Annual report
2023
It has been 75 years since the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Drafted in the immediate aftermath of the horrors of the Second World War, its proclamation marks a historic achievement. And yet almost daily, we can see that its realization remains incomplete: international crimes committed in conflicts and by authoritarian regimes; exploitation in global supply chains; lawlessness at Europe’s borders. The existence of human rights is not a foregone conclusion; rather, they must be defended and fought for again and again. Enforcing human rights requires perseverance, collective action – and, in no small part, our solidarity.
We would be delighted if you took the time to read our annual report to find out what we achieved in 2022, together with those affected and our global partner network – and also thanks to your support.
In her project My Fascist Grandpa, the Italian artist and photographer Laura Fiorio – whose work accompanies this annual report – focuses on Italy’s fascist and colonial past in what is now Ethiopia through the lens of private family histories. Through her work, she met the Ethiopian-American author Maaza Mengiste, who wrote the novel The Shadow King. Excerpts of the conversation between them and ECCHR General Secretary Wolfgang Kaleck are included in this year’s annual report. You can also listen to the entire discussion in our podcast series Framing Human Rights on Spotify.
The attached world map with selected ECCHR cases and projects can be downloaded here.
