Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday it is regrettable that there are still places in the world where people are persecuted and the right to life, which is among the most fundamental human rights, is not respected, in his message he delivered for the 65th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Anadolu Agency reported.
Reminding that Turkey, as the founding member of the UN and one of the first countries to sign the declaration, approaches the protection and promotion of human rights from a universal viewpoint, Davotglu said, "From this standpoint, while working with determination on human rights reforms so as to extend the fundamental rights and freedoms of our citizens, strengthening of international cooperation and raising awareness within the international community for the elimination of human rights violations throughout the world constitute our key priorities."
The international standards governing human rights and the basic international human rights conventions have laid the ground for the comprehensive reforms in Turkey in order to address our citizens' democratic requests and expectations and to ensure that fundamental rights and freedoms are fully respected, underlined Davutoglu.
"Besides civil and political rights, the rules and values for the protection and promotion of economic, social and cultural rights, combating racism and all forms of discrimination, respecting gender equality and children's rights, elimination of torture and ill-treatment and safeguarding the rights of the disabled and immigrants form the foundation of basic human rights conventions," added the minister.
Touching upon the the theme of this year's anniversary as the commemoration of the 20th year of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which was adopted in 1993 at the World Conference on Human Rights, Davutoglu said, "The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) created by this Declaration, is an important agency working for the protection and promotion of human rights. Turkey, with its firm policy for the protection and promotion of human rights, will continue international cooperation, primarily with the OHCHR and constructive contribution to the advancement of human rights at the international level."
Davutoglu underlined that the recent rise in xenophobia and discrimination on grounds of religion and belief has become a threat which in fact concerns all societies. Hate speech against immigrants and groups following a certain religion or belief has increased to noticeable levels in the world, reminded Davutoglu.
"Turkey will maintain her resolute stance for combating human rights violations and the problems that are threats to international peace, security and welfare," concluded the Minister Davutoglu.
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