Sous-commission Droits de l'homme (DROI) - Parlement européen

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

The European Parliament is committed to ensure that all persons with disabilities can live an independent life and be fully integrated into society.

In the wake of a renewed European Disability Strategy 2025-2030 and the next Report of the UNCRPD Committee on the European Union, Parliament held its second Disability Rights Week from 2 to 6 December 2024, mainstreaming disability rights throughout all policy fields. EP committees, across all policy fields, as well as lead Members of the European Parliament debated and held events regarding existing and future policies that should be designed to empower persons with disabilities to live on an equal footing and realise their full potential.

Location : Brussels
Welcome to the Disability Rights Week: video statement by President Roberta Metsola
Programme
Events taking place during the 2nd Disability Rights Week
     2 December, 15:00-16:30 - PETI Workshop - The European Disability Strategy 2021-2030: State of Play
     2 December, at 15:00 - INTA joint debate on gender and disability rights in trade policies
     2 December, 17:00-19:00 - EMPL Workshop: Deinstitutionalisation and independent living of persons with disabilities
     3 December, at 9:00 - Exchange of views with the Company La Serre Outil: "Travail et insertion sociale à des personnes en situation d'handicap encadrés par des professionnels de l'horticulture et du jardinage"
     3 December, in the morning - IMCO Exchange of views - Artificial Intelligence and persons with disabilities: fighting algorithm discrimination and removing barriers
     3 December, 11:15-12:30 - REGI Exchange of views: The role of ERDF in supporting people with disabilities, presentation by the Commission
     3 December, 12:30-14:00 - DG PERS with VP Ewa Kopacz - Conference: “Workplace Accessibility in the European Parliament”
     3 December, 14:30-15:15 - CULT Exchange of views: Debate with DG EAC on Accessibility in the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes
     3 December, 14:30-17:00 - EMPL Public Hearing: Fostering employment for Persons with Disabilities
     3 December, 15:30-16:45 - FISC Public Hearing: National Tax Measures to Support People with Disabilities in the EU
     3 December, 17:25-18:10 - ITRE Exchange of views, with a representative from the European Disability Forum: Digitalisation of public and essential services
     4 December, 10:00-10:45 - TRAN Exchange of views: The existing barriers in the field of transport for people with disabilities
     4 December, 10:30-12:30 - FEMM Public Hearing: Addressing the challenges faced by women with disabilities in healthcare, employment, societal participation
     4 December, 12:30-14:00 - Questor Marc ANGEL with DG ITEC - Presentation: One year after the Digital Accessibility Roadmap launch. Achievements and next steps
     4 December, 15:00-17:00 - Bureau High-Level Group on Gender Equality and Diversity - Event: Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities in the EU
     4 December, 15:00-17:00 - Programme event "Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities in the EU"
     4 December, 16:45-17:30 - DROI Exchange of views: The need to develop and implement a Disability Action Plan in EU External Action
     5 December, at 9:00 - EESC - International Day of Persons with Disabilities and celebration of the Olympic spirit
     5 December, at 9:00 - Draft Agenda EESC Plenary Session - International Day of Persons with Disabilities and celebration of the Olympic spirit
     28-29 November - European Commission with European Disability Forum - European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024
Background Information
     EMPL study "Comparability of statistical data on persons with disabilities across the EU" - Nov. 2024
     EMPL background paper "The state of play of independent living and deinstitutionalisation for persons with disabilities in the EU"
     PETI briefing "The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 - Achievements and perspectives" - Nov 2024
     EPRS-IPOL 'Topical Digest'
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

To mark the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Security and Defence, the Committee on Development, and the Subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a joint meeting on 4 November to reflect on eight decades of multilateralism and to discuss the challenges and hopes for the future. Speakers will include representatives from the United Nations and the European Union, as well as a young political leader.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The next meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights is scheduled to take place on Monday 10 November and Tuesday 11 November 2025, in Brussels.
DROI meetings - 2025
DROI meetings - 2026
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 90'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

At its meeting on 25 of September the Subcommittee on Human Rights presented a study on Environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) to highlight their courageous work in an increasing difficult environment.

The study "Environmental human rights defenders: New developments and their implications for the European Union and the European Parliament" reports on recent vital breakthroughs, driven partly by EHRDs, including recognition of the right to a healthy environment by the United Nations, as well as progress from voluntary guidelines to binding provisions on human rights and sustainability due diligence.

At the meeting MEPs discussed how current initiatives as the revision of the Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive could threaten these advancements. It's recommended for the EU to strengthen the realisation of EHRDs' rights and their role as custodians of the right to a healthy environment, not only for themselves but also for others who cannot raise their voices.

Study "Environmental human rights defenders: New developments and their implications for the European Union and the European Parliament"
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On 20 October 2025 (19:00–20:30), DROI and JURI will jointly hold an extraordinary meeting on the protection of lawyers worldwide, with a focus on the recently adopted Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. Speakers include representatives of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, as well as a testimony by Ramla Dahmani on Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani.

The exchange will centre on the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, adopted on 12 March 2025 and open to all States. As the first international treaty dedicated to safeguarding the legal profession, it addresses admission to practice, professional rights and duties, freedom of expression, disciplinary guarantees and specific protective measures for lawyers and their associations.

