21.01.2025

For a Society Where Human Rights Apply to All!

Standing for Human Rights: The members of the forum at the annual retreat. Photo by: Forum Human Rights

From 16 to 18 January, 2025, the German Forum Human Rights held its annual retreat at the Evangelical Conference Centre “on the Holy Mountain” in Wuppertal. The United Evangelical Mission (UEM) is a member of this forum. The first thematic focus was addressed by Prof. Dr. Maren Urner. The neuroscientist from Münster, Germany, explained how emotions shape politics and how we can discuss human rights without excluding emotions from the discourse. This is also significant for the Forum Human Rights in terms of external communication.

Another focus was the upcoming German federal election in February. The Forum presented a total of 20 demands addressed to all political decision-makers. These demands begin with: “Every person has the right to a life free of violence.” They are followed by demands on social and climate policy issues. The Forum Human Rights encourages all voters to “vote for a society where human rights apply to all” in the federal election.

The Forum Human Rights was founded in Germany in 1994, following the United Nations Vienna Human Rights Conference in 1993, during a time of new beginnings. The network of more than 50 non-governmental organisations has been advocating for human rights ever since.

Commitment to Human Rights – Nationally and Globally

Today, the protection of human rights faces significant challenges due to global conflicts and wars. Rev. Dr. Jochen Motte, JPIC Officer of the UEM in Wuppertal, is a member of the coordination circle of the Forum and has contributed to the network’s work for several decades. Commenting on the current situation, he said: “The Forum adopted comprehensive human rights demands at its conference in Wuppertal, directed at political parties ahead of the federal election. It is essential to continue protecting human rights for all people who are threatened in Germany or globally and to advocate for them consistently and credibly.

The UEM particularly focuses on countries where UEM members have been and continue to be affected by severe human rights violations, such as in Sri Lanka, West Papua-Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Philippines.”