The cost is staggering, as made clear in the reports my Office presented during this session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and beyond, civilians are enduring horrific and preventable suffering, due to clear violations of the laws of war. This is harm that will shape generations to come.
Centuries of human experience have shown us, time and again, that when laws are cast aside, violence escalates, uncontrolled. When rights are denied, the strong do what they will, while the most vulnerable suffer.
This is why justice, grounded in the equal rights of all people, remains our strongest defense against unrestrained force, exploitation and abuse.
And it is human rights that show us the way forward: out of war, grievance, despair, and toward societies that are more secure, just, and resilient.
In the face of escalating violence, we need global leadership that defends human rights and international law consistently, in every crisis, for every person.
At hashtag#HRC59, I urged leaders to take a hard look at where we stand — and where we are headed.
Let our decisions and choices reflect what this moment demands: a clear, unwavering defense of human rights, and of the international law built to uphold them.
