The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk Interactive Dialogue at 56th Human Rights Council
“I sometimes fear that we are losing the art of de-escalation, of keeping communication channels open, of actually embracing a culture of peace in line with international law and with the United Nations Charter,” Türk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“Human rights is a factor of stability. In the chaos. it guides us, it offers solutions it offers orientations, it offers signposts, and it offers a direction of travel,” he said.
“Selectivity and double standards are an anathema to the foundation of the international level system. From Sudan to Myanmar, OPT, Israel to many other places – the victims of the most serious violations deserve the equal attention of the international community,” the High Commissioner said.
“Human rights issues are a matter of international concern. It is not an issue of interference in domestic affairs or in national sovereignty. That was established early on, through the UN Charter,” Türk said.
“The apartheid regime in South Africa, the decolonisation process, gender equality and feminism – all of these various things would not have happened without that external pressure. And it means as a result, there will be uncomfortable conversations. We need to be prepared to have them. And they are going to be about sensitive issues at times. That's part of this struggle. And it also will mean speaking truth to power,” he said.
“That human rights will challenge the status quo. It will challenge existing unhealthy power dynamics because they suppress, they repress, they exploit, they capture. And they often are predatory in their mechanisms, and that is power dynamics that will always be challenge to the human rights course.,” Türk said.
And the big human rights achievements have only been possible because of individuals, human rights defenders, because of their perseverance, their courage and their determination,” he said.
“So these robust, honest discussions are part of the human rights discourse. But they have to take they have to take place away from geopolitics and really out of deep concern for human rights, for everyone, everywhere,” he said.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Liz Throssell - + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or
Jeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org or
Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org or
Thameen Al-Kheetan - + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org
Tag and share
Twitter @UNHumanRights
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Interactive Dialogue with the 56th Human Rights Council
TRT: 03:22
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/ NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 20 June 2024 – Geneva, Switzerland
SHOTLIST
1. Exterior: Alley of flags, Palais des Nations
2. Interior: Room 20
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I sometimes fear that we are losing the art of de-escalation, of keeping communication channels open, of actually embracing a culture of peace in line with international law and with the United Nations Charter.”
4. Cut Aways: Room 20
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Human rights is a factor of stability. In the chaos, it guides us, it offers solutions, it offers orientations, it offers signposts, and it offers a direction of travel.”
6. Cut Aways: Room 20
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Selectivity and double standards are an anathema to the foundation of the international level system. From Sudan to Myanmar, OPT, Israel to many other places – the victims of the most serious violations deserve the equal attention of the international community.”
8. Cut Aways: Room 20
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Human rights issues are a matter of international concern. It is not an issue of interference in domestic affairs or in national sovereignty. That was established early on, through the UN Charter.”
10. Cut Aways: Room 20
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “The apartheid regime in South Africa, the decolonisation process, gender equality and feminism – all of these various things would not have happened without that external pressure. And it means as a result, there will be uncomfortable conversations. We need to be prepared to have them. And they are going to be about sensitive issues at times. That's part of this struggle.And it also will mean speaking truth to power.”
12. Cut Aways: Room 20
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “It means human rights will challenge the status quo. It will challenge existing unhealthy power dynamics because they suppress, they repress, they exploit, they capture. And they often are predatory in their mechanisms, and that is power dynamics that will always be a challenge to the human rights course.”
14. Cut Aways: Room 20
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “And the big human rights achievements have only been possible because of individuals, human rights defenders, because of their perseverance, their courage and their determination.”
16. Cut Aways: Room 20
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “So these robust, honest discussions are part of the human rights discourse. But they have to take they have to take place away from geopolitics and really out of deep concern for human rights, for everyone, everywhere.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today addressed the 62 Human Rights Council and made the following remarks on the report on Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday called for action to prevent more deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, as well as for investigations and accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IOM , paho , UNHCR , OHCHR , IFRC
Aid agencies on Friday highlighted massive needs across Venezuela caused by a double earthquake disaster that has killed at least 235 people so far, with search and rescue for people trapped under the rubble still the top priority.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following remarks at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, on the latest report on sexual violence in the Sudanese conflict.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IOM , IFRC
Ebola in DRC: first month of outbreak sees record number of cases – UN humanitarians
Ebola has been spreading at unprecedented speed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bringing risk and fear into people’s daily lives, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Afghanistan in Crisis: Drought, Malnutrition, and a Worsening Humanitarian Situation
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA
After another deadly night of clashes in Lebanon, aid agencies issued a new alert for Gaza, where 265 Palestinian children have been killed since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | IAEA
The head of the UN’s atomic energy agency on Thursday welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-US memorandum aimed at ending the war, before proposing “to sit down” with both parties to assist with concrete measures including verification of Iran’s nuclear programme, a critical sticking point.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IFRC
‘Some people question whether Ebola is real’: trust is central in fighting DRC outbreak, humanitarians say
In Ebola-stricken Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), winning the race against the disease requires earning the community’s trust first and foremost, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday 15 June delivered his Global Update to the 62nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2
1
1
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement at the end of the week, the UN on Monday stressed the urgent need to open an aid corridor to transit the choked-off Strait of Hormuz and prevent a global hunger crisis.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF
DR Congo: Ebola spreads as agencies brace for child infections
The deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is continuing to spread with a spike in child infections an increasingly likely scenario, UN agencies said on Friday.