On International Human Rights Day, the Foreign Ministry confirmed the central role of the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Italy’s international action.
As a committed member of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, our country is at the forefront of the protection of fundamental rights in all fields. We continue to be at the forefront of the international campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty, alongside Italian civil society: together, we will continue our common commitment to mobilise governments around the world to halt executions.
Italy is also very active in the fight against all forms of violence against women: we play a leading role in the struggle against female genital mutilation, both through UN resolutions and by funding international campaigns and programmes to eradicate this unacceptable practice, which – according to the latest estimates by UNICEF – still affects about 200 million women, girls and children worldwide.
Children’s rights are also an absolute priority of Italy’s international action, especially in favour of children who find themselves in vulnerable situations, such as child soldiers and child brides. Since the latest International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (December 2019), we have launched a wide-ranging campaign to protect the safety and rights of children in situations of armed conflict, providing humanitarian and health assistance, education, and training.
