United Nations
On 14 December 1955, Italy became a Member State of the United Nations by acceding to its Charter. This marked the beginning of a long history of cooperation with, support for and encouragement of the UN’s activities, reflecting the multilateral approach that characterises Italian foreign policy. For 70 years, Italy has participated in the work of the United Nations with growing commitment, contributing to the pursuit of the Charter’s principles and objectives, from maintaining international peace and security to promoting and protecting human rights and advancing sustainable development.
Within the United Nations, the main forums addressing human rights issues are the General Assembly’s Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues (Third Committee), based in New York, and the Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. These are two key forums for promoting, monitoring and developing international standards aimed at ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Each year, the General Assembly’s Third Committee examines more than 70 draft resolutions on human rights which, once negotiated and approved, are submitted to the General Assembly for final adoption. Throughout its seven decades as a member of the Organisation, Italy has actively participated in these negotiations and contributed resolutely to drafting resolutions that have brought about major advances in international standards, both legally binding and in the field of soft law. Campaigns for a universal moratorium on the death penalty, efforts to promote gender equality and the rights of women and girls, and initiatives to combat all forms of religious discrimination and uphold freedom of opinion are among the issues on which Italy has played a leading role. Thanks in part to Italy’s sustained mediation efforts, differences between countries’ positions have gradually narrowed, bringing their stances closer and broadening consensus among UN Member States on many issues.
The Human Rights Council is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly, established by Resolution No. 60/251 of 2006 to replace the former Commission on Human Rights. Its mandate is to promote and protect fundamental rights worldwide, address violations and foster coordination on human rights issues across the relevant UN bodies. The Council consists of 47 Member States, elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms on the basis of equitable geographical distribution. It holds three regular sessions each year, in March, June and September, as well as special sessions convened at the request of one third of its members.
Italy has been elected as a full member of the Council for the 2026–2028 term within the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), having previously served in 2008–2010, 2012–2014 and 2019–2021 terms. During its current term, Italy intends to contribute constructively to the Council’s work, including through active participation in and support for its mechanisms, particularly the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Italy’s action in the Human Rights Council during the 2026–2028 term focuses on several thematic priorities: combating racism, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination and violence; promoting gender equality; protecting the rights of children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups; advancing a universal moratorium on the death penalty; protecting freedom of expression and religion; combating trafficking in human beings; safeguarding cultural and religious heritage; and supporting human rights defenders. Italy’s approach is based on dialogue, mediation and building alliances with countries from other regional groups, with a view to promoting the broadest possible protection of fundamental rights.
As evidence of its commitment, Italy is a party to all the major international human rights conventions adopted within the UN framework, including: the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, together with their Optional Protocols; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol; the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol; the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its three Optional Protocols; the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.
Within the United Nations system, Italy supports the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), whose mandate includes strengthening the coordination and effectiveness of UN human rights bodies. Italy is committed to safeguarding the Office’s independence and also supports its activities through financial contributions to its programmes. Italy further cooperates with UN Independent Experts and Special Rapporteurs on thematic issues and country situations relating to human rights. It actively participates in the work of the UN Treaty bodies responsible for monitoring the implementation of the international conventions to which it is a party, providing information and regularly submitting the periodic reports required under those conventions.
European Union
The European Union is not merely an association of countries cooperating in areas of mutual interest, but also a community of values. In particular, it “is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities”, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
Against this background, on 7 December 2000 the European institutions adopted the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which acquired the same legal value as the Treaties upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The Union thus established a central legal benchmark for fundamental rights. Their protection and promotion extend both to domestic law and State policies and to the Union’s external action, guiding its relations with third countries and its participation in other international organisations.
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), established in 2007 and based in Vienna, plays a central role in protecting human rights within the EU. It provides assistance and advice to European institutions and national authorities in implementing Union law, while also supporting Member States and institutions in developing effective measures and initiatives on fundamental rights.
At the international level, Italy, as a Member State of the European Union, contributes to shaping and implementing the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020–2024, extended until 2027, through its participation in the Council’s work and its diplomatic action. The Action Plan provides the EU’s strategic framework for promoting human rights and democratic values worldwide. It covers five priority areas, including protecting individuals, strengthening democracy, addressing new technologies and fostering international cooperation, with particular emphasis on supporting media freedom, countering disinformation, and promoting gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities.
Council of Europe
Italy, one of the founding countries of the Council of Europe, remains one of its main pillars and is among the largest contributors to the Organisation’s budget. Since its establishment in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Council of Europe has served as a key forum for promoting and safeguarding the continent’s fundamental values, including democracy, human rights and European cultural identity, and for developing shared responses to the major social challenges facing Europe.
Under the auspices of the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was signed in Rome on 4 November 1950. It established an unprecedented system of international protection, still regarded today as the world’s most advanced regional system for protecting human rights. The monitoring system established under the ECHR, and particularly the distinctive role of the European Court of Human Rights, enables individuals whose fundamental rights have been violated to seek judicial review of compliance with those rights by lodging an appeal with the Court. This power is reinforced by one of the system’s cornerstone principles: the binding force of the Strasbourg Court’s judgments on Member States, which are required to comply with and implement them within their domestic legal systems.
Productive cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights made it possible to drastically reduce the number of Italian pending appeals, from approximately 14,400 at the end of 2013 to 2,788 as of 1 July 2026, a decrease of around 81%. This has been achieved through the secondment of Italian magistrates to the Court’s Registry and an agreement with the Prime Minister’s Office, renewed for the period 2026–2029, to fund four temporary posts for Italian legal officers.
Particularly significant institutions operating within the Council of Europe include the Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission. The Commissioner, an independent and impartial institution, is mandated to promote respect for human rights in the Council of Europe’s 47 Member States through ongoing dialogue with their respective authorities, with a view to encouraging the development of national structures for the protection of human rights.
The Venice Commission provides legal advice to Council of Europe’s Member States, assisting them in bringing their legal and institutional structures into line with European and international standards on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Established in 1990, the Commission consists of “independent experts who have achieved international eminence through their experience in democratic institutions or by their contribution to the enhancement of law and political science”. Since December 2025, the Commission has been chaired by Italian Professor Marta Cartabia; another Italian member is Professor Cesare Pinelli from Rome University La Sapienza.
OSCE
The human dimension – encompassing issues relating to human rights, democratisation and the rule of law – has always played a central role in the activities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The Organisation’s main institution for promoting the human dimension is the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), based in Warsaw. In addition to providing assistance in protecting human rights, conducting election observation and offering legal and constitutional advice in countries undergoing transition, ODIHR organises the annual Warsaw Human Dimension Conference in cooperation with the Presidency-in-Office. This is the OSCE’s foremost gathering on human rights and democracy, attended by delegations from the Organisation’s 57 Member States, hundreds of NGOs and representatives of civil society. Equally important are the roles of the High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Representative on Freedom of the Media, whose mandate includes coordinating efforts to defend the freedom and independence of journalists and media professionals across the OSCE region.
During its 2018 OSCE Presidency, Italy opened the Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism, which has since become one of the events traditionally organised by each Presidency-in-Office. Italy also funded the development of a practical guide on hate crimes against Christians, published by ODIHR in July 2025: Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities — A Practical Guide.