The Republic of Cyprus remains committed to upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms to all citizens, Foreign Ministry spokesman Dimitris Demetriou said in a written statement on Saturday, on the occasion of the celebration of World Human Rights Day.
As he says, 74 years after the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are still witnessing systematic violations of human rights, with the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the chain of crises worldwide having one common denominator - human suffering.
"This day does not allow for celebrations, but calls for deep reflection, especially in our country, where for more than 48 years there has been a systematic violation of the Human Rights of all Cypriots, as a consequence of the Turkish invasion of 1974", he notes.
When Eleanor Roosevelt as the main initiator of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights envisioned a future without discrimination, she wanted to lay the foundation for a new, diverse generation that learned from the untold pain and destruction caused by World War II, he continues. Demetriou, adding that when the Declaration was presented 74 years ago, he was aware of the importance of the text for both the UN and humanity.
But today, he notes, the situation is far from ideal, with the statistics of increasing domestic violence and high rates of abusive behaviour, particularly against women and girls, which should worry us as a society.
This ominous reality shows us that every day of the year should be a human rights day, underlines Demetriou, adding that World Human Rights Day is a wake-up call to all of us, with governments called upon to work together, strengthening multilateralism and universal solidarity.
He also notes that in this context, the Republic of Cyprus has submitted a candidature and hopes to be elected, for the first time, as a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027.
The Republic of Cyprus remains committed to upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms to all citizens regardless of origin, class, language, religion or personal beliefs, sexual orientation or persons with disabilities and will continue to strive to guarantee the unhindered enjoyment of these rights, it concludes.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
