20 Amendments of Diana IOVANOVICI ŞOŞOACĂ related to 2024/2081(INI)
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU is foundedwitnessing a deficit and an ongoing assault on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and on respect for human rights, as set out in Article 2 TEU; whereas the EU’s action worldwide ishould be guided by the universality and indivisibility of human rights and by the fact that the effective protection and defence of human rights and democracy is at the core of the EU’s external action;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas democratic systems are the most suitable to guarantee that every person has the ability to enjoy their human rights; whereas rules-based multilateralism is the best organisational system to defend democracies, although it is not being properly implemented anywhere in the world at the moment;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the rise in authoritarianism, illiberalism and populismdictatorship and political correctness threatens the global rules- based order, the protection and promotion of human rights in the world, as well as the values and principles on which the EU is founded – actions which are being carried out by governments and ruling parties;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) are crucial partners in the EU’s efforts to safeguard and advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to prevent conflicts globally; whereas governments around the world are increasingly censoring, silencing and harassing HRDs and CSOs in their work, as well as opposition politicians by forbidding them to run for office, and independent journalists; whereas this behaviour includes measures encompassing strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), restrictive government policies, defamation campaigns, discrimination, intimidation and violence, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and arbitrary arrests and detention; whereas attacks on HRDs are increasingly extending to their families and communities;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas environmental harm and the impacts of climate change and the use of technologies to modify climate and induce artificial weather phenomena are intensifying precariousness, marginalisation and inequality, and increasingly displacing people from their homes or trapping them in unsafe conditions, thereby heightening their vulnerability and jeopardising their human rights;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with deep concern the ongoing international crisis of accountability and the challenge to the pursuit of ending impunity for violations of core norms of international human rights and humanitarian law in modern conflicts around the world which are leading to violations of women’s and girls’ rights and the continuing existence of areas where girls/women are forced to marry without their consent, or are trafficked by human traffickers for prostitution or forced labour;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes with concern the increasing economic, educational, cultural, social and technological divides worldwide; stresses the responsibility of the EU to continue defending democratic values and principles and human rights, peace and dignity around the world, which are even more important to defend in the current volatile state of global politics; calls upon the EU to keep communication channelsand negotiation channels, where necessary, open with different stakeholders and to continue to develop a comprehensive toolbox to strengthen human rights and democracy globally;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Observes that the EU and its Member States have made substantial progress in implementing the EU action plan on human rights and democracy, although they have not reached all of its goals, in particular due to the unprecedented challenges the world has experienced since its adoption; welcomes, in this sense, the extension of the action plan until 2027, with a view to maximising the synergies and complementarity between human rights and democracy at local, national and global levels; considers that there is also a need for sanctions for failure to achieve goals and meet deadlines for their realisation, including in more economically advanced states, which must set an example in terms of good practices and respect for human rights.
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls the fundamental role of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, as a flagship EU instrument in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy around the world; highlights the need to engage with civil society in all the EU’s relevant external activities; reiterates the importance of streamlthinking of a human- rights based approach in the EU’s external action instruments; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to monitor human rights promotion and protection programmes more closely and on the basis of common criteria at European and global level and share all relevant information in a timely manner in order to enable Parliament to play its role accordingly, in particular during high-level geopolitical dialogues with the Commission;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the important role of human rights dialogues within the EU’s human rights toolbox and as a key vehicle for the implementation of the EU action plan on human rights and democracy; highlights that these dialogues should address the overall situation of human rights and democracy with the relevant countries; notes that human, and also the situation of respect for women’s rights, especially in areas which are isolated, deprived or of limited economic potential which prevents them from becoming less dependent on their partners or families; notes that human and especially children’s rights dialogues should be seen as a key element of sustained EU engagement and not as a free-standing instrument; recalls that these dialogues need to be used in conjunction and synergy with other instruments; reiterates the need to raise individual cases, in particular those highlighted by Parliament in its resolutions, and ensure adequate follow-up of them and subsequent developments in them, with sanctions being imposed in the event of failings; calls to increase the visibility of these dialogues and their outcomes, including through the publication of a joint press statement and appropriate media coverage of outcomes and good practices, as well as suitable sanctions to prevent failures to implement them;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the increasing use of the EU GHRSR as a key political tool in the EU’s defence of human rights and democracy across the world; notes, however, the challenges that the requirement of unanimity poses in the adoption of sanctions and reiterates its call for the introduction of qualified majority voting for decisions on the GHRSR; fully supports the possibility of imposing targeted anti-corruption sanctions within the EU framework in this regard, which has been a long-standing priority of Parliament, whether through its inclusion in the GHRSR or with a different regime; highlights the need for the complete enforcement of sanctions and follow-up of their enforcement, and calls for circumventions to be tackled and sanctioned;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recalls that the right and unrestricted access to food, including having physical and economic access to water and adequate food for all socio- economic categories or the means to itstheir procurement, is a human right; is extremely concerned about the challenges to the right to foodand access to food and water worldwide, especially in situations of war and conflicts, which are continuing to cause population displacement and migration; notes with concern the increasing reports of the weaponisation of food in situations of armed conflict; calls