24 Amendments of Kinga GÁL related to 2022/2049(INI)
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 31 a (new)
Citation 31 a (new)
— having regard to the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom and religion or belief, adopted on 24 June 2013,
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Union strongly believes in and fully supports multilateralism, a rules-based global orderworld order based on international law and the set of universal values, principles and norms that guide the UN member states;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas violations of the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to believe or not to believe, to change religion, and to express publicly one's own faith, give rise to situations of oppression, conflict and war around the world;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reaffirms the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the inherent dignity of every human being; stresses, in this regard, its strong commitment to addressing first and foremost the challenges to human rights worldwide and reiterates the duty of the EU andresponsibility of the EU, with the support of its Member States to act as a global leader in the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in line with the founding values of the Union, while respecting international law;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Insists that the protection of the human dignity of every human being as well as human rights and fundamental freedoms must be the cornerstone of the Union’s external policy; strongly encourages the Union, to that end, to strive for a continued ambitious commitment to make the protection of human rights a central part of all EU policies in a streamlined manner and to enhance the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies in this field, while respecting international law;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises the importance that the EU and its Member States consistently act together and in unity to address global challenges to human rights and democracy, while ensuring that human rights do not become a tool of radical political ideologies in the Union's external and internal relations;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the EU and its Member States to intensify their efforts all over the world to support democracy and human rights; calls on the EU and its Member States, in this regard, both individually and in cooperation with like-minded international partners, to thwart unacceptable attempts to weaken democratic institutions and universal human rights, especially those that present authoritarian regimes as superior to democracies and diminish the space for and role of civil society, and religious and faith-based actors;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the EU to reflect on how to promote a human rights-based approach in all EU instruments and strategies in order to strengthen the EU’s human rights foreign policy; underlines that the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI – Global Europe), including its thematic programme on human rights and democracy, is one of the main tools at the EU’s disposal to improve the human rights situation around the world and help foster resilient, inclusive and democratic societies; stresses that the engagement of local civil society, and religious and faith- based actors is vital to protect human rights and democracy in their countries and reiterates its call to fully engage them in all of the EU’s relevant external activities; highlights the importance that NDICI – Global Europe attaches to the promotion of human rights and democracy with strategic international and local partners, particularly through EU Election Observation Missions; underlines Parliament’s role in the instrument’s programming process and calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to share all the 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 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes with deep regret that the post of the EU Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU has remained vacant for more than a year; reiterates its urgent call for the Council and the Commission to carry out a transparent and comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness and added value of the position of the Special Envoy as part of renewing and reinforcing its mandate, to provide the Special Envoy with adequate human and financial resources, and to adequately support the Special Envoy’s institutional mandate, capacity and duties; recalls that the Special Envoy’s duties should focus on promoting and protecting freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief, andincluding the rights to non-belief, apostasy and the espousal of atheistic views not to have a religion and the right to change religion, the fights against forced conversion and misuse of blasphemy legislation, the support to the public and peaceful expression of ones' own faith;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Welcomes the initiative of the EEAS to have a regular dialogue and consultation with churches and religious and non-religious actors in the preparation of the EU human rights dialogues and calls other EU institutions to follow this example when designing and implementing their external policies, under the framework of Article 17 of the TFEU;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that corruption seriously hinders the enjoyment of human rights worldwide; calls for the fight against corruption to be a part of all of the EU’s efforts and policies to promote human rights and democracy, by formulating a dedicated global anti-corruption strategy, including programmes under the EU’s external financial instruments and enhancing Parliament’s role of scrutiny; underlines the utmost importance for the EU and its Member States to lead by example by applying the highest transparency standards to their external funding and by stepping up their support for civil society organisations, churches and faith-based organisations and leaders, activists and investigative journalists engaged in the fight against corruption;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Highlights that 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of Parliament’s decision to exert political leadership in committing to a major advancement in its democracy support activities, which it has implemented through a Comprehensive Democracy Support Approach since 2014; welcomes, in particular, its support for capacity-building for partner parliaments, mediation and fostering a culture of dialogue, including intercultural and interreligious dialogue and compromise, including among young political leaders, as well as for empowering women parliamentarians, human rights defenders and relevant representatives from civil society organisations, churches and faith- based organisations, and the free media; calls on the Commission to continue to pursue and step up its activities in these areas and to bolster funding and assistance for EU bodies and agencies, as well as other grant-based organisations, respecting the principle of non-discrimination; underlines that in the current context of heightened global tensions and repression in an increasing number of countries, direct support for civil society, religious and faith-based organisations’ leaders and people who express critical and dissenting opinions is of the utmost importance; stresses the importance of EU election observation missions and Parliament’s contribution to developing and enhancing their methodology; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to consider updating the election observation methodology to reflect the developments of the last two decades;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes with concern the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly in the ongoing conflicts around the world; underlines the utmost importance for humanitarian aid agencies, as well as humanitarian charitable organisations, including religious and faith-based ones, to be able to provide full, timely and unhindered assistance to all vulnerable populations and calls on all parties to armed conflicts to protect civilian populations and humanitarian, health and medicucational workers, as well as religious actors carrying out humanitarian or pastoral activities; calls for the systematic creation of humanitarian corridors in regions at war and in combat situations, whenever necessary, in order to allow civilians at risk to escape the conflict, and strongly condemns any attacks on them;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Calls on the EU and its Member States to admit the important role of churches and the faith based organizations in responding to humanitarian crises, recognizing that religious actors can contribute to promoting peace in different ways, address non-violence in their communities and stress universal respect for justice and human rights; highlights that religious communities have indispensable potential in conflict- management in developing countries towards political transitions as being key mediator in negotiations;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Reiterates that personal liberty and freedom of assembly, as well as freedom of religion and freedom of expression are cornerstones of democracy; is deeply concerned by the growing use of mass surveillance technologies by totalitarian, dictatorial and authoritarian regimes to curtail these freedoms, which increased further under the guise of COVID-19 prevention measures; calls for a strict and effective ban on sales of mass surveillance technologies to totalitarian, dictatorial and authoritarian regimes; calls for a greater response to the mass infiltration of disinformation and conspiracy theories within the digital sphere, perpetuated largely but not exclusively by authoritarian regimetotalitarian, dictatorial and authoritarian regimes, as well as non-state actors;
