GENEVA, Feb 25 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Belgium's deputy prime minister on Tuesday expressed "bitter regret" over the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) inability to send a clear message in support of international law, calling for stronger global action to protect human rights and hold violators accountable, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
Speaking at the high-level segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council on Monday, Maxime Prevot acknowledged some international support for the UN Charter but criticised the Security Council's inaction.
"We do welcome the fact that yesterday in New York, the majority of members of this House reaffirmed their support for the principles of the Charter. We do nonetheless bitterly regret the fact that the United Nations Security Council was not able to send the same message," he said.
Prevot, who is also the foreign minister, European affairs, and development cooperation of Belgium, warned that violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity- whether in Ukraine, the Palestinian territories, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo—should alarm the international community.
He emphasised that aggression and territorial grabs by force must be collectively condemned.
Reaffirming Belgium’s strong support for the International Criminal Court (ICC), he stressed that serious crimes must not go unpunished.
"The world needs a court, which working alongside national courts, can try these serious crimes and do so impartially and independently," he said.
He also raised concerns over efforts to weaken human rights protections, cautioning against attempts to redefine or undermine fundamental freedoms.
He highlighted the vital role of NGOs and civil society in safeguarding human rights and called on governments to ensure they are protected from threats and intimidation.
"Faced with these concerted efforts to push back against human rights, we need a concerted effort by all of us to ensure, to guarantee that the rule of law and human rights remain the bedrock of communities, societies, and international relations more than ever before," he said.
With 2025 marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, Prevot warned of troubling setbacks in gender equality. He reaffirmed Belgium’s commitment to fully implementing the Beijing Declaration and keeping gender equality high on the global agenda.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
TAGS: Belgium, HRC, UN Charter, UNSC
WMAW VMP