for the EU and its Member States to promote mandatory guidelines on the right and unrestricted access to food without discrimination within the UN system;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Highlights that climate change and its impact on the environment has direct effects on the effective enjoyment of all human rights; recognises the important work of CSOs, indigenous people, land and environmental HRDs and indigenous activists for the protection of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and for protection against mass deforestation solely for the sake of substantial gain for a small number of people to the detriment of the local population; deplores the risks that environmental HRDs and indigenous activists face and calls for their effective protection to be guaranteed; notes with deep concern the increasing threats to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment posed by the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and other forms of warfare that adversely and disproportionately affect the environment;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all of the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to promote, defend and implement the respect, protection and fulfilment of children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations and prevent their separation from their families, especially with a view to using them for organ trafficking, sexual exploitation, illegal adoptions or forced labour; condemns the decline in respect for the rights of the child and the increasing violations and abuses of these rights, including through violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child soldiers, lack of free access to education and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; further condemns the increase in death of children in situations of armed conflict and stresses the need for effective protection of children’s rights in active warfare; reiterates its call for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights through all EU external policies, as well as a policy on sanctions and severe punishments in the laws of each country for these serious cases;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that women’s rights and gendersexual equality are indispensable and indivisible human rights, as well as a basis for the rule of law and inclusive resilient democracies; deplores the fact that millions of women and girls continue to experience discrimination and violence, especially in the context of conflicts, and are denied their dignity, autonomy and even life; calls for the EU, its Member States and like- minded partners to step up their efforts to ensure the full enjoyment and protection of women’s and girls’ human rights, free access to high-quality education and continued training programmes for easier access to employment and reduced dependence on partners and/or family; condemns in the strongest terms the increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world, as well as gendersex-based violence; welcomes the accession of the EU to the Istanbul Convention; calls for the EU and its international partners to strengthen their efforts to ensure that women fully enjoy human rights and are treated equally to men; stresses the need to pursue efforts to fully eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation and to minimise forced marriages and trafficking for prostitution or forced labour;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to develop new avenues and programmes to strengthen the rights of elderly people, taking into account the multiple challenges they face, such as age- based discrimination, poverty, violence and a lack of social protection, limitation of free access to healthcare and other essential services, as well as barriers to employmentespecially in rural and isolated or deprived areas, as well as barriers to employment, leading to the loss of a wealth of experience which can be of benefit to young people at the outset of their careers; underlines the work of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing on a legally binding instrument to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people and calls for the EU and its Member States to consider actively supporting that work, as well as actual implementation in both legislation and real life;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Reiterates its condemnation of all forms of racism, intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gendersexual identity; condemns the growing international threat of hate speech, including online, and the manipulation by authorities of public opinion and violation of the right to freedom of expression and opinion and access to information on all platforms, respect for the principle of AUDIATUR ET ALTERA PARS; reiterates the crucial role of education, information and dialogue in promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity, respect for religious beliefs; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against all forms of extremism, with respect for customs, traditions and religions and welcomes the adoption of an EU strategy to this end;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Emphasises the critical significance of freedom of expression and unrestricted access to trustworthy information for sustaining democracy and a thriving and free civic space without manipulation or constraints; is seriously concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in numerous countries worldwide, particularly for journalists, through censorship, enforced self- censorship, and the misuse of counter- terrorism or anti- corruption laws to suppress journalists and, civil society groups, opposition politicians and, in the worst cases, lawyers; raises concerns, additionally, about the physical security of opposition politicians, dissidents, lawyers, journalists and media workers and their being targeted in conflict zones;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls urgently for the EU to back trustworthy media and information outlets thaton all platforms which broadcast news and information and promote the accountability of authorities and support democratic transitions; voices concern about the extensive use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, activists, opposition politicians and dissidents, trade unionists and HRDs globally; welcomes, in this context, the directive designed to shield journalists and HRDs from abusive legal actions and SLAPPs; encourages lawmakers in non-EU countries to develop legislation with the same goal, as part of broader efforts to promote and protect media freedom and pluralism; regards bans imposed on the use of social and media platforms merely because they criticise authorities as unacceptable;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Is concerned by the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) can pose to democracy and human rights, especially if it is not duly regulated and/or is used to manipulate public opinion; welcomes the Council conclusions on Digital Diplomacy of 26 June 2023 to strengthen the EU’s role and leadership in global digital governance, in particular its position as a shaper of the global digital rulebook; welcomes, in this regard, the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act which aims to harmonise the rules on AI for protecting human rights, and the advantages that AI can bring to human wellbeing; notes with concern the adverse effects of the ‘fake content industry’ on the right to information and press freedom, including the rapid development of AI and the subsequent empowerment of the disinformation industry12; _________________ 12 Reporters Without Borders, ‘2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry’ https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press- freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake- content-industry.