International Human Rights Day 2025

Fabian Hamilton Excerpts

Wednesday 10th December 2025 Westminster Hall

[Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East) (Lab)]

I am sure we will be interrupted by a Division any minute now, but it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Butler. I am delighted to follow the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), and I congratulate the hon. Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) on securing this debate, aptly on International Human Rights Day itself.

I declare an interest: I am the chair of the all-party parliamentary human rights group. Last week, I hosted our International Human Rights Day reception, together with Amnesty International UK, which was well attended. It showed that human rights remain a priority across Parliament and among all parliamentarians. Today marks the progress of the international human rights framework, now supported by more than 60 treaties protecting vulnerable groups, including women, children and persons with disabilities. Next year, the United Nations will begin drafting a new convention on the rights of older persons—a process I hope the UK Government will fully support. I am interested to hear the Minister’s response to that.

The theme of this year’s International Human Rights Day is how human rights shape and improve everyday lives. In democratic countries, rights are largely respected, which is reflected in how we live, although we can never afford complacency. It is often said that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Some colleagues will raise domestic concerns, but I will focus on the international dimension and its purpose for those who do not enjoy many rights in daily life. The rights framework empowers people, providing standards based on entitlement to state protection by which they can judge and call out Government actions.

I want to highlight the work of human rights defenders —lawyers, journalists, activists, community workers and trade unionists—who peacefully promote and protect rights, support victims and hold perpetrators accountable. They take great risks to spotlight abuses and seek redress, facing reprisals from state and non-state actors, harassment, imprisonment, statelessness, exile, torture and, in the worst cases, disappearance and death.

According to Front Line Defenders, at least 324 human rights defenders in 32 countries were killed in 2024, with the highest numbers in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Palestine and Brazil. This year, the APPG met human rights defenders from many countries—most recently from Mexico, Cambodia, Peru, Myanmar and Belarus. International support matters and can help to protect those people. I urge consideration of mandatory supply chain due diligence to protect human rights and the environment, modelled on the UK Bribery Act 2010, creating civil liability for businesses failing to prevent such harms.

Finally, parliamentarians can help to advance global respect for rights. As chair of the British group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I highlight the role of parliamentary diplomacy in discussing human rights issues and the excellent work of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in facilitating it. Let us continue to work together to promote respect for international human rights networks as a pathway to solutions for real-world challenges, armed conflict, marginalisation, polarisation and economic inequality.