The Council of Europe’s new commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, plans to make Ukraine the first destination he visits in his role as he seeks to highlight the “terrible human suffering and destruction” caused by the Russian invasion just over two years ago.
The human rights lawyer also pointed to climate change, artificial intelligence and the rise of hate speech as significant challenges that would have to be addressed.
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Mr O’Flaherty begins his six-year mandate on Monday with a pledge to put human rights at the heart of member states’ agendas and “inject a human rights perspective into the greatest challenges facing our societies”.
He said he could “think of nothing more urgent than addressing the human rights consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine”, although he identified other areas “where stronger human rights protection is urgently needed, including the climate crisis, the governance of artificial intelligence, freedom of expression, migration and the rise of hate speech, including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim attacks”.
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He said a significant part of his agenda would also be devoted to bringing the struggles of marginalised people and victims of discrimination to the forefront of human rights discussions.
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“In particular, Roma and Travellers face an intolerable situation that requires greater attention,” he said.
He also highlighted his intention to focus on youth, socio-economic rights and human rights defenders, as well as to use his mandate to contribute to the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
“I step into this new role with a sense of great responsibility, as well as deep appreciation and respect for the work of my predecessor, Dunja Mijatović. Human rights affect every aspect of our lives. At a time when they face multiple challenges, we must recommit ourselves to weaving them into the fabric of our societies. This will require a concerted effort and I intend to play my part to the best of my ability by accompanying and standing up for rights holders across the member states.”
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Mr O’Flaherty was elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in January 2024 and becomes the fifth commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe.
An Irish human rights lawyer, he has served as director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and as chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission among other roles.
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