Third Committee, 2nd plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

Colleagues, thank you so much for being here on time. Very, very greatly appreciated. Next on my list, colleagues, I declare the meeting open. Next on my list, according to the Secretariat, I have Cyprus. Cyprus, you have the floor. Oh, distinguished Permanent Representative Cyprus, lovely to see you. You have the floor.

At the outset, allow me to extend my best wishes to you, the Bureau, and the Secretariat of the Third Committee for a fruitful and constructive term. Cyprus aligns with the statement delivered by the European Union, but allow me also to share the following in my national capacity. Mr. Chair, Cyprus considers human rights one of the cornerstones of the multilateral system and continues to place their promotion and protection at the heart of its foreign policy. As a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term, Cyprus remains firmly committed to contributing constructively to the Council's work and to advancing the universal promotion, protection, and fulfillment of human rights at both national and international levels. Mr. Chair, the people of Cyprus, which today proudly celebrates its 66th anniversary of independence, have experienced for the last 52 years gross violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms as a result of the illegal Turkish military invasion and continued military occupation of one-third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus in flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter. More than one third of the population are still internally displaced, being denied the right to return and peacefully enjoy their properties. Instead, their land is subjected to unlawful exploitation by the occupation regime. Equally alarming is the occupying power's systemic policy of demographic engineering through the mass transfer of settlers, which constitutes a war crime under international humanitarian law. The cultural and religious heritage of my country has also suffered irreparable loss, with over 500 churches looted, desecrated, or destroyed. The destruction of cultural heritage is recognized as a violation of international law and, under the Rome Statute, as a war crime. The few hundred enclaved Greek Cypriots and Maronites who remain in the occupied areas continue to face oppression and discrimination, including restrictions on education, religion, and access to their communities. At the same time, the fate of nearly half of the missing persons in Cyprus remains unresolved due to the refusal of Turkey to provide to the Committee of Missing Persons all relevant information from its military archives and grant unhindered access to what it classifies as military areas. In recounting the violations committed, it is equally important to acknowledge the restrictions suffered by the Turkish Cypriots living under occupation. Their freedom of expression, thought, religion and association are curtailed. Their daily lives are subjected to surveillance and interference, and their culture and identity are suppressed. The passage of time can never render human rights violations acceptable, nor can it weaken the obligation arising from international law. Cyprus will continue to firmly and consistently raise these violations in all relevant international fora until the rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots are fully restored. Mr. Chair, around the world, women and girls continue to face discrimination, violence and persistent structural barriers. Cyprus remains firmly committed to advancing gender equality, eliminating all forms of discrimination, and promoting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of women and girls, including their full, equal and meaningful participation in all spheres of life. Preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls remains a key priority, alongside strengthening protection and support for victims and accountability for perpetrators. Cyprus is also addressing emerging forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence through strengthened policy, institutional responses and multilateral cooperation, including through its participation in the High-Level Network of Gender-Responsive Policing. Mr. Chair, as we mark 20 years since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Cyprus reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities in accordance with the CRPD. We remain committed to advancing equality, accessibility, inclusion and independent living, while ensuring the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives. Through our National Strategy on Disability, Cyprus continues to strengthen its policies and support frameworks in close consultations with organizations of persons with disabilities. In this regard, Cyprus is honored to serve as Vice President of the Bureau of the 20th and 21st sessions of the Conference of States Parties of CRPD, representing the Asia-Pacific group. Cyprus is committed to upholding the rights of the child in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, and constitutes one of our priorities as a member of the Human Rights Council. Through the National Strategy and Action Plan on Early Childhood Education and Care, targeted programs for children at risk, and support to families through child benefits, Cyprus promotes children's well-being, protection, and equal opportunities. Cyprus also supports children's meaningful participation in public life through initiatives such as the Cyprus Children's Parliament. Cyprus also strongly supports the full, effective and meaningful participation of young people in decision making at all levels, recognizing them as equal partners and key contributors to democratic, inclusive and sustainable societies. Cyprus continues to strengthen opportunities for young people to shape national policies and participate in decision making, while promoting youth empowerment through education, skills development, volunteering and creativity. We also support the work of the UN Youth Office in advancing meaningful youth engagement across the UN system and look forward to participating in the first UN Youth Town Hall. Mr. Chair, older persons are equally vital to society, contributing knowledge and experience, yet often face marginalization and discrimination. Cyprus is committed to building an inclusive, age-friendly society that promotes independence, support, and care. In this regard, Cyprus has adopted the first-ever national strategy and action plan for active aging. Mr. Chair, Cyprus is committed also to fostering an inclusive society founded on equality, dignity, non-discrimination and respect for all. In this context, Cyprus has taken important legislative and institutional steps to strengthen the protection of LGBTIQ+ persons and promote their rights. To that effect, the Council of Ministers approved the preparation of the first national strategy for the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons. Cyprus has also strengthened measures and its legal framework to prevent discrimination and hate crime and hold perpetrators accountable. The protection of cultural diversity and heritage is intrinsically linked to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and remains a priority for Cyprus. Cyprus has consistently championed the protection of cultural heritage including through the Nicosia Convention on Offences Relating to Cultural Property adopted during the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The said convention is the only international treaty specifically dealing with the criminalization of the illicit trafficking of cultural property and is open for signature to all states. In this spirit, Cyprus is proud to be one of the initiators and co-chairs of the UN Group of Friends of Culture, together with Egypt, Italy, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Chair, in conclusion, Cyprus remains firmly committed to upholding the universality, indivisibility, and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. As a country that continues to endure the consequences of occupation and division, Cyprus will continue to speak for the rights of all Cypriots and to advocate for the protection of those most vulnerable. We reiterate our commitment to continuing our engagement and cooperation with all member states in the United Nations, working together to strengthen multilateralism, uphold international law, and advance a more peaceful, inclusive, and just world where human rights are respected and protected for present and future generations. I thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Cyprus. I now give the floor to the representative of Greece, followed by Mexico. Representative of Greece, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the outset, allow me to congratulate you on your appointment and to thank you and the Bureau for guiding our work. Greece aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to add the following remarks in its national capacity. Mr. Chair, we meet at a time of profound geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological transformation, and growing pressure on the international system. Conflicts are multiplying, humanitarian needs are rising, while new technologies including artificial intelligence, are transforming our societies at unprecedented speed. In this rapidly evolving information environment, disinformation is no longer an abstract concern. At the same time, artificial intelligence raises profound questions for human rights, human agency, and democratic values. We must therefore champion a human rights-based approach to the digital world, ensuring that technological progress serves prosperity, security, and human dignity. Against this backdrop, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the international human rights framework must remain our collective compass. International law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law are not abstract commitments. Their consistent application is essential to international peace and security, to the protection of human dignity, and ultimately, to trust in the multilateral system. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized states. A world governed by the rule of law, rather than by power alone, is indispensable to our collective security. As the Secretary-General reminded us during the general debate, the force of law must prevail over the law of force. Greece, therefore, remains firmly committed to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and to dialogue and diplomacy grounded in international law as a means to prevent conflict, peacefully settle disputes, and advance human rights. This commitment guides our work as an elected member of the Security Council for 2025-2026, as well as our candidature for membership of the Human Rights Council for 2028-2030. Mr. Chair, peace and security cannot be sustained without respect for human rights. This is particularly evident in the situation of children affected by armed conflict. Children continue to bear an unacceptable burden in conflicts around the world. As the designated chair of the Security Council Working Group on CAC, Greece remains firmly committed to protecting children affected by conflict and to a balanced, impartial and action-oriented implementation of the CAC mandate in close cooperation with the United Nations, UNICEF and civil society. The same commitment underpins our approach to the women, peace and security agenda. The full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women in decision-making and peace processes is essential to sustainable peace. Guided by our National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, Greece continues to promote the implementation of this agenda across the United Nations system. During our presidency of the Security Council this month, Greece will also convene on October 27th a high-level open debate on women, peace and security, making the anniversary of the adoption of landmark Security Council Resolution 1325. Mr. Chair, migration is another area in which the protection of human rights must remain at the center of our collective response. As a frontline European Union member state, Greece has faced sustained migratory pressures for many years. We remain committed both to the effective protection of our borders, which are also external borders of the European Union, and to full respect for international law and fundamental human rights. At the same time, an effective international response must address criminal smuggling networks, prevent the instrumentalization of migration, and support refugees, displaced persons, and host countries. Our objective must be to combine responsibility and solidarity while addressing the root causes of displacement and working towards durable solutions. Mr. Chair, allow me also to address a human rights issue of particular importance to Greece and of long-standing concern to the international community, Cyprus. For well over a half century now, since the 1974 Turkish military invasion, Turkey continues to illegally occupy 37% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus a UN and European Union member state, in blatant violation of Article 2, paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter and the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, to which Turkey is a signatory party. The consequences for human rights remain profound. More than 160,000 Greek Cypriots were forced to flee their homes and properties, while acts involving the unlawful sale and exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas continue to raise serious concerns. Furthermore, Cypriot cultural and religious heritage has suffered extensive and in some cases irreparable damage with more than 500 churches reportedly looted, desecrated or destroyed. The issue of missing persons remains one of the gravest consequences of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, including for Greece as Greek citizens remain missing to this day. Moreover, the enclaved population continues to be deprived of the full enjoyment of its human rights, including property rights, religious freedom, and the right to education. We deeply regret that Turkiye has not yet taken the necessary steps to acknowledge and appropriately address the situation in Cyprus, notwithstanding numerous UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as the pertinent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. Greece remains unwavering in its support for a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue within the agreed United Nations framework on the basis of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality as defined in the relevant Security Council resolutions with a single international personality, a single sovereignty, and a single citizenship. Mr. Chair, the challenges before this committee are diverse, but the principle that connects them is simple. Human dignity must remain at the center of our work. The Third Committee has a particular responsibility to translate the principles of the Charter and our international human rights commitments into meaningful protection for people on the ground. At a time when international cooperation is increasingly tested, our task is not to retreat from those principles, but to uphold them consistently and credibly. Greece will continue to work with all member states in that spirit, in defense of human rights, in support of international law and in the conviction that dialogue and multilateral cooperation remain indispensable to peace, security, and human dignity. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece. I now turn to the representative of Mexico, followed by the permanent representative of Mozambique. The representative of Mexico, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mexico wishes you every success together with the other members of the Bureau, and we also thank INTAM. Mexico reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of all human rights and the fundamental role of this Committee so that through dialogue we can continue to promote the progressive development of international human rights law. Armed conflict, poverty, inequalities, discrimination, hate speech, and gender-based violence are becoming normalized and continue to violate the dignity and the rights of millions of people. We are facing questions over principles and norms that the international community, which had built them for decades, and with that, we are weakening the ability of multilateralism to provide our societies with effective responses. And precisely for that reason, we need to expand the spaces available for dialogue, listen another openly and build trust. The work of this committee, including informal consultations, should allow us to understand our different realities and find common ground. Every negotiation should keep in mind its end goal, which is to improve people's lives. The universality of human rights and the principles of equality and non-discrimination must guide all of our efforts. These principles, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the main international human rights treaties, remind us that we have the duty to make sure that all people, without exception, can fully exercise their rights. This compromise requires a recognition of the interdependence of the three pillars of the United Nations, human rights, development, and peace and security. Without human rights, peace becomes illusory and development becomes an empty promise. There can be no peace where there is fear, discrimination, injustice, or forced silence. Nor can we speak of development if people are deprived of their right to education, to health, to liberty, or to equal opportunities. Without human rights, there is no justice; without justice, there is no peace; and without peace, there is no development. Therefore, we must move ahead consistently and coherently. No pillar can be consolidated in isolation. Mr. Chair, no State is free of human rights challenges. We all have the responsibility to recognize them, to address them seriously, and to be accountable over the measures taken to overcome them. Mexico is convinced that openness to international scrutiny strengthens our institutions, improves our public policies, and helps us to respond more effectively to the needs of the population. Our cooperation with the treaty bodies, the special procedures, the Universal Periodic Review and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have allowed us to identify challenges and to work within solid and institutional frameworks. Their observations and recommendations are valuable tools for allowing our national efforts to keep moving forward. This cooperation requires sustained commitment from the States and from the mechanisms themselves. The treaty bodies also have the obligation to cooperate with States in accordance with their respective instruments and to maintain constructive dialogue. A good faith dialogue that is rigorous and results-oriented helps to strengthen national capacities and to translate international commitments into the effective protection of persons. In this spirit, Mexico, upon the invitation of the Mexican State, received the official visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, in April 2026. His meetings with the authorities of the various different branches of the state, civil society organizations, search collectives and public human rights bodies provided a valuable space for dialogue on the situation in the country and international challenges. This visit, together with a visit by the rapporteur for Mexico of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and other special procedures to the country, reaffirmed the value of dialogue, cooperation to strengthen international responses while centering persons, particularly victims and their families. The aim of guaranteeing all rights for all persons requires a recognition that we are not all starting from the same starting point. Historic discrimination and structural inequalities put some people and groups in a situation of greater vulnerability. Paying special attention to them allows us to identify the obstacles that prevent the universality of rights becoming a daily reality. For Mexico, the eradication of poverty is a priority in order to make the exercise of all human rights effective. Poverty and inequalities result from structural barriers and exclusions, which must and can be transformed through person-centered public policies. Mexico is promoting a model of development with wellbeing, social justice, and redistribution, which centers those people that have historically been excluded and makes the commitment to leave no one behind a reality. Between 2018 and 2024, the population in a situation of poverty in Mexico fell by 13.4 million people. In percentage terms, there was a reduction from 41.9% to 29.6% of the population, moreover, approximately 1.7 million people emerged from extreme poverty. Substantive equality and non-discrimination create the conditions to make sure that all people can access their rights and fully enjoy them. Therefore, universal policies must be supplemented with specific measures that eliminate differentiated barriers and address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Mexico, in particular, reaffirms its commitment to the rights of indigenous peoples. Their full participation in the decisions that affect them is a right. The protection of their languages, cultures, territories, institutions and traditional knowledge is essential in order to build democratic societies. We will continue to promote the effective implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including their right to participate in the work of this Organization on questions that concern them. Mexico will continue to demand respect for the human rights of all migrant persons, regardless of their migration status. States must continue to work together to ensure that migrating is a free decision and not a necessity. Faced with criminalization, xenophobia, and political narratives that present migration as a threat, we must reaffirm that migrants are rights holders and must recognize their contributions to communities of origin, transit, and destination. International cooperation must be focused on expanding regular mobility routes, protecting persons in a situation of vulnerability, preventing and combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and to promote inclusive societies. No country can alone respond to a phenomenon that is essentially international in nature. Substantive equality will continue to be a cross-cutting pillar of Mexico's national and international action. Through our feminist foreign policy, we will continue to promote the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in all their diversity. That involves combating the structural causes of discrimination and gender-based violence, recognizing, reducing, and redistributing non-remunerated domestic and care work, guaranteeing sexual and reproductive rights, and promoting the participation and leadership of women, teenagers and girls. That commitment also includes persons with disabilities, persons of African descent, older persons, girls, boys, teenagers, LGBTIQ+ people and all of those who are facing barriers to the full exercise of their rights. In Mexico, we embrace diversity. Our differences enrich our societies, and our shared dignity unites us. Mr. Chair, in times of polarization, this Organization needs more dialogue, more cooperation, and a renewed political will. Building trust requires listening to one another and maintaining a respectful dialogue, including when we have disagreements. It also requires acting with consistency, with principles, and avoiding selectivity, double standards, and the instrumentalization of human rights. The consensuses that we build need to be turned into results for people. We must continue moving forward without going backwards towards the full exercise of all human rights. The progress achieved must be the starting point to expand protection and close the remaining gaps. Mexico will continue to work with all States, with the United Nations system, civil society, indigenous peoples and other actors to strengthen a multilateralism that combines human rights, development and peace and security. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Mexico. I now pass to the Permanent Representative of Mozambique, to be followed by the representative of Israel. Mozambique, you have the floor. Not yet. You probably have pressed. Could we have Mozambique, please?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I wish to start by congratulating you and members of the Bureau on your election to guide the work of the Third Committee during the 81st session of the General Assembly. Be assured of our full support. Mozambique aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the African Group and the OIC, and wish to make the following remarks in its national capacity. Mr. Chair, Despite global progress, poverty, inequality and exclusion persist. And conflict, climate shocks and humanitarian crises are deepening them. Social development must therefore remain at the center of the international agenda, and it must be judged by results such as decent work, schools and health systems that function. and protection to those who need it. Mozambique welcomes the outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development and supports the Doha Political Declaration. The priority now is implementation across its three pillars, through poverty eradication, full and productive employment, and social inclusion. It is in this context The Mozambique National Development Strategy 2025-2044 and the Government Five-Year Programme 2025-2029 set our course on peace and stability, economic diversification and jobs, and sustained investment in education, health, social protection, water and sanitation. Young people are at the centre of that effort. through skills, entrepreneurship and decent employment. Mr. Chair, nowhere is this test harder than in the protection of children. Children cannot be served in fragments. They need an integrated approach from early childhood through adolescence, health, nutrition, education, protection, water, sanitation, hygiene, and they need those services to survive a crisis. In Mozambique, schools must keep teaching, health facilities must stay open, and vaccination and nutrition programs must continue, including in northern communities that face terrorism, displacement, and climate-related disasters at the same time. That principle shapes our cooperation with UNICEF under the country program for 2027-2030. Mr. Chair, equality between women and men is enshrined in our constitution. We have built on it. with a gender vision approach through 2029, aligned with the government 5FEA program and the national development strategy, and organized around four priorities, which are women's economic autonomy, the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence, women's leadership and political participation, and education, youth, and the transformation of social norms. Results are concrete, Mr. Chair. More than 11,000 women and girls have been trained in entrepreneurship and income generation. More than 18,000 survivors of gender-based violence have received psychosocial, legal, and social assistance. We have also strengthened the law on family rights, inheritance, premature unions and criminal protection. Our legislative and institutional framework has also been strengthened through measures addressing family rights, inheritance, premature unions and criminal protection, while women continue to occupy prominent leadership positions in our state institutions. Nevertheless, challenges remain, such as child and early marriage, gender-based violence, gaps in women's representation in some decision-making spaces, and insufficient access to socio-economic recovery programs, particularly in conflict-affected areas. Gender equality is not only a women's agenda. It is a national development imperative essential to poverty reduction, social stability and sustainable peace. Mr. Chair, Mozambique is firmly committed to combating racial discrimination xenophobia and related intolerance and to the full implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. We attach particular importance to the dignity, equality and rights of people of African descent. For that reason, Mozambique has facilitated consultations within the United Nations on a possible update of the Programme of Activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent. We call on all member states to carry that work through to an outcome that strengthens implementation. Our priorities encompass health, nutrition, education, child protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene, with particular attention to children living in vulnerable, remote, conflict-affected, and climate affected communities. This integrated approach is reflected in Mozambique's cooperation with the UNICEF under the country program for 2027-2030. Mozambique also remains committed to the protection of refugees and asylum seekers and continues to uphold its tradition of solidarity with those seeking protection. Our country currently hosts more than 20,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from other African countries. In cooperation with UNHCR and other partners, Mozambique continues to promote their access to protection and essential services while supporting self-reliance and durable solutions. Mr. Chair, in conclusion, Mozambique remains committed to advancing a people-centered approach that places dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all at the heart of our collective effort. Mozambique will keep one test for social development, which is whether it reaches the child in the clinic, the women starting a business, and the refugee in a place of safety, and we will work with every member state to make that measure of our collective work. I thank you.