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a systematic and consistent approach to promoting and defending children’s rights throughout the EU’s external policies; calls for more concerted efforts to protect children’s rights in crisis or emergency situations and welcomes the Council conclusions on this subject; expresses concern that the growing number of such crisis situations around the world, coupled with the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to increasing violations of child rights around the world, including violence, early and forced marriage, sexual abuse including genital mutilation, paedophilia trafficking, child labour, recruitment as child soldiers, a lack of access to education, including the right to education in the mother tongue and healthcare, malnutrition and extreme poverty; stresses the disproportionate and long-term effects of food insecurity on children, which directly affects not only their health and development but also their education, as well as increasing the outrageous practice of child marriage; stresses that 2021 was the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour and recalls the EU’s zero tolerance policy on this practice;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that the right to education has suffered particular setbacks, with unparalleled disruptions to education due to COVID-19 but also to religious extremism and gender discrimination against girlspolitical instrumentalisation of religion and discrimination against girls and serious weakening of the fundamental right and freedom of parents to educate their children in accordance with their ethical, pedagogical or religious views, as recognised in international human rights law; calls for the EU to step up its work to provide access to quality education, including innovative ways to circumvent the obstacles imposed by national authorities; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to step up their support for third countries to help them adapt to the challenges they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of education; stresses that support could take the form of an increased funding allocation through NDICI – Global Europe, but could also include providing capacity-building and best practices based on the lessons learned through the EU delegations worldwide; highlights that the changed international environment and emerged sudden major crisis situation may require a financial solution enabling multi donor response to cover the growing gap of funding to achieve SDG4;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Underlines its opposition to and condemnation of intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, disability, caste, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation or gender identity, which in many of the world’s regions leads to killings and persecution; stresses that racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance continue to be a major problem worldwide and have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic; calls for the EU and its Member States to lead the global fight against increasing antisemitism, andti-Christian hatred and religious persecution, welcomes the adoption of the EU strategy to this end;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Deplores that many countries despite their international obligations and commitments to protect minorities are pursuing a policy of forced assimilation of national, ethnic and linguistic minorities by disregarding their fundamental and human rights; calls for the EU and its Member States to provide active support for EU partnercountries to respect the fundamental human rights of national, ethnic and linguistic minorities, including their culture, language, religion, traditions and history in order to preserve diversity, linguistic and cultural identity, where these minorities can freely enjoy their individual and community rights, in all areas of education and public life; reiterates the need to fulfil the obligations and commitments based on international treaties and agreements;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Underlines the utmost importance of freedom of expression and access to reliable information for democracy and flourishing civic space; expresses deep concern about the growing limitations to freedom of expression in many countries around the world by state and non-state actors, particularly for journalists, through censorship or the need for self-censorship and the abuse of counter-terrorism laws or anti-corruption laws to silence journalists and civil society organisations as well as members of religious communities and churches; expresses concern, moreover, about the physical safety of journalists and their being targeted in conflicts; as well as religious leaders who are under threat for their commitment to human dignity and fundamental rights;
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Notes that 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief; notes with grave concern that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, to hold a belief, or not to believereligious or non- religious belief, including the right to change religion or publicly express it, is still violated in many countries around the world; stresses the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some governments still use it as a pretext for further discriminatory practices including violence against and scapegoating religious minorities; calls for the EU and its Member States to step up their efforts to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, to raise these issues at UN human rights forums and to work with the relevant UN mechanisms and committees;
Amendment 430 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Reaffirms the inalienable human rights of migrants, refugees and forcibly displaced persons, which must be reflected in the EU’s migration policy and in its cooperation with third countries in this area; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility to enjoy a decent life in their home country; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue and where possible step up their support for countries hosting most refugees, as well as transit countries; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with third countries remain key to preventing migrant smuggling; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of smuggling is crucial; calls for EU- funded humanitarian operations to take into consideration the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and to ensure their protection while they are displaced; underlines the importance of prioritising the crisis-management locally, respecting the national competences, strengthening the external borders of the Union and developing an effective framework of safe and legal pathways to the EU and welcomes, in this regard, the Commission communication on attracting skills and talent to the EU13 , including the development of Talent Partnerships with partner countries; _________________ 13 Commission communication of 27 April 2022 on attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM(2022)0657).
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Stresses the multitude of threats to human rights caused by modern warfare and conflicts around the world today; underlines that in addition to the states parties themselves, such conflicts often involve non-state agents including private military and security companies as well as terrorist organisations; stresses the disastrous humanitarian consequences of these conflicts and their devastating impact on civilians, who are directly targeted, have to endure grave human rights violations, and often have no or limited access to justice or legal remedies; emphasises that the ethnic and national minorities should not become a target or instrument of any military tension or conflict; calls for the EU to continue developing and implementing tools to enable it to respond swiftly and efficiently to such conflicts, to help put an end to the perpetration of human rights violations, and to provide assistance to the victims;