great progress.

Massive advances were made in social protection, education and health, and labour standards.

The connection between all this, and your studies, is clear.

Justice and accountability protect human rights by deterring and preventing violations, and by confronting and addressing them when they do occur.

Over the past 76 years, the body of international human rights law, and the laws of war have been developed to prevent and reduce the suffering of civilians caught up in crisis and conflict.

Institutions of international justice have been established, from the International Court of Justice to the International Criminal Court and the diverse UN and UN-assisted mechanisms.

All Member States of the United Nations have a legal obligation to uphold the binding judgements and decisions of the International Court of Justice.

The human rights ideal has been one of the most constructive movements in human history – and frankly, one of the most successful.

How could the simple text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guide such profound transformation?

They work for peace, for justice, for opportunity. They work for people. And they work for our planet.

Universities are the natural homes of discussion and dialogue around what our rights mean and how to protect them in the 21st century. 

That open and frank debate is what helps us progress.

Students here in Serbia are playing an important role in this country’s political life, economic life and its future.

Free speech is fundamental to society, particularly when there is sharp disagreement on major issues.

Just as the challenges we face are interconnected, so are our solutions.

I believe that starts with putting humanity back at the heart of policy. Because while markets have taken on almost sacred status, people are being left behind.

I find inspiration here in the southern African concept of Ubuntu – which some of you may know as a value system that emphasizes the interconnectedness and unity of humanity. This means repairing relationships, replacing what is lost or damaged, forgiving, and reconciling, truth telling and memorialization.

Today’s human rights challenges demand a shift away from top-down approaches to initiatives based on unity and solidarity in our communities.     

We must strengthen alliances, carry each other’s messages, there is an alternative to divisive politics, with a strong focus on wisdom, justice and compassion.  

And all countries, including in this region, need to find a way to emerge from the terrible conflicts of the past.

That is the only way to counter regional tensions and build a future based on the full human rights of all.

Young people have a critical role. I thank you for putting your energy and creativity to work for the common good.

And I urge you to consider how you can continue to support and protect human rights in the future, here in Serbia and around the world. 

And always question harmful narratives that dehumanize the other.

Never underestimate your own personal contribution, which is more important and urgent than you may know.

Continue to work together, within your communities and beyond, for peace, dignity, and human rights for all.

You have my full support.