I thank the permanent representative of Mozambique. I now invite the representative of Israel to speak, followed by the permanent representative of Bulgaria. Representative of Israel, you have the floor.

I wish to thank you, the other members of the Bureau, and the Secretariat for all the work you have done and will do in the coming weeks. Please be assured that you will have Israel's full support and cooperation in the weeks ahead. Dear colleagues, yesterday, passengers and crew aboard the flight from Dubai to Israel faced a terrifying in-flight terror attack that could have ended in tragedy. The courage and quick action of the passengers and crew who helped regain control of the aircraft and enabled its safe emergency landing, saved lives, and demonstrated extraordinary bravery. This wasn't only an apparent attack against Israeli passengers, but an attempt to destroy peace and normalization. But terror will not determine the future of our region. And I think it's a needed reminder as we open this committee. I am sending my warmest wishes for a speedy recovery to the brave Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machar, who saved all those people on the plane. This is an emotionally heavy period for us. Next week will mark three years since one of the darkest moments in Israel's history. The horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the abduction of our people left a deep scar on our nation and on us as individuals. A trauma that will take generations to heal. Nearly a year ago, a ceasefire agreement was reached. To be frank, it is not an ideal or steady ceasefire, but it's been holding for a year and offers much needed relief to all. Unfortunately, for my family and friends back home, the attacks they have endured over the past several years have not only come from Hamas, but also from Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. We face repeated attacks involving missiles and drones, forcing us to run to bomb shelters for safety, often with little warning. These attacks have affected entire families and communities, including women, children, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities, many of whom lost their lives, and many of us lost friends and family members. It is our duty, in the memory of those we lost, to ensure we move toward lasting, sustainable peace. Colleagues, as we all know in this room, words have power. With our voices and with the words we choose to use, we can make the world a better place, or we can deepen hatred, fear, and division. I know it can sometimes feel like we're negotiating inside our New York bubble, but the words we use here matter. Unfortunately, our agenda includes items whose sole purpose is to attack my country. There are powerful movements today that feed on these false narratives. and member states that benefit from spreading them. Hatred toward Israel becomes hatred toward Israelis. Hatred toward Israelis becomes hatred towards Jews. Words of hate become slogans of extremism. Slogans become actions that spread fear and ignite violence. And violence becomes terror. And so we cannot remain silent when words are weaponized here. We must recognize the consequences of what we say. challenge false narratives, and remember that the words spoken in these halls do not stay here. In the coming weeks, we will hear from many UN mandate holders who are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, objectivity, impartiality, and independence in the discharge of their functions. Concerns regarding failures to meet these standards should be addressed appropriately. This is both proper and necessary. Conduct that departs from these principles risks undermining confidence in the mandate holder system, deters individuals and groups from engaging with its mechanisms, and ultimately weakens the credibility and legitimacy of the institutions and mandates they are entrusted to serve. Antisemitism is a painful example of what can happen when hateful words are normalized, allowed to be spread, and eventually turn into acts of violence. Jewish communities around the world are once again face harassment, threats, and violence. Only a few days ago, during Yom Kippur, our day of atonement, a gunman opened fire outside a synagogue in Canada in what police described as a deliberate hate-motivated attack against the Jewish community. Here, in New York, a man was charged with hate crimes after attacking a Jewish person and a security guard during Shabbat services at Central Synagogue. Unfortunately, the numbers show how far this hatred has already spread. The latest J7 report documented more than 23,000 anti-Semitic incidents across the seven largest Jewish communities outside Israel in 2025. In the United States alone, the Anti-Defamation League recorded more than 6,200 incidents last year. It's an average of 17 every day. But perhaps even more troubling is how this affects everyday life. A recent survey by Jewish Women International found that 54% of young Jewish women surveyed said they hide their Jewish identity in public in order to feel safer, while 75% reported a negative impact on their mental health. This hatred is not limited to the streets. It is also spreading online, where hateful rhetoric can reach millions of people within seconds. Antisemitism is no longer an abstract concern. For that reason, Israel launched last month the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism, bringing together UN member states that understand how dangerous it is to allow hatred to grow within our societies and that share the responsibility to protect their Jewish communities. Mr. Chair, with everything I said, Israel still believes that the Third Committee agenda is filled with resolutions that deal with some of today's most burning issues: the protection of life, advancement of rights, of women, gender equality, LGBTQI+ rights, promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, freedom of religion or belief, and the meaningful participation of youth. We believe that the Third Committee can support meaningful changes on the ground. With this said, I want to use this platform to add a voice to our discussion. Every year, we select two exceptional future leaders who represent Israeli youth. This year, they joined us for the opening of the committee season, and we thought it will be a good use of our time to hear from one of them directly. So, Maya, please take it from here and allow us to do a quick switch, please, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Emil. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, and fellow youth representative, in this hall, the international community frequently debates youth as architects of the future. But over the last three painful years, Israeli youth learned the words on paper did not protect us. Our most fundamental rights to life, to safety, to bodily integrity were shattered. I am an undergrad biology student who, like my entire generation, had to put studies, dreams, and personal milestones on hold. We were targeted at festival grounds celebrating peace and music. We saw our childhood communities devastated across the south, while many thousand endured prolonged displacement and uncertainty across northern border towns. An entire generation had to put their dreams and the innocence of young adulthood on hold. Yet, for young Israelis and Jewish worldwide, this trauma was compounded when international platforms, academic spaces, and human rights bodies met our pain with silence. And if they did speak, our grief was met with outright denial and painful skepticism. Instead of global empathy, Jewish and Israeli students increasingly faced anti-Semitic hostility, exclusion, and institutional calls for boycotts. For the same reasons, no one should feel like they have to hide who they are, their sexual orientation or gender identity, the color of their skin or ethnicity. No child should have to wonder whether it is safer to take off the kippah or whether being openly Jewish might make them a target. On social media platforms and across online spaces, our generation had witnessed how artificial intelligence and algorithmic systems can be weaponized to automate the analysis and amplify anti-Semitic hate speech. But Israel refused to be defined slowly by what was taking away from us. in Hebrew, the word for right, tsehut, shares its root with the word merit, or privilege of doing good and serving others. When international frameworks fail to shield us, we put our pain into agency. Young Israelis became the backbone of civil society, tirelessly working to heal, repair, and innovate our communities. And despite the enduring trauma, we remain fearlessly optimistic. Our optimism should not be mistaken for naivety. It is our conscious moral choice to heal and rebuild. Fulfilling the UN core principle for meaningful youth participation requires moving beyond symbolic tokenism to integrate youth as partners in recovery, reconciliation, and peace. I am proud to speak to you as the Israeli youth delegate to have the seat at the table and work towards a future where trauma gives way to healing and where all young people, Israelis and Palestinians alike, and everyone across our region entire region can finally live side by side in safety, mutual dignity, and lasting peace. Thank you very much for listening.

