Madam President,
I would like to thank the United Arab Emirates for this debate.
I would also like to thank the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as his eminence Sheikh Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher and Madame Latifa Ibn Ziatenet for their statements.
Today's debate is part of an approach that aims to further discuss emerging issues and threats to international peace and security. In this respect, it succeeds the debate on trust-building that this Council held a month ago under the Swiss Presidency. There, we stressed that trust is based on norms, facts and inclusion.
I would like to highlight three points:
Firstly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. It was born out of a collective experience of total destruction and genocide, rooted in hate speech, intolerance and the denigration of minorities and religions. This declaration recognises the inherent dignity of every individual. Their equal and inalienable rights are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. We have heard a variety of testimonies in this Council which illustrate that human rights are essential at every stage of the peace process. The entirety of human rights standards is crucial to ending conflict and establishing lasting peace. The added value of data-based monitoring and reporting on human rights during and after conflict is well recognised by this Council, including through the eleven components of human rights in peace operations.
Secondly, discrimination, intolerance, incitement to hatred and violent extremism pose many challenges to our societies. Switzerland condemns them in all their forms. In the fight against these phenomena, respect for human rights, in particular freedom of expression, must be guaranteed, both online and offline. Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of any pluralistic and inclusive society. Equal participation in public life is essential to build and maintain trust between individuals and between individuals and the state. An open civic space - including in particular women, people belonging to minorities or vulnerable groups, and young people - helps to build deeper and greater trust in institutions. Trust and the rule of law are undoubtedly the foundation of stability, conflict prevention and sustainable peace.
Thirdly, this Council must, in the coming weeks, seize the opportunity offered by the New Agenda for Peace to confirm the crucial role of existing normative frameworks, such as those concerning women, peace and security, children in armed conflict and human rights. These frameworks are the anchor of our multilateral cooperation on peace and security. That is why we must reaffirm them and renew our commitment to them.
Madam President,
Dialogue, openness and mutual understanding, as well as international law, human rights and the rule of law, are tools for peaceful coexistence - between states, communities and individuals, without discrimination.
Furthermore, compassion and mutual respect are universal values that unite us in our humanity. Switzerland will continue to work to ensure that the term "fraternity", highlighted by today's debate, includes everyone - including women and girls - regardless of their origin or sexual orientation. In this way, we can continue to build stable, inclusive societies in order to promote and maintain sustainable peace.
I thank you.