On 11 December 2023, at a high-level event in Geneva dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Latvia, along with other UN Member States, will present the pledges it has made to strengthen human rights.
Latvia has outlined the following priority themes: gender equality; media freedom and the safety of journalists; the independence of the judiciary; and support for UN human rights efforts.
In order to ensure gender equality and counter violence, Latvia commits to developing a new national action plan on promoting equal rights and opportunities for women and men for 2024-2027, as well as to developing a plan on the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence for 2024-2029, in cooperation with several line ministries. The plans will also build on recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
In order to promote freedom of the media and safety of journalists, Latvia is developing new guidelines and an action plan of the media policy, which envisages improvements to the legal framework in order to ensure more effective physical and emotional security, and digital protection of media employees, as well as the possibility for those working in the field of justice and the interior to improve knowledge regarding the importance of the safety of journalists. It is also planned to establish a support mechanism for the social protection of media professionals. In addition, it is planned to enhance the legal framework in order to strengthen the political independence of institutions supervising the media environment. Latvia commits to raising its rating in the World Press Freedom Index to approach the level of Nordic countries.
In order to strengthen the independence of the national judiciary, Latvia undertakes to establish an Academy of Justice by 2025, which will help to maintain and develop the professional standards of judges, prosecutors and investigators, thus contributing to the efficiency of judicial decision-making.
Last but not least, Latvia will continue supporting the work of the UN in the areas of human rights important to Latvia, thereby countering threats to human rights worldwide.
Background information
On 10 December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognised equal rights and freedoms of all persons, regardless of their race, religion, gender or social status. Latvia has been a member of the UN since 17 September 1991. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all UN Member States were invited to make their national pledge to strengthening human rights. Latvia’s human rights pledges have been formulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Justice