Thank you, Israel. I now pass to the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria, followed by the representative of the United States of America. Permanent Representative of Bulgaria, you have the floor.

Thank you. share. Bulgaria aligns itself with the intervention made by the European Union. Allow me to add a few elements in my national capacity on the rights of the child and the advancement of women. Bulgarian youth delegate will continue and talk about social development.

Disproportionate burden of the multiple crises confronting our world Armed conflict, displacement, poverty, climate change and attacks on essential services are placing millions of children at risk. In 2026, UNICEF continues to warn of increasing threats to children in situations of conflict, including killing and maiming, abduction, sexual violence, recruitment and attacks on schools and hospitals. For Bulgaria, protecting and promoting children's rights remain a clear priority. As co-chair of the Group of Friends of Children and SDGs, together with Jamaica and Luxembourg, we continue to work to keep children's rights high on the UN agenda, strengthen child participation, and ensure that the needs of children are reflected in efforts to implement 2030 agenda. As a member of Human Rights Council for 2024-26, Bulgaria continues to advance the protection and promotion of children's rights. At home, Bulgaria continues to strengthen its child protection system and policies for early childhood development, with the aim of ensuring that every child grows up in a safe and supportive environment and has access to quality healthcare, education and social services. We are continuing the process of the institutionalization, expanding family and community-based care, and strengthening protection for children with disabilities, refugee and migrant children, and unaccompanied minors. Preventing and responding to violence against children remains a central priority for our policies. Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences for children. Bulgaria has provided protection and support to tens of thousands of Ukrainians who have sought refuge in our country, including many children, and our schools and communities have worked to provide them with safe and inclusive environment. We remain deeply concerned by the unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children and call for their safe return to their families and communities. The situation of children in the Middle East also remains deeply concerning. Children in Gaza have suffered enormously as a result of the conflict that began on October 7, 2023, and the resulting humanitarian crisis. We reiterate the importance of protecting civilians, ensuring sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, and respecting international humanitarian law. The protection of children must remain central to international efforts to achieve a lasting and sustainable peace. Over the past decade, Bulgaria has made substantial progress in the institutionalization, including the closure of almost all specialized childcare institutions. His work, undertaken in close cooperation with UNICEF, has increasingly focused on preventing family separation, supporting families and developing services within communities. We remain committed to building on this experience and to continue our partnership with UNICEF in Bulgaria and globally. Bulgaria has also joined the Global Charter on Children Care Reform, reaffirming our commitment to ensure that children grow up in family-based and supportive environments. Chair, the protection of children's rights is inseparable from the rights and empowerment of women and girls. Advancing gender equality is essential to building peaceful, resilient, and inclusive societies in which children can thrive. This year, we entered the first year of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action's fourth decade, and it is important to reaffirm the importance of translating its commitment into concrete progress. The 70th session of the Commission of the Status of Women, held on March 26, adopted agreed conclusions focused on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. Bulgaria welcomes this focus on effective access to rights and justice, and we look forward to taking on an even more active role in the Commission as a member, starting from the 82nd session in 2027. Violence against women remains widespread, both in situations of conflict and in times of peace. In Afghanistan, women and girls continue to face severe restrictions on their rights, labeled by many gender apartheid, while conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, Haiti, and Ukraine continue to expose women and girls to sexual and gender-based violence. We value the work of UN Women in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide. Following Bulgaria's term on UN Women Executive Board 2023-25, we remain committed to close cooperation with the organization and to support international efforts to strengthen women's rights and women's meaningful participation. Bulgaria remains firmly committed to women, peace and security agenda, including to the implementation of the National Action Plan and the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2130. We continue to promote women's full and meaningful participation in decision-making, including in diplomacy, peace and security, science, technology and innovation. Our national legal framework is based on principles of equality and non-discrimination, and we continue to strengthen the practical implementation of these principles. Bulgaria will continue to work within the United Nations and at home, at the European Union and national level to prevent violence, advance equality and participation and strengthen protection for those in vulnerable situation. chaired the second World Summit for Social Development in Doha 25, reaffirmed the importance of placing people at the center of sustainable development and renewing international commitments to eradicate poverty, promote decent work, and strengthen social inclusion and social protection. Bulgaria will continue to contribute to these efforts Finally, Bulgaria's youth delegate, Viktoriyan Viharev, will now present their statement on social development, reflecting the voices and priorities of young people in our country. Thanks.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, education has schools and universities. Health policy has hospitals and clinics. But what is the infrastructure of youth policy? Is it a youth center, a ministry of youth, a law? All of this matter, but none is enough if young people are missing from the structures where decisions are made. For example, the Black Sea Youth Center in Bulgaria opened this summer, but remains closed today, while a sustainable way forward is being secured. The UN core principles of meaningful youth participation call for structured youth engagement across agenda setting, policy creation, implementation and review. But this must become practice, not only principle. We therefore call on Member States to strengthen permanent and representative mechanisms that allow us to shape youth policy throughout its entire cycle, because it should not be built for us, but with us. And I now pass the floor to my co-delegate.

Your Excellencies, to be underestimated is an inherent part of youth. Yet, meaningful participation in decision-making means exchanging views as equals and the recognition of our capacity to offer solutions. In the age of artificial intelligence, underestimating us carries a cost. Unequal access to AI, its peaceful use, and its impact on mental health already affect young people in Bulgaria and beyond. With the world on track to achieve only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals, we cannot afford to overlook young people as innovators. Utilizing technology and youth voices is crucial to that effort. Fellow delegates, we urge you to seek perspectives from us. those whose lives are already intertwined with these complex issues. Underestimation has no place in times of rapid change. Youth participation should be measured in decisions and practice.

Thank you.

I thank the representatives of Bulgaria. I now pass the floor to the United States of America, followed by the permanent representative of Finland. Representative of the United States of America, you have the floor.

The United States congratulates Ambassador James Martin Larson of Australia on his chairmanship of the Third Committee for the 81st session of the General Assembly. We look forward to working closely with Australia, the Bureau, and our fellow delegations toward a productive session, one that helps return this institution to its core mission, the maintenance of international peace and security. We request that this statement be entered into the official record. Our approach to this session is straightforward and consistent with our message over the last two years. The United States seeks to bring the United Nations back to basics, anchored in three enduring pillars: peace, prosperity, and sovereignty. We will work with fellow member states to deliver concrete results, reduce bureaucratic bloat, demand accountability, and steer this committee's work away from divisive agendas and back toward its founding purpose. It is in that spirit that we hope to make this year's third committee more efficient, more relevant, and more effective. Resolutions emerging from this committee are non-binding, and they should be treated accordingly. They should be short, actionable, and forward-looking. Too many Member States return year after year to the same contentious or peripheral issues, consuming time and resources without advancing our shared mandate. The United States supports a leaner General Assembly and Third Committee, one that eliminates redundant or off-topic agenda items, reduces unnecessary meetings, and makes more strategic use of technology. The proliferation of reports, conferences, and parallel negotiating tracks does not strengthen this institution. It strains and drains it. Multilateral institutions are not ends in and of themselves. They exist to serve the interests of the sovereign nations that built them. As in the previous session, the United States will engage selectively. We will not attach our name to resolutions that recycle divisive or extraneous issues, Nor will we expend our negotiating capital on texts that drift from this institution's founding purpose and into politicized or irrelevant terrain. Where we do engage, it is because the substance aligns with clear US priorities. For instance, confronting human rights violations and abuses committed by oppressive regimes, combating trafficking in persons and drugs and crime, the protection of children, and defending religious freedom and the family. We remain ready to work with any nation that shares our determination to restore this committee to its intended purpose. The United States will also firmly oppose any effort to politicize this committee's work or erode the credibility of this institution by endlessly expanding its mandate. We reaffirm our commitment to health, to the protection of life at every stage, and to the family as the fundamental unit of society. We expect United Nations documents and programming to employ terminology that clearly and accurately refers to women and men, girls and boys. We support the elimination of discrimination on all recognized grounds, and we equally expect UN programming to avoid diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks that come at the expense of merit, hard work, and individual achievement. The United States continues to reject the 2030 agenda and will not reaffirm it. As we open this session, the United States remains guided by a simple and consistent framework: peace, prosperity, and sovereignty. We will measure success not by the number of resolutions this committee adopts, but by whether its work meaningfully advances international peace and security and improves the lives of the people our nations serve. We hope this session marks a genuine turning point, one where member states choose efficiency over duplication, action over rhetoric, and sovereignty over politicization. The United States stands ready to work with any delegation prepared to join that effort and we look forward to building, together with Australia, the Bureau, and our fellow Member States, a third Committee that is leaner, more focused, and worthy of the trust vested in it by those who fund and depend upon it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I thank the representative of the United States of America. I will pass the floor to the Permanent Representative of Finland, followed by Switzerland. Permanent Representative of Finland, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. And Finland, of course, aligns itself with the EU statement. Today, the world faces conflicts, instability, and human suffering at a level unseen since the founding of the United Nations. Therefore, it is now time to urgently revitalize our collective commitment to human rights and international law. Human rights are not just a pillar or a sector among other important issues. Respect for human rights is the only path towards human well-being and development and towards peaceful and truly stable societies, also in the long run. Breaches of human rights are not only wrong, they are short-sighted and will always eventually turn against those responsible. Peace, stability and sustainable development can only be reached with respect for human rights. At the UN, human rights are both foundational and instrumental in promoting the other two pillars. We need to apply human rights-based approach in development, and human rights must be at the heart of promoting peace and security globally. I want to underline that an inclusive, strong and future-oriented UN requires a renewed, uncompromising investment in human rights, both politically and in resources. Chair, there can be no lasting peace without rule of law, justice and accountability. Ending the culture of impunity requires effective legal frameworks, reliable data collection, survivor-centered investigations and judicial processes. We strongly support the work of the International Criminal Court. Shrinking civic space threatens the security, stability and well-being of entire societies. Human rights defenders are on the front lines. They continue to face harassment, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, criminalization, executions, as well as restrictions to their freedoms of movement, expression, association and assembly. Finland condemns these actions against human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, environmental defenders and others who expose violations and abuses or advocate for accountability. Media freedom is an absolute key to resilient, secure and democratic societies and stability long term. Protecting independent journalism and diverse media in the digital age is crucial. Finland is proud to co-chair the Media Freedom Coalition, advancing safety of journalists and promoting media literacy. Today, independent journalism faces existential threats. Mis- and disinformation are being deliberately weaponized to distort facts, create confusion, erode public trust and safety, and to silence critical voices. Responding to these challenges requires tools to think critically and uphold truth. The future of artificial intelligence must be guided by a human rights-based approach that preserves human agency and democratic accountability while supporting innovation and sustainable development. While AI offers significant opportunities, the technological progress must remain firmly anchored in human rights, rule of law, and meaningful human oversight. Chair, we need to ensure that gender equality and the rights of all women and girls remain at the core of our efforts. We must support intergovernmental bodies in upholding and strengthening these commitments. We must continue to empower women and girls in all their diversity and recognize that societies grow more resilient when everybody can participate fully. Universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights is central. Every individual must have the autonomy to make free, informed decisions over their own body and their own future. Eliminating sexual and gender-based violence is an imperative Today, women and girls continue to face violence in homes, schools, increasingly online, and in wars around the globe, from Middle East to Ukraine, Sudan, and elsewhere. We stand steadfast in solidarity with women and girls of Afghanistan. Individuals belonging to sexual and gender minorities, together with organizations defending their rights, remain among the most vulnerable groups in societies around the world. The protection and full realization of the rights and freedoms of all people, including LGBTIQ+ persons, is essential to foster trust and thriving societies. Chair, Finland is firmly committed to advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities globally. Implementation of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy is key. Approximately 16% of the world's population live with a disability. They are not a small minority. These are people whose talent and contributions are vital to building resilient and prosperous societies. Yet too many still face barriers to education, employment, participation, and access to services. As ongoing conflicts tragically increase the number of people living with disabilities, inclusive action becomes even more urgent. When we advance disability inclusion, we strengthen our societies as a whole and ensure that no one is left behind. Chair, Finland voices her continued commitment to the fulfilment of the rights of indigenous peoples, both nationally and globally. We must take concrete steps forward in the enhanced participation process, and we welcome the adoption of the recent GA resolution in this regard. We must provide indigenous peoples, through representatives chosen by themselves, full and effective participation in the UN in matters that concern their rights. Chair, we must defend the human rights of all people in all spheres of life with a steadfast focus on equality and non-discrimination of those in the most vulnerable situations. Lasting peace and sustainable development cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires meaningful participation and dialogue and the active and inclusive participation of all parts of the societies. Thank you, and I will now pass the floor to our youth delegate.

Thank you. Before coming to New York, I brought young people together at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs to discuss AI, technology, and human rights. And one message was clear. Young people welcome technological progress, but we want human rights, responsibility, and education to keep pace with it. AI is developing fast, and the choices we make today shape our societies and future generations. and technological development must uphold human rights from the beginning. Women and girls face violence, harassment and hate speech online. AI can make harmful content easier to create and spread. Women and girls must be protected in digital spaces and they must also be

represented in the development of new technologies.

