Activities of Fabio Massimo CASTALDO related to 2019/2125(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Annual report 2018 on the human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union's policy on the matter (debate)
Amendments (30)
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
– having regard to the EU Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons, adopted on 24 June 2013,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
– having regard to the Yogyakarta Principles (‘Principles and State Obligations on the Application of International Human Rights Law in Relation to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics’) adopted in November 2006, and the 10 complementary principles (‘plus 10’) adopted on 10 November 2017,
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 14 February 2018 on the future of the LGBTI List of Actions (2019-2024) (2019/2573(RSP)),
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas environmental emergencies, including global warming and deforestation of millenary rainforest are a direct result of deliberate human policy choices and constitute a human rights violation not only for the people directly affected by loss of their homes and habitats, but also to humanity as a whole and highlights the importance of recognising the link between human rights, health and environmental protection;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its deep concern at the attacks on democracy and the rule of law worldwide in 2018, which reflect the rise of authoritarianism as a political project, embodying disregard for human rights, repression of dissent, politicised justice and predetermined elections, shrinking space for civil society to operate, as well as limiting freedom of assembly and freedom of expression; is of the opinion that countries falling into authoritarian regimes become more vulnerable to instability, conflict, corruption and violent extremism; welcomes the fact that, at the same time, a number of countries have launched peace and democratisation processes, implemented constitutional and judicial reforms, and engaged with civil society in open and public debates with the objective of promoting fundamental freedoms and human rights, including the abolition of the death penalty;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Express its deep concern that in addition to countries where democracy, human rights and the rule of law have been under threat, there still exists regimes that deny the very existence of universal human rights enshrined in international law, where even the most basic rights are arbitrarily bestowed or removed as if they were privileges by absolute authority of the State, where large segments of their population, including in particular women or minorities, are systematically denied any standing, and yet the regimes are given equal standing in the brotherhood of nations, legitimising the total denial of human rights as a method of government;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Reminds that there can be no hierarchy of human rights; stresses the need to ensure full respect for, and adherence to, the principle that human rights are universal and inalienable, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated; stresses the severe unacceptability of attempts to use the rights of certain groups to justify the marginalisation of others;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Denounces the pushback against multilateralism and the rule-based international order that poses a serious challenge to human rights worldwide; strongly believes in approaches and decisions taken in cooperation in a multilateral framework, particularly within the UN bodies and existing agreed negotiating formats within regional organizations such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as the most effective means of serving the interests of humanity, finding sustainable solutions to conflicts based on the norms and principles of international law, the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final act and fostering progress in the field of human rights;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is seriously concerned at the increase in the number of cases of murder, attacks and intimidation against people standing up for human rights throughout the world, in particular journalists, scholars, lawyers and civil society activists, inter alia women’s rights activists, environmental and land defenders, mainly in countries with high levels of corruption and a poor record of upholding the rule of law and judicial oversight; demands justice and accountability at the highest level of decision making for those attacks;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of advancing gender equality and women’s rights worldwide; emphasises that, in spite of progress, women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence; stresses that many societies still struggle to provide women and girls with equal rights under the law and equal access to education, healthcare, decent work and political and economic representation; points out, inter alia, female genital mutilations and child marriage among the most widespread and systematic violations of human rights;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that respecting and promoting the rights of the child, fighting against all manifestationkinds of abuse, neglect, the trafficking and exploitation of children, including the recruitment or use of child soldiers in armed conflict, and providing children with care and education are crucial to the future of humanity;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that respecting and promoting the rights of the child, fighting against all manifestations of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, the trafficking and exploitation of children, including the use of child soldiers in armed conflict, and providing children with care and education are crucial to the future of humanity;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Draws attention to instances of persecution and discrimination based on ethnicity, nationality, class, caste, religion, belief, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics and age, which remain rife in many countries and societies; is seriously concerned at the increasingly intolerant and hate-filled responses targeting people who are the victims of these human rights violations;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that freedom of speech and expression, as well as media pluralism, are at the heart of resilient democratic societies; urges that the best possible safeguards against hate speech, disinformation campaigns and hostile propaganda be put in place by developing a legal framework both at EU and international level for tackling hybrid threats, including cyber and information warfare;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that freedom of speech and expression, as well as media pluralism, are at the heart of resilient democratic societies; urges that the best possible safeguards against hate speech, disinformation campaigns and hostile propaganda be put in place by developing a legal framework both at EU and international level for tackling hybrid threats, including cyber and information warfare;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights that trade and human rights reinforce each other, and that the business community has an important role to play in offering positive incentives in terms of promoting human rights, democracy and corporate responsibility; reminds the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) of the need to make effective use of human rights clauses within international agreements, based on political dialogue, the regular assessment of progress and recourse to the consultation procedure upon request from a party; requests that robust implementation and monitoring mechanisms of human rights clauses be put in place, involving Parliament, national and local civil society and relevant international organisations, as well as establishing a complaints mechanism for groups of citizens and stakeholders who are affected by human rights violations;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses