Derechos Humanos Inglés

Human rights

The Fight Against Impunity - Promoting Human Rights Worldwide Universal and indivisible Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are core values of the European Union. Embedded inits founding treaty, they have been reinforced by the adoption of a Charter of Fundamental Rights. Countries seeking to join the EU must respect human rights. So must countries which have concludedtrade and other agreements with it. The European Union sees human rights as universal and indivisible. It therefore actively promotes and defends them both within its borders and in its relations withoutside countries. At the same time, the EU does not seek to usurp the wide powers in this area held by the national governments of its member states. The focus of the Union’s human rights policy ison civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. It also seeks to promote the rights of women and of children as well as of minorities and displaced persons. There is no age limit on humanrights.


Beginning at home Although the EU has, on the whole, a good human rights record, it is not complacent. It is fighting racism, xenophobia and other types of discrimination based on religion,gender, age, disability or sexual orientation, and is particularly concerned about human rights in the area of asylum and migration. The Union has a long tradition of welcoming people from othercountries – those who come to work and those fleeing their homes because of war or persecution.


Fighting discrimination Under its Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (PROGRESS), the EUfunds a wide range of activities to combat racism and xenophobia within its borders. Nearly one quarter of the €743 million budget of the PROGRESS programme for 2007 to 2013 is being devoted to combatingdiscrimination. The EU has also created a Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). Efforts to stop trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, have become a political priority for the...