We need clear rules, but regulation alone is not enough. Skills to understand technology, question information, and make informed decisions are becoming even more important. Technology can be a powerful tool. We should shape technological development rather than let it shape our societies for us. I encourage the international community to keep human rights at the center of technological development. By doing so, we can build a digital future based on human rights, trust and peace.

Thank you. I thank the permanent representative of Finland and the youth delegate of Finland. And I will pass to Switzerland before then passing to the permanent representative of Iceland. Switzerland, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Chair, this year we are celebrating two major milestones for the international human rights system. On the one hand, it is the 60th anniversary of the two international covenants on human rights. These landmark conventions continue to embody a fundamental principle: civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent. On the other hand, This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Human Rights Council. Over the past two decades, the Council has become a central pillar of the international human rights architecture and a forum for dialogue, helping to strengthen effective implementation and advance international standards. In every region of the world, conflicts, discrimination and inequalities continue to affect people. Civic space is shrinking. violations persist, and new technologies are creating new challenges for human rights. As we mark this year the 75th anniversary of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the number of forcibly displaced people remains at an all-time high. In this context, it is incumbent upon Member States to ensure that the principles enshrined 60 years ago continue to guide our actions today. Chair, for Switzerland, human rights are not merely a guiding principle. They constitute legal obligations that states have freely accepted. They are inseparable from the stability of international order, from security, from peace and sustainable development. In a changing multilateral environment, this also requires us to adapt our approach. Switzerland is committed to effective and coherent multilateralism. in which international organizations complement and reinforce each other. In the field of human rights, we believe that priority should be given to impact and to strengthening the implementation of existing frameworks. As a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027, Switzerland intends to contribute actively to this. Our new guidelines on human rights for 2026-2029 also place implementation, coherence and concrete impact at the heart of our human rights diplomacy. This ambition is all the more important given that the UN system is under significant financial and political pressure. The human rights pillar remains structurally underfunded in relation to the scope of the mandates entrusted to it. As part of the UN80 reform, Switzerland advocates for a balanced approach to the three pillars of the United Nations. Investing in human rights also means investing in conflict prevention, stability and lasting peace. It's in this spirit that we are committed to strengthening the treaty bodies. Last June, we brought together in Switzerland representatives of states from all regions, chairpersons of treaty bodies, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and civil society, with a view to giving fresh impetus to pragmatic reforms of existing mandates. These reforms aim in particular to ensure a more efficient and predictable reporting process as well as a better follow-up for the benefit of rights holders. We invite the treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner to intensify their ownership of this strengthening process. This would also require sustained political and financial commitment from member states. Reforms and adequate resources go hand in hand. Strengthening the system also depends on preserving the ecosystem that sustains it. In this regard, Geneva offers a safe and inclusive environment, unique in its expertise in dialogue and cooperation. Switzerland will also continue to support the Office of the High Commissioner and, as the host state, it will continue to safeguard the conditions enabling all stakeholders to contribute to international human rights work, free from intimidation or reprisals. Finally, Switzerland recognizes the close link between human rights, democracy, peace and security. Their promotion and protection form an integral part of a comprehensive, cooperative and rules-based approach to security. This approach is also reflected in the priorities of the Swiss chairmanship of the OSCE regarding democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Chair, I would now like to highlight three priorities for Switzerland for this session of the Third Committee. Firstly, Switzerland will continue to work towards a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its universal abolition. Today, with Mexico and on behalf of a group of 45 States, we will present the 11th resolution on this issue. Today, 77% of States have abolished the death penalty or have introduced a moratorium. We note with the deepest concern that in 2025, 17 countries still carried out executions and the number of recorded executions rose by around 80% compared to 2024. Switzerland encourages all Member States to support this resolution. There can be no justice that kills. Secondly, we will promote and defend fundamental freedoms, which includes safeguarding civic space. Switzerland is particularly concerned about restrictions targeting human rights defenders, journalists and civil society. At the same time, we must combat discrimination, hate speech and incitement to violence, including online, while safeguarding freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. In this regard, Switzerland is working with the Office of the High Commissioner and the organization Article 19 to promote the effective implementation of the Rabat Action Plan in the digital environment. Practical recommendations will be presented on the sidelines of this session at an event in late October. Thirdly, we will continue to defend women's rights and gender equality. In the face of growing resistance to the rights of women and girls, Switzerland is committed to safeguarding the achievements made and the existing international framework, particularly in relation to gender-based violence and discrimination. It also reaffirms its commitment to non-discrimination. particularly against LGBTIQ people, as illustrated by its first national action plan against hate crimes targeting them, adopted this year. Chair, I'd like to conclude by reiterating that it is precisely in times of adversity that human rights are put to the test. It is then that we see whether they are truly respected for everyone, but without discrimination. Promoting and protecting them is a collective responsibility that rests with us at all times. 60 years ago, the covenants affirm that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent. 20 years ago, we established a council to bring them to life. Let us live up to this legacy by preserving a universal, credible and effective human rights system. that is capable of responding to today's challenges. Switzerland will continue to contribute to this alongside its partners and in a spirit of cooperation. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Switzerland and I pass the floor to the Permanent Representative of Iceland, to be followed by the Permanent Representative of Montenegro. Iceland, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr Chair. Let me begin by congratulating you, Ambassador Larsen, and the rest of the Bureau on your election. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your work so far and wish you all the best in guiding the Committee through this 81st session. Mr. Chair, we are witnessing a deeply troubling global backlash against fundamental human rights. Persistent challenges continue to impact the human rights landscape with a continued rise in conflicts, democratic backsliding, and shrinking of civic space, negatively impacting the realization of human rights globally. Armed conflicts rage across the world, resulting in widespread human rights violations and severe humanitarian crisis, often escalated by restrictions on humanitarian access and attacks against humanitarian personnel. The digital transformation is reshaping our societies and civic space. The same technologies that empower can also be used to monitor, silence or manipulate. Recognizing this is essential, as is taking action to ensure that digital technologies strengthen democratic participation and human rights. Climate change continues to threaten the effective enjoyment of a range of human rights, including those to life, water and sanitation, food, health, housing and self-determination. The reintroduction of the death penalty by some States is of grave concern and must be viewed as a step backwards for human rights. Ongoing use of capital punishment as a tool for intimidation and control can never be justified. These concerning trends underscore the importance of renewed multilateral action. This is not happening in isolation. It is a part of a wider erosion of democratic values and the rules-based international order. For a small state like Iceland, whose security and prosperity depends on these values, this is not an abstract concern. It's existential. Human rights are at the core of Iceland's foreign policy, and they must remain at the heart of our collective efforts. Mr Chair, As a member of the Human Rights Council through 2027, Iceland places particular emphasis on gender equality, LGBTQI+ rights, and the rights of children and young persons. The pushback against gender equality and the rights of women and girls is increasingly more organized, with many countries reshaping laws to restrict freedoms and silence voices. Women and girls continue to face structural inequalities and multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment are worldwide problems which we must address urgently on all levels. Iceland remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing the human rights of women and girls in all their diversity, with a special focus on working collaboratively towards zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence and promoting universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Eradicating disparity between genders is not only the right thing to do, but it also increases the prosperity and well-being of societies. Mr. Chair, too many persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics continue to face discrimination and violence solely for being who they are. Iceland remains concerned about alarming crackdowns on civil society organizations and arrests of persons fighting for the recognition of these basic human rights. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern threatening people's dignity, equality, and safety. No person should have to live in fear of persecution and violence. Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is unacceptable. Human rights are not a zero-sum game, and allowing a LGBTQI+ person to live freely does not make anyone else live less free. Iceland will continue to protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons and advocate for the advancement of their rights worldwide. Mr Chair, Iceland firmly believes that the right of children should be placed at the centre of all policy-making. Every child has the right to grow and prosper to adulthood in good health and education, dignity and peace. We must support and enable girls and young women, in all their diversity, to prosper. Ensuring equal access to education is imperative in this regard. This includes providing young people with sexual and reproductive health rights and services, comprehensive sexuality education, and protecting the right to bodily autonomy, privacy, and self-determination. We must also continue to fight child sexual exploitation and abuse, as as well as harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage. Mr Chair, Iceland condemns in the strongest terms Russia's ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn the targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure, such as energy facilities and heating systems, with devastating effects on all aspects of life. We further condemn the unlawful, large-scale deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children, which may amount to crimes against humanity. Russia's grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law must end. In Russia, the systematic erosion of human rights and continued crackdown on civil society is of serious concern. We urge Russia to cease its violations of freedom of opinion and expression, and its dismantling of all forms of independent civic activity and political opposition. Palestinians continue to face appalling conditions, particularly in Gaza, where basic needs are far from being met. The situation in the West Bank is deteriorating, with unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansions undermining the possibility of a just and lasting peace. Iceland reiterates its strong support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and to the implementation of the two-state solution. Mr Chair, the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to decline and is further intensified by the ongoing conflict. Iceland is deeply concerned by the escalation in the use of lethal force and mass arrests to suppress protests, as well as the sharp rise in executions and the use of the death penalty as a tool of intimidation and control. We call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately end the use of the death penalty, impose a moratorium on executions, and release all persons arbitrarily detained. We further call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law. In Afghanistan, the Taliban's institutionalized and systematic repression of women and girls is intensifying. Afghan women face severe restrictions based on new decrees that further institutionalize discrimination in all aspects of life. Iceland supports Afghan women in calling for the codification of the crime of gender apartheid in international law and calls on the de facto authorities to fulfill Afghanistan's international human rights obligations and reverse policies and addictions that violate them. The situation in Sudan remains catastrophic. The relentless war continues to cause mass displacement and widespread civilian suffering, where reports of systematic sexual violence are of particular concern. Urgent protection and accountability is vital. Mr. Chair, Iceland is deeply committed to the future sustainability of the human rights treaty body system. We must join efforts to fully implement resolution 68/268 on strengthening the system. To this end, Iceland will be presenting its biannual resolution during this session. We depend on your support so it can be adopted without a vote, as it has been for the past 10 years. Mr. Chair, as a member of the Human Rights Council, Iceland has prioritized constructive engagement, open dialogue, and close cooperation with civil society organizations and human rights defenders. We firmly believe that human rights are universal, indivisible, and interdependent. We will continue to advocate for multilateral cooperation and upholding the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our organization is built on three pillars: human rights, development, and peace and security. One cannot thrive and prosper without the others. The promotion of human rights for everyone, everywhere, at all times is not simply a moral imperative; it is a strategic necessity fundamental to upholding our international system. Let us work together to defend these rights in our work through this Committee and beyond. I thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Iceland. I invite the Permanent Representative of Montenegro to take the floor, followed by the representative of the United Kingdom. Montenegro, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and congratulations on your election. Montenegro aligns with the EU statement. At a time when conflicts, polarization, and growing distrust are putting the international system under profound pressure, the promotion and protection of human rights must remain at the heart of the UN. Human rights are not separate from peace, security, or sustainable development. They are their foundation. When rights are protected, societies are more resilient. When violations go unpunished, instability deepens and prospects for lasting peace diminish. This is particularly important as we discuss the future of the UN. Montenegro strongly supports UN80 efforts to make the organization more effective, agile, accessible, and financially sustainable. Yet, reform must ultimately be measured by our ability to deliver better for people, to prevent conflict, protect human rights and freedoms, and respond effectively to humanitarian crisis. In this context, we remain convinced that the human rights pillar must be adequately equipped and financed to fulfill its mandate. Efficiency and rationalization are necessary, but they must reinforce, not weaken, UN's capacity to prevent violations, support accountability, and respond when fundamental rights are at risk. Mr. Chair, Montenegro attaches particular importance to the work of the Third Committee. This year, our responsibility is further strengthened by our service to the Bureau of the 3C. We approach this role with a strong commitment to constructive dialogue, transparency, and consensus building, and with full respect for the views of all member states. Colleagues, the challenges before us could hardly be more pressing. In Ukraine, civilians, particularly children, continue to bear the unacceptable human cost of Russia's war of aggression. Montenegro reiterates the need for full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law and for accountability for violations. As a member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, Montenegro continues to call for the safe return of all children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred. We remain committed to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace firmly grounded in the UN Charter and international law. In Gaza, Civilians must be protected and humanitarian assistance must reach those in need safely and without obstruction. Montenegro supports a negotiated two-state solution with Israel and an independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition. Different conflicts have different histories, but human dignity cannot be subject to different standards. We must equally resist allowing crises outside global spotlight, including Sudan, Myanmar and Haiti, to become forgotten. Montenegro will continue to support international efforts aimed at protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access and advancing accountability. We are deeply concerned about the systematic restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan. Their rights to education, work, and participation in public life are fundamental human rights. No society can achieve sustainable development while excluding half of its population. excellencies. The principles we advocate internationally must also guide our action at home. This year, Montenegro adopted its Foreign Policy Strategy 2026-29, setting out a clear vision of Montenegro as a reliable and responsible international partner, guided by democratic values and respect for human dignity. The strategy places particular emphasis on the promotion of human rights and freedoms, gender equality and inclusion. As a future EU member, these priorities are reflected across our engagement at bilateral and multilateral level. In 2026, we adopted a new law on gender equality, further strengthening gender mainstreaming across public administration, including gender responsive policymaking, budgeting and data collection. For Montenegro, gender equality is not simply a sectoral issue. It is a matter of human rights and democratic governance. We continue to prioritize full, equal and meaningful participation of all women and girls in political, economic and public life, as well as combating gender-based violence and all forms of discrimination. In another important milestone for women's rights and health, Montenegro introduced paid menstrual leave for women with secondary dysmenorrhea, one of the few in Europe to do so. We also remain committed to advancing WPS agenda, recognizing the full participation of women is essential to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and lasting peace. Montenegro attaches equal importance to the rights of children. We continue to advance the transition from institutional care towards family and community-based services. Our objective is clear. Institutional placement should remain a measure of last resort for the shortest appropriate period and always guided by the best interest of the child. Important progress has already been achieved. Today, there are no children under the age of three in residential care in Montenegro, while the overall share of children in residential care has significantly been reduced over the past decade. At the same time, we continue to strengthen foster care, family support services, and early prevention of family separation. Our strategy on deinstitutionalization for 2025-28, together with the relevant social and child protection strategies, provides framework for further transition towards community-based care. We are also working towards establishing barnhouse model in Montenegro, bringing relevant services together in child-friendly environment for children who are victims or witnesses of violence. Montenegro also remains firmly committed to advancing the rights and full participation of persons with disabilities. Dedicated parliamentary session and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the work of the Parliament have helped bring their voices closer to decision makers and strengthen their participation in democratic processes. We continue to advance independent living, accessibility, inclusive education and community-based support while removing barriers to their full and equal participation in society. Montenegro also recognizes young people not only as beneficiaries of our policies, but as partners in shaping them, and remains committed to strengthening their meaningful participation in decision-making at all levels. At the same time, we remain committed to the rights and inclusion of older persons, minorities and LGBTI persons, and to combating racism, xenophobia, hate speech and all other forms of discrimination. As a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural society, we know that diversity is not a challenge to be managed, but a strength to be protected. Democratic societies are stronger when every person is treated with equal dignity, fairness and protection by their institutions. Mr Chair, Montenegro fully recognises that the protection of human rights must evolve alongside the world around us. Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies offer extraordinary opportunities. but they also create new risks to privacy, equality, and human agency. Technological transformation must therefore remain focused on protecting human rights and human dignity. Similarly, climate change has profound human rights implications. Those who have contributed least to the climate crisis are often among those most exposed to its consequences. As an ecological state, Montenegro will continue advocating for climate action that protects both people and the planet and ensures that no one is left behind. We value the important role of the HRC in addressing human rights challenges, promoting accountability and strengthening their protection. We remain firmly committed to the international human rights architecture and appreciate constructive cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, treaty bodies, and special procedures. Excellencies, at the moment when confidence in international cooperation is increasingly tested, our response cannot be to scale back our human rights ambitions. It must be to make our commitments credible through their implementation. Universal human rights cannot depend on geography, political circumstances, or the identity of the victim. Montenegro will continue to work with all Member States and the UN system to ensure that dignity remains at the center of our collective actions and that the promises enshrined in the UN Charter and the international human rights law continue to carry weight. I thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Montenegro. I pass to the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, followed by the representative of Nigeria. Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. The United Kingdom congratulates you on your election and aligns with the statement of the European Union. Across the world, people are being denied their human rights. through conflict, repression, discrimination and the misuse of power and technology. The principles that we defend in this committee are not abstract. They protect human dignity, support peaceful and inclusive societies and help to prevent instability and conflict. At a time of growing pressure on human rights and on the multilateral system, we must turn our shared commitments into practical change for people. Yet the human rights landscape is becoming more dangerous. Attacks on women and girls and LGBT+ people and shrinking civic space are compounding the effects of conflict and authoritarian repression. Our response must put human rights and the rule of law at its heart. In Gaza, basic humanitarian needs remain unmet. All parties must uphold international law, protect civilians, and facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. We condemn abuses by Hamas and other non-state actors. Hamas must decommission its weapons and its terror infrastructure and have no role in Gaza's future governance. We support full implementation of the 20-point plan, and we remain committed to a credible political process towards a two-state solution. In the West Bank, settlement expansion, settler violence and displacement are undermining that prospect for a two-state solution. The United Kingdom has taken action to address this priority, including restrictions targeting settlement activity and those who support, facilitate or profit from it. We call on all parties to uphold international law, protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. In Ukraine, Five years into Russia's full-scale invasion, the human cost continues to grow. The United Nations' independent monitoring and investigative mechanisms are essential. Russian forces have attacked civilian infrastructure, tortured detainees and prisoners of war, and unlawfully deported and militarised Ukrainian children. Russia must be held accountable. and Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be upheld. In Sudan, civilians face atrocity crimes, conflict-related sexual violence, displacement, and hunger. The illegal flow of weapons and external support is sustaining that conflict. All states must stop supporting the warring parties, respect international humanitarian law, and use their influence to protect civilians, secure humanitarian access, and end the violence. The UN fact-finding mission must continue its vital work to preserve evidence and lay the foundations for accountability. In South Sudan, renewed political tensions, attacks on civilians, forced recruitment, sexual violence, and restrictions on political space threaten stability and risk a return to wider conflict. Leaders must exercise restraint, pursue genuine, inclusive dialogue and respect the commitments of the peace agreement. In Myanmar, we condemn human rights violations and abuses, particularly those committed by the military, including air strikes on schools, hospitals and places of worship. We continue to support efforts to collect and preserve evidence so that perpetrators can be held to account. In Syria, we welcome the steps taken by the Syrian Government to make progress on her political transition, including convening a new parliament, and the steps taken to ensure accountability and justice, both for Assad-era crimes and recent incidents of sectarian violence. We continue to encourage the Syrian Government to ensure an inclusive and representative political settlement that protects the rights of all Syrians. and holds those responsible for human rights abuses and violations to account. This is essential for the long-term stability and prosperity of the Syrian people. In Afghanistan, Taliban decrees systematically exclude women and girls from education, work, and public life, restrict access to justice, and entrench discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities. These policies are indefensible, and the Taliban must reverse them. In Iran, thousands of peaceful protesters were killed by security forces in January. Protesters have since been executed, and many more remain on death row. Reports of torture and ill treatment, including of women, ethnic minorities, and religious communities, are deeply concerning. Iran must end her violent suppression of dissent establish a moratorium on executions, and cooperate with UN accountability mechanisms. Beyond conflict, governments are also using technology, law, and state power to silence dissent. In China, evidence of violations in Xinjiang and Tibet persists. The Ethnic Unity Law risks entrenching restrictions on the rights and freedoms of ethnic minorities. China should implement the recommendations of the 2022 assessment, release those arbitrarily detained, address reports of forced labour, and allow meaningful independent access to Tibet. In Hong Kong, recent convictions underscore how the national security law is being used to restrict political expression. Earlier this year, Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison. We call for his release. Mr President, in these country contexts and elsewhere, civil society and human rights defenders turn commitments into change. But they face intimidation, reprisals and transnational repression, including for cooperating with the United Nations. The United Kingdom unequivocally condemns such retaliation. And we are proud to support the Lighthouse Fund, providing protection for human rights defenders under threat. We will also continue to defend the rights of women and girls globally. This includes tackling all forms of violence against women and girls and promoting comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. We will champion women's economic empowerment and their full, equal and meaningful participation in public life and in decisions on peace and security. Human rights are universal. They apply equally to every person, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other LGBT+ people. No one should face violence, criminalisation or exclusion because of who they are, or who they love, or how they express themselves. At a time of pressure on the UN human rights system, the answer is not to lower our ambition. It is to focus the system where it adds unique value. through independent scrutiny, through credible evidence, through accountability, and through protection for those whose voices are silenced. The United Kingdom will listen, act, and work with partners from every region, and we will defend universal rights without fear or favour, because defending human dignity is the surest way to build a safer and a fairer world. Thank you.