the link between the increase in human rights violations and widespread impunity and the lack of accountability in regions and countries devastated by conflicts or marked by politically motivated intimidation, discrimination, harassment and assault, abduction, violent policing, arbitrary arrests and cases of torture and killings; calls to support actions aimed at combating impunity and promote accountability especially in those regions where the dynamics of impunity reward those who bear the greatest responsibility and disempower victims;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses the link between the increase in human rights violations and widespread impunity and the lack of accountability in regions and countries devastated by conflicts or marked by politically motivated intimidation, discrimination, harassment and assault, abduction, violent policing, arbitrary arrests and cases of torture; stresses also that in conflicts, minorities and marginalised groups are often particularly severely impacted;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Recalls its resolutions denouncing specific responsibilities for conflicts that in 2018 have caused hundreds of children casualties, in the course of deliberate attacks against the civilian population and humanitarian infrastructures;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the initial discussions within the Council regarding the establishment of an EU human rights sanctions mechanism, the so-called ‘Magnitsky List’, allowing for targeted sanctions against individuals complicit in serious human rights violations; stresses the importance for this system to comply with EU mechanism of judicial review;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses the invaluable and essential role that HRDs play at the risk of their lives; recommends strengthening cooperation between the EU institutions and the Member States, enabling them to provide continuous support to HRDs; values the ‘ProtectDefenders.eu’ mechanism established to protect HRDs at grave risk; calls on the Council and the Commission to establish a specific coordinated procedure for awarding visas to HRDs; calls on the Commission to make full use of the financial capacity of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) to support HRDs, ensuring it is accessible and reaches those most in need, who are most marginalised;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for new EU initiatives to protect and promote the rights of the child, and to prevent and combat child abuse in the world, to rehabilitate and reintegrate conflict-affected children and to provide them with a sheltered environment in which care and education are fundamental; calls foron the EU to initiate an international movement to advocate the rights of the child, inter alia by organising an international conference on the protection of children in fragile environments;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for new EU initiatives to prevent and combat child abuse in the world, to rehabilitate conflict-affected children and children that suffer from multiple and intersectional discrimination, and to provide them with a sheltered environment in which care and education are fundamental; calls for the EU to initiate an international movement to advocate the rights of the child, inter alia by organising an international conference on the protection of children in fragile environments;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 8 a (new)
Subheading 8 a (new)
Rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Strongly supports the Commission List of actions to advance LGBTI equality and the Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons for external action from 2013, as important elements of the EU’s ongoing efforts to improve the human rights of LGBTI people, in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals; calls on the Commission/EEAS to continue the work on protecting and furthering the human rights of LGBTI people, by working closely with international organisations and non-EU countries, in order to combat discrimination and human rights violations, as well as support the development of legislation and policies protecting the human rights of LGBTI people worldwide;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Urges the Commission, the EEAS and the Member States to step up advocacy in relation to FoRB, including the right to change or renounce religion or belief and not to profess any, and to launch interreligious dialogue with states and representatives of civil society and faith groups in order to prevent acts of violence and discrimination against persons on the grounds of thought, conscience, religion or belief; calls for the EU to continue to forge alliances and to enhance cooperation with a broad range of countries and regional organisations, in order to deliver positive change in relation to FoRB; reminds the Council and Commission of the need to adequately support the institutional mandate, capacity and duties of the Special Envoy for the promotion of FoRB outside the EU;
Amendment 434 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes positive note of the GSP+ preference system as a means of stimulating the effective implementation of the 27 core international conventions on human rights and labour standards; acknowledges that global value chains contribute to enhancing international core labour, environmental and social standards, and represent an opportunity in terms of sustainable progress, particularly in developing countries and in countries at greater risk due to climate change;
Amendment 457 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Stresses the urgent need to tackle the root causes of migration flows such as wars, conflicts, persecution, networks of illegal migration, trafficking, smuggling, economic inequality and climate change; calls for the external dimension of the refugee crisis to be addressed, including by finding sustainable solutions to conflicts through building cooperation and partnerships with the third countries concerned; insists that the implementation of the Global Compacts on migration and refugees must therefore go hand in hand with the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda as set out in the Strategic Development Goals, as well as with increased investment in developing countries;
Amendment 476 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses that the EU should continue to actively support democratic and effective human rights institutions and civil society in their efforts to promote democratisation; reminds that human rights are a fundamental corner stone of democratisation processes; positively notes, in this context, the European Endowment for Democracy’s consistent engagement in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods of the EU to promote democracy and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms; recalls that the experience gained and the lessons learned from transitions to democracy in the framework of the enlargement and neighbourhood policies could make a positive contribution to the identification of best practices that could be used to support and consolidate other democratisation processes worldwide;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses that the EU should continue to actively support democratic and effective human rights institutions and civil society in their efforts to promote democratisation; positively notes, in this context, the European Endowment for Democracy’s consistent engagement in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods of the EU to promote democracy and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms; recalls that the experience gained and the lessons learned from transitions to democracy in the framework of the enlargement and neighbourhood policies could make a positive contribution to the identification of best practices that could be used to support and consolidate other democratisation processes worldwide; in this respect emphasises the role of education on human rights and democratisation as essential tool to reinforce these values both within and outside the European Union;