The world must turn away from militarised approaches to security and go back to mediation, dialogue, negotiation and confidence building, says Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Türk said 2024 has been marked by horrific numbers of people killed and injured in conflict on and off the battlefield.
The UN human rights chief made this known on Monday during the end of year news conference of his office and monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He urged states to refrain from taking steps that could fuel conflict and lead to further escalation, noting that the cost of war is high and the human toll incalculable.
“States need to do all in their power to insist that senseless conflicts and suffering end.
“We need to stand in solidarity and insist on the protection of the human rights of all ethnic and religious groups, Syrians, Ukrainians and Russians, Palestinians and Israelis, Sudanese, the diverse peoples of Myanmar and people on all sides.
“It is time for renewed activism, for overcoming divisions and forging alliances for peacemaking,” he said.
He highlighted three key issues that continue to have massive ramifications for human rights around the world.
First, he said is the proliferation of armed conflict, the erosion of respect for international law in the conduct of hostilities, and the apparent indifference of powerful actors to immense numbers of casualties and suffering.
He added that in this mega election year, an increase in the politics of diversion, gas lighting and the dangerous proliferation of disinformation was witnessed.
According to him, the last key issue is the focus on waging war and disinformation as a distraction from some of the biggest challenges to long term security including the triple planetary crisis of climate change.
On his part, the disregard for international law and indifference to civilian lives and infrastructure has been in focus in the conflict in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon, Ukraine, Sudan and others.
He added that 2024 has seen a worrying proliferation of politicians who scapegoat minorities.
This, Türk said in reality amounts to antihuman rights and antihuman values.
“We cannot lose the profound values and principles underpinning human rights. We need to go back to the basics because human rights are not abstract ideas or ideologies but are grounded in facts, law and compassion.
“All of us need to support, defend, preserve and strengthen the fundamental human rights values and support those at the forefront of this challenge,” he said. (NAN)