I thank the permanent representative of the United Kingdom, and I pass the floor to Nigeria. You have the floor.

Mr. Chair, Nigeria congratulates you and the distinguished members of the Bureau on your elections and assure you of our full cooperation. We align with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of Group of 77 and China, and wish to add the following remarks in our national capacity. At the heart of the United Nations mandate is the conviction that development, peace, security and human rights are inseparable and mutually reinforcing. Nigeria reaffirms that all human rights, including the right to development, are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. We welcome the outcome of the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha in November 2025, and the Dual Political Declaration as a renewed commitment to poverty eradication, decent work, social protection, equality and inclusion. These commitments must now translate into action, especially for developing countries facing structural and financial constraints. Predictable development financing, affordable finance, sustainable debt solutions, technology transfer and capacity building are essential. Nigeria therefore calls for stronger international solidarity and a fairer global economic environment that enables developing countries to invest in their people. Mr. Chair, Nigeria places particular emphasis on the empowerment and meaningful participation of young people, who are key partners in innovation, peacebuilding, democratic governance, and national development. remain equally committed to the dignity and well-being of older persons, the family as the fundamental unit of society, and the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in national life. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to the right of every child and condemns violence, abuse, exploitation, trafficking, recruiting by armed groups, abduction, harmful practices, and attacks on schools. Nigeria aims to strengthen the Child Rights Act and call for stronger child protection systems, accountability, and sustained international cooperation so that every child can access quality education, healthcare, protection, and appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration support. Particular attention must be given to the girl child, including access to education, health care, nutrition, social protection and meaningful participation, as well as protection from early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking and other harmful practices, especially in conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises. Nigeria remains committed to advancing the rights, dignity and well-being of women and girls and to accelerating implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly. Through deliberate policies, we continue to invest in girls' education, prioritize women's economic empowerment, and strengthen legal frameworks like the Violence Against Persons Act to eliminate gender-based violence. We call for stronger partnership to eliminate violence, exploitation and harmful practices. Trafficking in women and girls demands cooperation across countries of origin, transit and destination, survivor-centered support, access to justice and accountability for perpetrators. We also reaffirm our commitment to eliminating female genital mutilation and obstetric fistula through prevention, community engagement, quality maternal health care, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration. As digital environment expands opportunity, stronger laws, reporting mechanisms, digital literacy, and accountability are needed to ensure that women and girls can participate safely and equally online and offline. Mr. Chair, Nigeria reaffirms that human rights are fundamental to lasting peace, security, and sustainable development. Their advancement must rest on universality, indivisibility, sovereign equality, transparency, non-discrimination, non-selectivity, dialogue, and equity. Politicization and double standard undermine trust in the international human rights system. Treaty bodies, special procedures, and other mechanisms should therefore discharge their mandates objectively, impartially, and transparently. Human rights discourse must remain grounded in universally agreed instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while taking due account of the diverse cultural, religious, and social contexts of states. At all levels of government, Nigeria continues to expand access to education, healthcare, social protection and economic opportunity while promoting the rights and dignity of women, children, young people, older persons and persons with disability. Yet the full realization of human rights also requires action on structural inequalities in the global economy, debt vulnerabilities, and illicit financial flows so that developing countries can invest in human capital, essential infrastructure, and sustainable development. Nigeria, therefore, calls for stronger dialogue, international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity building to reinforce national institutions and support implementation of human rights commitments. Racism remains one of the most persistent challenges of our time. For people of African descent, the legacies of slavery, colonialism and systemic discrimination continue to constrain opportunity. As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Nigeria calls for its full implementation for intensified action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. we are reaffirmed the importance of acknowledging the enduring consequences of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism and of supporting reparations and other appropriate form of redress to advance justice, equality and reconciliation. Artificial intelligence and digital platform was advanced inclusion rather than reproduce buyers. Stronger international cooperation is also needed to combat hate speech and racial and religious intolerance. Mr. Chair, humanitarian crisis are growing in scale and complexity driven by conflict, climate change, poverty and natural disasters. This places increasing pressure on host and frontline states such as Nigeria, which continue to support refugees and internally displaced persons. We commend the UNHCR vital work and needs-based approach. Nigeria calls for equitable burden and responsibility sharing, predictable financing, and greater investment in the root causes of displacement. We support constructive international engagement, including the 50 by 35 initiative, the UNHCR reforms initiative, and humanitarian reset. Durable solution must include voluntary, safe, dignified return, local integration, and resettlement as appropriate, alongside support for host communities whose services are under pressure. Humanitarian assistance should align with national priorities and complement efforts to prevent conflict, counter-terrorism and violent extremism, reduce poverty, advance sustainable development, and strengthen community resilience. The rights and dignity of refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons must be safeguarded while respecting national legislation and legitimate security concerns. Greater investment in education, livelihood, infrastructure, and essential services can reduce vulnerability and create the conditions for sustainable recovery and development. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to safe, orderly, and regular migration as a driver of development, innovation, and shared prosperity when governed through cooperation, respect for national sovereignty, and the protection of human rights and dignity of all migrants. As a champion country of the Global Compact for Migration, Nigeria continues to strive strengthening migration governance through its revised national migration policy and integrated implementation framework with emphasis on regular pathways, labor mobility, migration data, border management, diaspora engagement, return readmission, and sustainable reintegration. We call for stronger partnership among countries of origin, transit, and destination to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, address the root causes of irregular migration, protect migrants in vulnerable situations and ensure that migration remains a choice not an act of desperation in conclusion Mr. chair across this agenda items one principle unites our work the dignity and equality of all people Nigeria believes that multilateralism grounded in respect dialogue and solidarity offer the shortest path to peace and development we'll continue engaging constructively with all delegations to advance Justice and Hope let us choose cooperation principle and humanity to build a future of equality, justice, and peace for all. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the representative of Nigeria, and I'll pass the floor to the permanent representative of Uruguay, followed by the representative of Croatia. Permanent representative of Uruguay, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the opening of the work of the Third Committee for this 81st session of the General Assembly, Uruguay would like to recall the historic role that this Committee has played since the beginnings of the United Nations, including its contribution to drafting the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the foundational instrument of the entire international human rights system. Uruguay remains firmly committed to the deliberations of this Committee, frank dialogue and consensus building. We reiterate our support for agreed language, which is the fruit of decades of negotiations among Member States, and the importance of respecting the principle of non-regression in human rights. In that regard, we regret the fact that in 2025, a high number of resolutions that were traditionally adopted by consensus were submitted to a vote. Uruguay agrees with the importance of rationalizing our work through greater coordination between New York and Geneva, in line with the paradigm shift promoted by the UN80 initiative. Mr. Chair, Uruguay is a traditional defender of multilateralism and is convinced of the value of the role played by the United Nations within its three major founding pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. We in particular recognize the role of the universal system for the promotion and protection of human rights, which includes this General Assembly, ECOSOC, the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner. Uruguay is a candidate to be a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2027 to 2029. to be decided in elections which will take place this month in New York, and we hope to receive the support of the international community. We commit to exercising this responsibility with commitment and with a constant openness to dialogue, cooperation and building understandings. We reiterate our profound concern over the structural underfunding of the human rights pillar due to the limited resources received from the regular budget. This situation has a serious impact, among other things, on the treaty body system and certainly on the system's ability to monitor the implementation of human rights, to respond to emergency situations and to protect victims. Mr. Chair, Uruguay favors a sustainable development model which fully guarantees human rights according to an intersectional approach in public policy, which incorporates factors such as gender, socioeconomic status, age, race, disability, migration status, with a particular focus on groups that have historically been discriminated against. Uruguay reiterates its commitment to democracy with the conviction that political pluralism, organized civil society and the rule of law are the fundamental general guarantees for the full respect for human rights. We also highlight the valuable role of our National Human Rights Institution, which has been ranked A by the Global Alliance. We are closely and with concern monitoring the continued erosion of democracies, which we have seen since 2006, together with a sustained global deterioration of civil and political rights, the weakening of the civic space, growing restrictions on civil society, the persecution of journalists and human rights defenders, transnational repression, and reprisals against those who cooperate with the United Nations in the human rights space. In the face of these trends, Uruguay reaffirms that human rights, fundamental freedoms and an active civil society are essential pillars of democratic societies. Mr. Chair, child inequality and poverty are of particular concern and their elimination is one of the government's top priorities. Making sure that no child grows up in poverty nor is deprived of access to basic services and education is a question of rights, equality and justice. Therefore, Uruguay is strengthening its early childhood policies and will continue to redouble its efforts, including together with partners such as UNICEF, to urgently reduce child poverty. At the international level, we deeply regret the fact that in 2025 a new record was hit in terms of the number of child victims of grave violations in armed conflicts. Their protection cannot wait and requires the full respect for international humanitarian law and human rights without exceptions under any circumstances. Uruguay supports the mandates of the Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict and also the Special Representative on Violence Against Children, and we thank the current mandate holders for their work. Uruguay also reaffirmed its commitment to the youth agenda with the conviction that the full and meaningful participation of young people in the political, social and economic spheres paves the way towards more just, peaceful and prosperous societies. Mr. Chair. Inequalities are also evident in access to services, basic services such as health. For that reason, we are working to make sure that access to our integrated national health system, which includes sexual and reproductive health services, is equal for everyone. We are also working to strengthen our national care system. with a focus on the silent inequality that lies behind unpaid domestic and care work, which affects women's career trajectories and even their health. Uruguay is convinced that gender equality is a state-level commitment along the lines of the commitments already made in regards to the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action and the 2030 Agenda. For that reason, Uruguay's commitment to ensuring a life free of violence for women and girls, to achieving full and meaningful participation of women in decision-making, and to gender equality in general is a genuine political and ethical emergency, one that we understand as an essential precondition for peace, democracy and sustainable development. Mr. Chair, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights allows for no exceptions. All human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. Uruguay will continue to defend the rights of LGBTI+ people, including in the framework of the Coalition for Equal Rights and in the LGBTI Core Group in New York. We will also continue to support the work of the Human Rights Council Independent Expert. Uruguay is a member of the Commission on Population and Development and currently chairs the Regional Conference on Population and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean, which we had the honor of hosting in Montevideo in August, with the valuable support of ECLAC and UNFPA. Uruguay is working to adapt to new demographic trends, which foresee a continued aging of its population with the attendant challenges for public policy. At the same time, we support the negotiation of the international treaty on older persons and will continue to work to guarantee their human rights and their active participation in society. Mr. Chair, Uruguay reiterates its firm commitment to human rights and international humanitarian law and hopes that this session of the Third Committee will serve as a platform for advancing the practical implementation of our human rights commitments and obligations on the ground. Thank you very much.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Uruguay. I invite the the representative of Croatia to take the floor, followed by the permanent representative of San Marino. Croatia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Croatia aligns with your statement and would like to make some additional remarks in its national capacity. We congratulate you and the members of the Bureau on your election and look forward to working with you throughout this session. Chair, Our responsibility is to translate the notion of human rights into meaningful protection in people's lives. At a time of financial constraints and questions about the effectiveness of the United Nations, we must strengthen both the efficiency of our work and our capacity to deliver. Reform must preserve the human rights pillar and the independent mechanisms on which its credibility depends. We are the ones who have the responsibility for the committee to work and to work efficiently. whether through self-restraint in our initiatives, openness, dialogue, flexibility, or best, all of the above. Chair, dear colleagues, prolonged conflicts, civilian suffering, and growing disregard for international law are testing the foundations of multilateral cooperation. Croatia supports rules-based multilateralism because we have experienced the consequences of its alternative. The aggression against our country and 1725 of our citizens still missing, as well as 102 Croatian children killed, are poignant reminders of this alternative. For smaller and medium-sized states, international law is the essential guarantee of sovereignty, security, and equal participation in international affairs. Its authority depends on our willingness to uphold it consistently. In places such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and many others, the consequences of war, violence, and insecurity are measured in lives lost, families separated, and communities deprived of basic rights. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarian assistance must reach those in need. Torture, conflict-related sexual violence, and inhumane treatment of detainees and prisoners of war must end. Those responsible must be held accountable. In Afghanistan, the systemic exclusion of women and girls from education, employment, and public life demands our sustained attention and our unequivocal response. We cannot allow the passage of time to normalize the denial of their rights. Institutionalized discrimination in this case has become so entrenched in law and policy that it may amount to crimes against humanity. Chair. We often say this, but it bears repeating: the human rights system was built by Member States. We have a responsibility to cooperate with the mechanisms we created, including when their findings are uncomfortable. Croatia reaffirms its strong support for the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council. Their independence and expertise are indispensable. Our interactive dialogues must provide space for scrutiny, substantive engagement, and follow-up. Mandate holders and those who cooperate with them must be able to work without intimidation or reprisals. The recent warning by the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Guarantees of Non-Reoccurrence about atrocity denial and the glorification of perpetrators deserves particular attention. He warns about a dangerous wave of denialism worldwide. Experience has taught us that reconciliation requires truth, justice, and acknowledgement of responsibility. Chair, prevention must guide our work. The Responsibility to Protect provides an important framework for preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Protecting children in armed conflict requires compliance with international law, adequately resourced protection mandates, and accountability for grave violations. grave violations against children reached a record high again in 2025, with government forces increasingly implicated. Croatia will continue to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, persons belonging to minorities, and those facing discrimination and exclusion, among others. Gender equality remains central to our engagement. We must confront the backlash against women's rights, combat gender-based violence and harmful practices, and ensure women's full, equal and meaningful participation in decision-making. This requires effective implementation of CEDAW and our commitments under the Women, Peace and Security agenda. These obligations extend also to the digital environment. Amid this climate of insecurity, it is clear that new technologies are advancing faster than our understanding of their consequences, with profound implications for privacy, quality, and human rights in general. We understand that these challenges are interconnected and require decisive steps that respond to the realities on the ground. Their development and use require safeguards grounded in international human rights law, transparency, oversight, and accountability. We have paid particular attention to technology-facilitated violence against women and girls by organizing a side event with UN Women during the High-Level Week, focusing also on access to protection and effective remedies. Chair, a few days ago, the Secretary-General reminded us that human rights, development, peace and security belong to one and the same reality. The broad range of thematic and country situations to be presented and discussed in the following days confirms that to live with dignity and enjoy all human rights is the very reason we seek peace and security and promote sustainable development. The role of this Committee, therefore, must remain central to building political will and encouraging bold decisions needed to defend these principles wherever they are challenged. Croatia stands ready to work with all delegations in good faith to build trust and to ensure that the dignity and rights of every person remain at the center of our work. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Croatia. I'll pass to the permanent representative of San Marino, followed by the permanent representative of Argentina. Permanent representative of San Marino, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, I wish to congratulate you on, uh, your election and on the election of member of the Bureau, and I would like also to assure of my delegation full support. We gather at the moment of profound global transformation. The international order is undergoing fundamental shifts that impact trade, technology, and international cooperation. In these turbulent times, the enduring value of a rules-based multilateral system rooted in human rights become even more critical. Since the founding of the United Nation, significant strides have been made in advancing the protection of human rights, yet systemic inequalities and alarming backsliding persist across every region. Gender equality remains one of our greatest human rights challenges, as well as our as well as our most transformative opportunity. It is essential that we address the root causes of discrimination while strengthening global efforts to combat gender-based violence in all its form, both online and offline. San Marino reaffirms its steadfast commitment to ensuring the full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in all spheres of public and political life. Furthermore, we must ensure that human rights remain at the heart of our efforts for future generations, ensuring inclusive, equitable access to quality education, social protection, and economic opportunity. In parallel, safeguarding human rights in the digital age has become an imperative. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence must serve humanity rather than exacerbate surveillance, discrimination, or inequality. Implementing global digital commitments and building multi-stakeholder governance framework for AI are crucial steps to ensure that technological advancement respect human dignity, protect fundamental freedoms, bridge the digital divide, and leave no one behind. Mr. Chair, human rights cannot exist in a vacuum. They are intrinsically linked to the rule of law, international humanitarian law, and global justice. Yet, we continue to witness a concerning disregard for international obligations and a progressive erosion of the international legal framework. San Marino firmly believes that the true international legitimacy rests on ethics, justice and fairness, not on brute force. The rule of law exists precisely to ensure that all states, regardless of size or power, are held accountable. A rules-based international order with the UN Charter at its core is our best guarantee against chaos and oppression. Accountability is integral to this system. San Marino reaffirms its full commitment to the obligation enshrined in human rights treaties and international humanitarian law. including the Geneva Convention and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. We reiterate our full and unwavering support for the International Criminal Court. The ICC mandate is essential in the fight against impunity for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. To this end, San Marino also maintain a strong support for initiative aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and moral responsibility of the Security Council, including the ACT Group's code of conduct and the political declaration proposed by France and Mexico on the voluntary suspension of the veto in cases of mass atrocity. In conclusion, Mr. Chair, member states must assume their collective responsibilities to ensure that this organization retains the strength and moral authority to protect the most vulnerable. Finding renewed avenues of multilateral cooperation and adapting our institution to rapid global shifts are not merely diplomatic goal, they are essential to safeguarding human dignity everywhere. The Republic of San Marino remains fully committed to working alongside all partners to turn the principle of the UN Charter into concrete reality for all people. Thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of San Marino. I pass to the Permanent Representative of Argentina, followed by the representative of Paraguay. Argentina, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, Ambassador James Larson. I wish to express my congratulations on your election to chair the work of the Third Committee and extend our best wishes for the exercise of your responsibilities. I assure you we are fully ready to contribute constructively to the successful work of this Committee. I would also like to express our recognition for the other members of the Bureau. Mr. Chair, the Third Committee occupies a central place in the work of the United Nations. Its debates offer us an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of the human person and to the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this context, Argentina reiterates the unlimited defense of natural law as the guiding force of its foreign policy and human rights. We work on the basis of a fundamental conviction that there are inherent rights to the human person, which by their own nature are inalienable and unlimited. The effective promotion of those rights for Argentina constitutes an essential and permanent commitment to the dignity of all human persons. This idea stems from a moral dimension and also one of social benefit. The effective protection of these rights helps generate the conditions in which people, families and communities can develop, exercise their freedoms, pursue their well-being and contribute to social and economic progress. Mr. Chair, Argentina's foreign policy is focused on defending these fundamental human rights. Within this context, our country attaches particular importance to three essential pillars: the right to life from conception, liberty, and the right to private property. These principles constitute fundamental elements of the legal order, and they provide an ethical framework for public policy. Their exercise should be protected against undue interference, guaranteeing at the same time the equality of all persons before the law and the respect for the rights and freedoms of each individual. The protection of human rights, therefore, should be real and concrete. It should be reflected in the daily lives of our citizens and should help generate the necessary conditions to make sure that each person can fully develop their potential. This requires a renewed commitment to the law, to individual liberty and to the dignity of each human being. It also requires respect for state sovereignty and for various different constitutional, legal, cultural and institutional frameworks through which states comply with their international obligations. International cooperation in the area of human rights is more effective when it is rooted in dialogue, mutual respect and a clear understanding of the respective competencies of States. The international agenda should respect the specifics and national competencies. Mr. Chair, in this context, Argentina will prioritize the following matters in this session: First, the protection of human life. Our country will continue to actively participate in international initiatives aimed at promoting the protection of life and strengthening a culture that recognizes the inherent value of each human being. In that regard, Argentina values initiatives such as the Geneva Consensus Declaration and the principles promoted the protection of life, health, women, and the family. Argentina also attaches fundamental importance to the family. The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society. It plays an irreplaceable role in passing on values, in care, and in the raising and education of children, and in creating safe spaces, spaces of solidarity and intergenerational support. Strengthening the family requires, therefore, policies which create the necessary conditions for its development and which recognize the importance of supporting motherhood and family life. That commitment is inseparable from our commitment to women. Women are protagonists, actors in our societies and our efforts to promote human development. The protection and effective exercise of their rights should continue to occupy a central place in public policy and also in the international human rights agenda. We must continue to work to create the conditions that would allow women to fully participate in life, in society, in economic and public life, while also ensuring that there are policies to support motherhood and the responsibility of family members, and which provide a safe environment that is conducive to their development. Argentina also attaches particular importance to the rights and human dignity of older persons. The inherent rights of all people do not diminish with age. Protecting older persons and making sure that they can live with dignity, autonomy, and safety and security is an integral part of our broader commitment to human rights and to intergenerational solidarity. Human rights cannot be removed from the conditions within which people live. Liberty, legal certainty, and the protection of property are not just matters of principle. They also help generate an environment in which people can work, invest, develop economic activities, and plan their futures. A human rights agenda must ultimately be evaluated based on its ability to improve people's lives. For Argentina, that means addressing poverty in all of its forms, paying particular attention to child poverty, to expanding opportunities, to strengthening social mobility, and to making sure that each person has the chance to build a decent life through their own efforts and initiative. The protection of human dignity and the promotion of economic and social development are objectives that strengthen one another. A society that creates opportunities for its citizens is better prepared to then create prosperity and improve living conditions. Mr. Chair, Argentina brings these aforementioned principles to the international arena as part of a broader process of transformation which is taking place at the national level. The common challenge that we have ahead of us is not simply to reaffirm rights in international declarations, rather it is to make sure that those rights have concrete meaning in people's daily lives. That is a commitment that my country brings to the debates in the third committee. It is defending natural rights, and we place that at the heart of our human rights policy, because we believe that it is simultaneously a moral imperative and a way to promote well-being and development, because it involves protecting fundamental liberties and equality before the law, supporting families, motherhood and women, protecting the rights of older persons and promoting the necessary conditions to ensure that people can overcome poverty and expand their opportunities. Moreover, it is a question of justice, because those rights are inherent to all human beings and should be respected and protected. Therefore, Mr. Chair, my country will participate constructively in the work of this Committee, defending its principles and promoting at the same time an open, respectful dialogue with all of you. Thank you very much.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Argentina. I will pass the floor to the Permanent Representative of Paraguay, followed by the representative, Karen Maroon. Permanent Representative of Paraguay, you have the floor.