Against reports of harassment, threats and interference with defence work, including obstacles to client access, the discussion will explore how the Convention can strengthen rule-of-law safeguards and support implementation. The meeting forms part of the European Week of Justice (around 25 October) and will include a testimony by Ramla Dahmani, sister of Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani, detained since July 2024.
Draft programme
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

Les députés des commissions des affaires étrangères et du développement ont voté jeudi matin pour les trois finalistes du Prix Sakharov 2025 pour la liberté de l’esprit.
Commission des affaires étrangères
Commission du développement
Sous-commission "Droits de l'homme"

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

On 20 October 2025 (19:00–20:30), DROI and JURI will jointly hold an extraordinary meeting on the protection of lawyers worldwide, with a focus on the recently adopted Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. Speakers include representatives of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, as well as a testimony by Ramla Dahmani on Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani.

The exchange will centre on the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, adopted on 12 March 2025 and open to all States. As the first international treaty dedicated to safeguarding the legal profession, it addresses admission to practice, professional rights and duties, freedom of expression, disciplinary guarantees and specific protective measures for lawyers and their associations.

Against reports of harassment, threats and interference with defence work, including obstacles to client access, the discussion will explore how the Convention can strengthen rule-of-law safeguards and support implementation. The meeting forms part of the European Week of Justice (around 25 October) and will include a testimony by Ramla Dahmani, sister of Tunisian lawyer Sonia Dahmani, detained since July 2024.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The next extraordinary meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights is scheduled to take place on 20 October (19:00-20:30).Meeting room: WEISS N1.3 (Strasbourg)
DROI meetings - 2025
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Durée de la vidéo : 150'

Clause de non-responsabilité : L'interprétation des débats facilite la communication mais ne constitue en aucun cas un enregistrement authentifié des débats. Seuls le discours original ou la traduction écrite révisée du discours original peuvent être considérés authentiques.
Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

A surge in autocratic governance has become increasingly threatening to global politics, having gathered momentum over the past two decades. This autocratic wave continues to evolve, becoming ever more complex and diverse as it unfolds. Hence, the shifting dynamics driving this wave need to be fully understood and disaggregated if the European Union (EU) is to design effective responses. Democratic strategy needs not only to hold at bay severe repression, but also to engage with the ideas and narratives that underpin autocracy’s apparent appeal. Accordingly, this paper draws on historical and contemporary writings that present various arguments against democracy. After unpacking the different components of this autocratic wave, EU responses over recent years are assessed, looking at how these relate to pro-authoritarian narratives. It finds that the EU has improved many elements of its policies during this time but still needs to tailor its strategies to the ideational aspects of anti-democratic trends.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Arbitrary detention of EU citizens Javier Marañón Montero and David Rodríguez Ballesta in Equatorial Guinea
Humanitarian and security situation in Haiti, in particular the rising power of criminal gangs and the recent massacre in Cabaret
10th anniversary of the detention of jailed Swedish publisher Gui Minhai in China
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On the occasion of the upcoming World Food Day DROI welcomes on 13th October an exchange of views on the Right to Food. The Right to food is a basic human right. It aims to guarantee everyone's access to sufficient, accessible and appropriate food and ensure that no one, nowhere, should ever suffer from hunger, food insecurity or malnutrition. It is a matter of justice and respect for human rights.
This exchange of views aims to put forward possible strategies elaborated at EU level to preserve et protect the right to food and the right of peasants worldwide.

The UN Special Representative on the Right to Food Michael Fakhri - who will participate remotely - will present us the latest developments and most topical issues linking right to food and human rights in a challenging global context. Geneviève Savigny, member of the UN working Group on the Right of Peasant and Vincent Delobel, farmer and representative of Via Campesina will also participate in the exchange to raise the violations of rights faced by peasants, such as limited access to land, adequate food and markets.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

At its meeting on 13 October the Subcommittee on Human Rights will be hosting an exchange of views on the International Day to End Impunity against Journalists

Established by the UN General Assembly and commemorated on 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity against Journalist serves as an opportunity to reflect on the increasingly precarious environment that journalists have to operate in so that they can shine a light on facts and speak truth to power. At DROI meeting MEPs will have the opportunity to hear personal testimonies from journalists operating in dire conditions, representatives of civil society as well as international institutions who will provide the Subcommittee on the urgent need to comprehensively address crimes committed against journalisms and to reinforce our tools and processes for holding the perpetrators of such heinous crimes accountable.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Source : © Union européenne, 2025 - PE

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

On 23 September, the Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Development, together with the Subcommittee on Human Rights, presented the candidates for this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, one of the most important events of the European Parliament. On 16 October, the AFET and DEVE committees will meet again to narrow down the list of nominees to a three-candidate shortlist, via a secret vote.
Each year the Sakharov Prize reaffirms the European Parliament's unwavering commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, a founding principle of the European Union. The winning 2025 laureate(s) will be announced on 22 October by the Conference of Presidents (EP President and political group leaders) and an exchange of views with the laureate(s) will take place in a joint Committee meeting on 15 December. The Prize will be presented to the laureate(s) at an award ceremony during the December plenary, on 16 December.
Sakharov Prize website
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP