Luxembourg Reaffirms Commitment to Human Rights During UN Commissioner Visit

On Monday 21 July 2025, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, undertook a working visit to Luxembourg and met with various members of the Luxembourg Government.

According to Luxembourg’s Ministries of Justice, Gender Equality and Diversity, Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Volker Türk met with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian, Xavier Bettel, and held meetings with Minister of Justice, Elisabeth Margue, and Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Yuriko Backes.

The ministries reported that Minister Bettel and Mr Türk discussed the increasingly concerning state of human rights worldwide. In view of the decline in donor support for the multilateral system, Minister Bettel announced an additional Luxembourg contribution of €500,000 to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for 2025. This contribution complements Luxembourg’s multiannual commitment of €6 million for the 2024–2027 period.

Their conversation also emphasised the importance of innovation for international organisations and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Luxembourg and the OHCHR, particularly in the field of digital innovation. Minister Bettel reaffirmed that Luxembourg continued to place the promotion and protection of human rights at the heart of its dialogue with development partners and across all development cooperation policies.

At Luxembourg’s Ministry of Justice, Minister Margue and Mr Türk discussed the protection of journalists and the growing threats posed by misinformation, particularly via social media. Minister Margue reiterated Luxembourg’s strong support for press freedom and the protection of minors both online and offline.  

The ministry noted that, in the context of Luxembourg’s Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, the country progressed international efforts to defend journalists by organising a conference on prosecuting crimes committed against them. The ministry reiterated that it actively supports the protection, promotion and respect of fundamental rights through its Human Rights Service. Since 2023, the ministry has allocated a dedicated annual budget to fund projects developed and led by organisations working in the field of human rights in Luxembourg.

Volker Türk also met Minister Backes during their visit to the National Centre for Victims of Violence (CNVV), which opened on 29 April 2025. The centre offers unconditional support and emergency care to individuals affected by all forms of violence. During their exchange at the CNVV, they spoke about the global human rights landscape, with particular focus on the deterioration of rights for women and girls, LGBTIQ+ individuals and other vulnerable minorities.

Minister Backes reaffirmed her belief that only a comprehensive approach - involving governments and society as a whole - can “eliminate gender-based violence and harmful stereotypes and help build a world where every individual lives freely and without discrimination.”

Mr Türk also met with the President and Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation, Foreign Trade and the Greater Region.