Thank you. We congratulate you, Ambassador Larson, on your appointment to lead this committee. Chair, for Paraguay, the promotion and protection of human rights is based on a fundamental principle, which is respect for human dignity. Our constitution clearly includes principles which are essential for our country: liberty, equality, justice, democracy, and the rule of law. We also defend life from conception. We support the family as the fundamental unit of society and we reaffirm respect for sovereignty of states. These are principles that are consistent with our position in this committee, but they should also be reflected in our national policies, because human rights are ultimately made effective, as has already been said in this room, in the daily lives of individuals when they are able to access good food, study, work, have a home, live without violence, and enjoy opportunities to be able to move forward. Paraguay also believes in dialogue and in cooperation in the area of human rights. In May, we participated in our fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. We did so openly, presenting the progress that has been achieved and also acknowledging the challenges that still lie ahead of us. We have no problem in talking about our progress, nor do we have any problem in recognizing what still needs to be done. We understand that that is where the value of these mechanisms lies, to contribute to helping countries improve. For that same reason, Paraguay maintains an open standing invitation to the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and will continue to cooperate with the United Nations system in an uninterrupted way. As we understand it, this cooperation should be based on dialogue, respect and consideration for the different national realities. Above all, it should serve to strengthen countries' capacities. Chair, for Paraguay, economic growth means something when it turns into better living conditions. In the year 2025, we reduced overall poverty by 16% and extreme poverty to 2.4%. These are the lowest levels seen in the history of our country. It is an important milestone, but we know that a lot still needs to be done. Our priority is now to keep creating conditions so that more Paraguayans can make progress based on their own efforts and to ensure that those who are in the greatest vulnerability have the support that they need. The Zero Hunger in Schools program today ensures that more than a million pupils in 263 districts in the country have food. In addition to improving the school feeding of our children, it also helps make sure that they stay in school and generates important momentum in local economies. Through a program named after Wagadani word, our second language, this program supports vulnerable families. There is also a universal pension for older adults, which reaches more than 300,000 people. Around 450,000 housing solutions have been provided across the country, primarily for families that need that support. The aim of those policies is not only to provide assistance; we also want to create conditions to ensure that people have more opportunities, better autonomy and better opportunities to get ahead. Similarly, this same criteria guides our work with persons with disabilities. During the same period, the National Office provided services to many users and more than 14,000 people gained access to social protection services and job opportunities, education and housing opportunities. We are also expanding opportunities for women and strengthening prevention and response to violence. Between July 2025 and April 2026, more than 17,000 women gained access to production credits for micro-entrepreneurship, and more than 1,500 received care in specialised prevention, care and protection services. Children, teenagers and young people also have a central role and position in our public policies. Paraguay has been strengthening early childhood work and strengthening activities to prevent violence, abuse, exploitation and child labour. We are making progress on the implementation of 50 comprehensive early child care centers. At the same time, the Abiratho Embrace program in the recent period reached more than 3,700 boys, girls, and teenagers. Young people also face a challenge in terms of creating opportunities for them through government fellowships. More than 1,600 young people from 17 departments have been able to access university and training opportunities. And that is on top of initiatives such as Connected Youth, which aims to strengthen capacities which are today needed in order to access employment and jobs, above all, decent jobs. I also wish to mention, Chair, indigenous peoples. They are an essential part of the identity and cultural diversity of Paraguay. Our country continues to work to guarantee their rights, to improve their living conditions, and to facilitate access to basic services and opportunities, while always respecting their cultures, their languages, and their traditions. In the most recent period, more than 400 indigenous families gained access to legal land rights of their territories, and 83 communities benefited from water access and community infrastructure projects. Another subject of concern to us, in particular, is the global drug problem. Paraguay believes it is necessary to maintain a balanced approach, working on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and at the same time firmly combating illicit smuggling and organised crime. For a country such as ours, this is a question that requires international cooperation and, above all, shared responsibility. Chair, Paraguay does not assert that all of these problems and challenges have been resolved. We have progress to show off and also problems that still need to be solved. The important thing for us is to keep moving forward. We believe in international cooperation and we believe in multilateralism, but we also understand that the primary responsibility for protecting the rights of persons lies with each state. International cooperation must support and strengthen those efforts. Most certainly, human rights are not only measured based on the norms or the laws or resolutions that we adopt in this and many other rooms and contexts. They are first and foremost measured by what happens in people's daily lives. For that reason, Paraguay will continue to participate intensively in the work of this committee with an openness to dialogue, defending its principles and pursuing consensus that will allow us to all move forward. Thank you very much.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Paraguay, and I pass the representative of Cameroon, followed by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova. Cameroon, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor. First of all, I would like to echo the previous speakers who have congratulated you on your election to chair this Committee for this session. And by you, I'd like to congratulate the members of the Bureau too. You can count on the support and full cooperation of my delegation in your functions. Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, on human rights, Cameroon reiterates its unwavering conviction that they can find their source and universality in the fact that each of us is the embodiment of the entire human condition. This is a factor for the human dignity which cannot be eroded. Yes, these rights are indivisible, complementary and therefore need to be addressed on equal footing. But yes, also these rights happen in a time and a space, at a given time and space, and that also marks our identity. This is our cultural DNA that we need to take into account in how we practice human rights. No element of a culture could be made universal as some would like to see happen in this the third committee. Thus my delegation rejects any form of weaponization of human rights for political purposes and reaffirms economic, social and cultural rights as key drivers and key vectors for all other rights in the same vein for Cameroon. institution of the family merits protection as part of article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it is this unit born from the union between a man and a woman, the sex is what is given to the child upon birth and any other approach than the traditional one contributes to fragilizing the protection and decadence which is accentuated by some currents who want to reduce the natural authority that parents have over their children. It is therefore worrying to observe that at the United Nations, several attempts have been made to reduce and devalue the importance of the family. On different levels, the authority of parents and legal guardians is called into question. We promise independence and the autonomy of children from the youngest age, encouraging them to have access to some services, including those that have repercussions throughout their whole lives and the parents do not know about this. No other institution is so fundamental and the traditional family needs protection. It is therefore crucial to strengthen the primacy of parental authority in raising their children, particularly in terms of sexual orientation, reproductive and sexual health, to choose the system of values that they wish to share with them and also to have opportunity to look at what is provided to their children in all areas of life, particularly in a context where the development of ICTs and the increase of AI and social networks, all of this could be dangerous if they are not used correctly. As a crucial pillar of the family in its traditional sense, women, much like children, are paid particular attention to in Cameroon. The operational and normative framework that is dedicated to protecting them and promoting their rights is part of our constant will on the part of our state to guarantee the promotion of human rights. It seeks to guarantee that women and girls enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men and boys in all aspects of life. Through The 94 centers of promotion of women and the family across the whole national or whole country government offers women and girls skills in entrepreneurship. Project and project management, these are incubation spaces specialized in ICT for example, dressmaking aesthetics. hairdressing, hotelery, and restaurants.

Commitment to combating all forms of violations of human dignity, Cameroon wishes to condemn the racist and discriminatory rhetoric, stances, and practice that continue to subtly permeate relations between nations, perpetuating economic and social disparities, as well as conflict. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action recommend, among other things, taking robust measures to combat racism and racial discrimination. They recognize slavery and, above all, the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity. They also acknowledge that racism is a consequence of colonialism, the effect of which perpetuates social and economic inequalities, particularly in Africa. Painful as it may be for some, or shameful for others, The colonial and slave trading past, which lies at the root of racism against black people, must be confronted, as this form of human rights violations undermine our collective efforts to leave no one behind in accordance with the 2030 agenda. How can we address the past in order to move forward? history, justice, and education. knowing, acknowledging, and taking responsibility for the wrongs of the past, finding true reparation, a way to redress the injustices caused by the transatlantic slave trade and colonization, and fostering understanding, tolerance, and friendship throughout education. Unfortunately, action of this kind are exceedingly rare, and there is still a long way to go until full acknowledgement and responsibility in slavery and colonization are made by some, expression of apologies or regret, not to mention the idea of reparation to the victims being envisaged. However, alongside the recommendation of the political declaration of the recently convened high-level meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration of Program of Action, the overwhelmingly approved resolution on the declaration of the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity, adopted on March 25th, 2026 by the General Assembly, on the valuable leadership of Ghana, is a step forward in moving global discourse on slavery beyond symbolic acknowledgement towards institutional accountability, reparatory justice, and safeguarding historical truth. We must therefore resolutely address the issues of reparation as a matter of human and social justice including through the various reforms to undertake at the international stage to redress the wrong done as well as the recognition and implementation of the right to development. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, promoting the right to development is a shared responsibility among communities and nations calling for international cooperation and solidarity. As the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee has maintained, A legally binding instrument on the right to development is important because it would enable States to promote their effective development while improving the living conditions of their populations. Realizing this right is therefore relevant and necessary for the respect, protection and fulfilment of all other human rights. It is essential then to overcome political divides, transcend the debate and focus on practical measures to implement the Declaration on the Right to Development and adopt the Convention on the Right to Development in line with the call of various delegation during the high level meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development held on the 23rd of September 2026. Mr. Chair, in this collective In its collective dimension, the right to development asks for only one thing: to prevent the international system from becoming an obstacle to the development efforts of poor countries. This is why my country fervently calls for the adoption of a legally binding international convention on the right to development, a true catalyst for the promotion of all human rights that will mark the history of international law, the history of humanity as a whole. May we not stand as an obstacle to the positive evolution of our history. Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, last but by no means least, while acknowledging for a second consecutive year that the exceptional working arrangements of the committee decided during last session are still in effect, my delegation is looking forward as early as possible to the restoration of the format of discussion as adopted by resolution 79192 on the working methods and looks forward to the development of the roadmap with the Human Rights Council to further decrease the number of special procedures addressing the Third Committee to avoid duplication and overlapping in UN work, as well as turning the Third Committee into a Human Rights Council base. And with that, I thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the representative of Cameroon. And now, in our last speaker for today, the permanent representative of the Republic of Moldova. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Allow me at the outset to extend my warmest regards on your election to preside over this committee in its current session. Your guidance will undoubtedly contribute to fostering an open, substantive, and solution-oriented dialogue with the committee while facilitating constructive engagement among delegations and advancing our common objectives. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we have an important opportunity to reflect on on the achieved progress in advancing human rights, but also on the lessons we must carry forward. The fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have not changed. What has evolved is our understanding of their scope and effective protection. Over eight decades, we have deepened our understanding of the independence of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, and have recognized that human rights are universal because every person, without distinction, is entitled to dignity, equality, and freedom. For the Republic of Moldova, human rights are not merely abstract principles. but enduring values protected not by declaration alone, but by institutions and function, laws that are respected, and societies in which people can exercise their rights without fear. Moldova's approach is centered on free, mutual, and enforcing elements, strong institutions, meaningful participation, and accountability in an increasingly complex security and information environment. We have invested in strengthening the national architecture for the protection of human rights. Our national human rights institution is accredited with a status under the Paris Principles. while the protection of children's rights is supported by the People's Advocate, a dedicated ombudsman for children's rights, and the Children's Advisory Council. This mechanism matters because international commitments acquire real meaning only when individuals have institutions to which they can turn when their rights are violated. We have also sought to ensure that participation in public life is not limited to those who already have influence. Young people play an important part in advancing this effort. Moldova has strengthened its youth law, adopted the youth sector development strategy, Youth 2030, and established the National Agency for Youth. These measures are intended to move youth participation beyond consultation and towards meaningful involvement in decision making. With respect to women's rights, the Republic of Moldova has introduced a minimum of 40% quota for women's representation on the list of parties, candidates, and cabinet nominees, while women participation in national decision making has continued to advance, including through the election of the country's first woman president in 2020. We stand strong in our commitment to advancing gender equality and women's leadership in public life. At the international level, Moldova women are increasingly contributing to peace and security through participation in core and in field peacekeeping missions. These developments represent more than indicators of progress. They embody the quality and inclusiveness of institutions themselves. Mr. Chair, another area where the protection of human rights is being tested in real time is the digital environment. Technology can expand access to information, education, and participation, but it can also create new vulnerabilities, particularly for children and young people, and can be exploited to undermine trust in democratic institutions. The Republic of Moldova has devoted its resources towards such elements as information integrity, media and information literacy, and human-centered digital transformation as international engagement. During the presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, this issue featured among our priorities alongside addressing disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference. Through our engagement in UNESCO, we have also promoted ethical governance of artificial intelligence and media and information literacy. Our position is clear. Technological innovation cannot be separated from responsibility. Artificial intelligence must remain subject to principles of transparency, accountability, human dignity, and fundamental rights. Moldova supports the implementation of UNESCO's recommendation of ethics and artificial intelligence and the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law. At the same time, the digital environment requires stronger protection for those most vulnerable to abuse. The Republic of Moldova will continue supporting international efforts against online child sexual exploitation and abuse, while promoting safer digital space for children and young people. This is an area where international cooperation is indispensable. Digital threats do not stop at national borders, and neither should our efforts to protect dignity. Excellencies, the Republic of Moldova commitment to human rights is also reflected in our engagement with international mechanisms. Our experts, human rights defenders, continue to work on the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee against Torture, and the Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture. I will shorten a little bit my, Mr. Chair, The Republic of Moldova is equally committed to preventing the linguistic and cultural diversity and identity of minority groups. Respect for identity, language, and culture is an integral part of building and for the identity, language, and culture is the integral part of building of inclusive society. The Republic will also continue supporting the annual resolution of situation of human rights on the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Our position is grounded in a broader principle that when violations become systematic and accountability is absent, credibility of the international human rights system itself, it puts on risk. The Republic of Moldova will also support the biennial resolution on the intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. For my country, the protection of women and girls from violence is not an abstract commitment, but a matter of concrete national actions. Moreover, the Republic of Moldova will remain engaged in supporting the implementation of the resolution of moratorium of use of the youth penalty. Beyond all these priorities, the Republic of Moldova will engage constructively in a broad range of issues before the Third Committee, including the advancing of women and children rights, the rights of persons with disability, the protection of refugees, human rights, digital environment, freedom of religion and belief, and on other important topics. So I thank you.

I thank the permanent representative of Moldova. That concludes our list of speakers for today's meeting, noting that the committee will continue its general debate under any or all agenda items tomorrow. 00 AM sharp. I note that two delegations have requested a right of reply. The request has been made in accordance with rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, and I would remind delegations that the number of interventions in exercise of the right of reply for any delegation at a given meeting should be limited to two per item. The first intervention should be limited to five minutes and the second to three minutes. With that understood, I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation. Russian Federation, you have the floor. Microphone for Russian Federation, please.

Thank you, Chair. The majority of speakers this morning spoke out about increasing the effectiveness of the Committee. and constructive participation in its work without politicization and double standards. However, the delegation of the European Union and some European countries in their national capacity in the very first statement at this session made it clear that their work is not going to be guided, is actually going to be guided by the ideas of Russophobia. And the use of this platform to spread lies and endless reproductions of the same propaganda anti-Russian cliches is no surprise anymore. But what is surprising is the hypocrisy that the EU uses when it accuses Russia of aggression, as if doing everything it can to drag itself into the Ukrainian crisis. Their ongoing weapons supply used to violate international humanitarian law and target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Russia. The recent migration decision of the EU to return Ukrainians home. And it seems this is supposed to address some issues to reduce the budget spending on refugees and also source the out supply the Ukrainian armed forces. It's surprising the groundless accusations about deportation of Ukrainian children too, against the backdrop of a situation where in 2022, the European Commission itself spoke about finding 23,000 unaccompanied or separated from the family children in Europe. And the real figures could be a lot higher. However, no one's crying from the rooftops that perhaps these children are not there voluntarily. No one's interested about data about the specific location or status of them. No one's checking if they're being educated in their mother tongue. And have they got any cultural education ties? This is your, is there any work going on to reunify families? And in Russia, there is. There's a question about the position about, questions about the EU position, I could go on. But we trust that in the future of the work of our committee, the work won't be made more complicated by this kind of political consideration. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Russian Federation. My next speaker, By way of right of reply is the representative of Turkey. Turkey, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am taking the floor in reply to certain delegations who brought up baseless allegations against my country. Turkish Cypriot people, co-founders of the 1960 partnership state, were forced out of government institutions and legislative and judiciary organs of Cyprus in 1963. Turkish Cypriot people throughout the island had to flee their homes out of fear for their lives in the face of Greek Cypriot onslaught which lasted for 11 years. Atrocities, that amount of ethnic cleansing against Turkish Cypriots are well documented in the UN archives. Consequently, AMFISIP was deployed on the island back in 1964. Regarding the issue of missing persons, hundreds of Turkish Cypriots went missing between 1963 to 1974 as a result of systematic ethnic cleansing campaign against them. The issue is misleadingly portrayed as if it only affected Greek Cypriots. Turkish Cypriots are taking necessary steps to ensure that the work of Committee on the Missing Persons proceeds unhindered. On the issue of cultural heritage, the Greek Cypriot administration since 1963 has been pursuing a policy of eradicating all traces of Turkish Islamic heritage of Cyprus. During the period of 1963 to 1974, mosques and other holy sites in Turkish villages all around the island were destroyed by the Greek Cypriots. Let me also kindly remind that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have established a joint technical committee to address the cultural heritage issue, which carried out significant projects related to the sites on both parts of the island. With regard to allegations on the rights of property, the Immovable Property Commission is in charge to consider the applications regarding the property claims in any property left by the Greek Cypriots in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Commission provides an effective domestic remedy for these claims and is recognised by the European Court of Human Rights as such. Mr. Chair, we categorically reject all the baseless allegations of the Greek Cypriot administration. These baseless allegations shall be answered by their very counterpart, namely the Turkish Cypriot side, whose voice unfortunately cannot be heard at this platform. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Turkey. I have a couple of other delegations on my list. The next delegation who wishes to exercise the right of reply is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor. The DPRK exercises the right of reply concerning with the remarks made by the EU delegation this morning on submitting anti-DPRK human rights resolution again this year. The resolution, orchestrated by countries blinded by their deep-rooted hostility against the DPRK, is a complete fabrication. It is a politically motivated document of plots and slanders that totally distorts our genuine human rights policy. The anti-DPRK human rights racket routinely staged by the EU does not represent the international community. Targeting individual countries is a selective and hostile act. It directly violates the UN Charter, which explicitly guarantees sovereign equality and non-interference. The UN human rights arena must be a platform for dialogue and cooperation based on respect for sovereignty. It is not a forum for confrontation where the EU can attack a sovereign state to achieve its own impure political motives. For over 20 years, the adoption of this entity PRK resolution has laid bare a deplorable reality. If the EU truly cares about human rights, it must stop using them as a tool for pressure. Instead, It should initiate resolutions to address the grave crimes against humanity caused by state-sponsored terrorism and violations of sovereignty. Today's remark by the EU representative proved that their hostile policy remains entirely unchanged. They seek to weaponize human rights to infringe upon our sovereignty, our political system, and our security. This only reaffirms the absolute truth Defending state sovereignty is precisely the defense of human rights. We will, as ever, firmly unite with the righteous forces of the international community who value sovereign equality. Together, we will advance forward for genuine human rights protection. Thank you, President.

Thank you, DPRK. I have the European Union seeking the floor, followed by Cyprus. European Union, you have the floor. Sorry, microphone to EU, please.

Thank you, Chair. The European Union rejects the allegations made by Turkey with regard to the Republic of Cyprus and records resolution 541 1983 and 550 1984, in which the UN Security Council calls upon all states to respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus. The Security Council resolutions are calling for all states not to recognize any separate states other than the Republic of Cyprus. The EU recognizes only the Republic of Cyprus as a subject of international law in accordance with the respective UN Security Council resolutions. The US repeatedly stressed that Turkey must normalize its relations with the Republic of Cyprus. The EU remains fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem within the UN framework, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council

resolutions and in line with the principles on which the Union is founded and their key.

I thank you, Chair.

Thank you, EU. I have Cyprus next on my list. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Further to the statement delivered by the European Union, with which Cyprus fully aligns, I am compelled to exercise the right of reply to the remarks made by Turkey. It is deeply regrettable that the Turkish delegation persists in using arbitrary names it has unilaterally coined. I wish to stress the importance of according respect to all Member States in this Hall and addressing them solely by their official name. Cyprus, which today proudly celebrates its independence, is a Member State of the United Nations, the only recognized State on the island, in accordance with international law and Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550. The international community has no doubts: the Republic of Cyprus represents and will continue to represent the whole of Cyprus and all Cypriots. The remarks made by Turkey are objectionable, both on grounds and relevance. Human rights violations in Cyprus stem directly from the Turkish military invasion and continuing illegal occupation of the northern part of the island, an action inherently unlawful and in clear contravention of international law and the UN Charter. It is both regrettable and provocative that Turkey continues its attempts to distort historical reality with respect to its invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and its ongoing illegal occupation. Mr. Chair, hundreds of Cypriots remain missing to this day. Turkey continues to withhold information held in its military archives concerning their fates and whereabouts. We underscore the urgent need for Turkey to cooperate generally with the Committee on Missing Persons, including by providing unhindered access to all military areas in the occupied part of Cyprus. This would greatly expedite this humanitarian process and bring long-awaited answers to families who still suffer. Regarding the protection of cultural heritage, I reject all claims made by the Turkish representative aiming at distorting reality. The rich heritage of Cyprus has been looted, vandalized and destroyed since 1974 in the occupied areas by Turkey, including the looting and desecration of more than 500 Orthodox, Armenian and Maronite churches, including Greek Cypriot cemeteries. Mr. Chair, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus remains steadfast in its commitment to protect and promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots. irrespective of ethnic origin, race, gender, civil or family status, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability. It is our sincere hope that negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question on the agreed basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation as prescribed by the Security Council will resume at the earliest opportunity and lead to a mutually agreed settlement. Such a settlement would pave the way for the full protection and promotion of the human rights of all Cypriots and enable them to enjoy these rights in a reunified Cyprus. I thank you.

Thank you, Cyprus. I have no other delegation seeking the floor by way of right of reply. Any delegation who wishes to do so should indicate their interest in doing so now. In the absence of any such interest, I will adjourn the meeting for this evening and look forward to resuming tomorrow at 10am sharp. The meeting is adjourned. Thank you.