Activities of María Teresa GIMÉNEZ BARBAT related to 2016/2219(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Annual Report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter 2015 (debate) ES
Amendments (42)
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
- having regard to Article 25 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights on the rights of the elderly,
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 30 e (new)
Citation 30 e (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 11 December 2012 on a Digital Freedom Strategy in EU Foreign Policy1a, __________________ 1a Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0470.
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the promotion and safeguarding of the indivisibility and universality of human rights are cornerstones of the EU’'s foreign and security policies, as established by the "democratic clause" in all the EU agreements with third countries;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas only in 2015, 185 environmental human rights activists have been killed in the world, 66% of that total number coming specifically from Latin American countries;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K c (new)
Recital K c (new)
Kc. whereas many countries have recently passed strict NGO legislation that declare foreign organisations undesirable when deemed a threat to their constitutional order, defence or security;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K f (new)
Recital K f (new)
Kf. whereas travel bans to prevent human rights defenders from attending international events were used by a growing number of countries, particularly in Asia, the Middle East and Africa;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas justice is essential to advance respect for human rights, and the EU and its Member States have been unconditional supporters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since its inception, while promoting the universality of the Rome Statute and defending its integrity with the purpose of strengthening the Court’s independence;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
Recital R
R. whereas violence against and unlawful prosecution of LGBTI people continues in many places around the world, and discrimination in health care, education, employment and other sectors is widespread;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas reports of violations of civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights resulting from corporate behaviouras well as environmental damage resulting from malpractices by some private sector actors continue to be heard from around the world;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital T a (new)
Recital T a (new)
Ta. whereas in October 2015, the European Commission released its new trade strategy 'Trade for All', in which the Commission sets out its aim to use trade as a means to strengthen human rights in third countries;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital T b (new)
Recital T b (new)
Tb. whereas in 2015, the European Union started working on legislation to tackle the trade in minerals which fuels conflict;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Expresses its serious concern at the numerous, ever-increasing attempts made to shrink the space of civil society and human rights defenders, and the growing number of repressive laws adopted throughout the world, under the pretext of combating terrorism (through the introduction of counter-terrorism laws), emergency situations and security measures), whereas there is often a negative impact on human rights as well as frequent abuse of these laws for repression; calls on clear condemnation of these abuses and violations;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Draws attention to its long-term commitment to promote human rights and advance democratic values, as reflected, inter alia, in the annual award of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, in the work of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and in the monthly plenary debates and resolutions on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law; and the many parliamentary delegations;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Regrets that the work and the impact of the EUSR can only be partially assessed through the a review of the Annual Report on Human Rights, his Twitter account and available speeches; calls for a more systematic exchange of information on his activities, visits and plans;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Recalls the EU’s commitment to mainstream human rights and gender aspects in common security and defence policy missions, in line with the landmark UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on women, peace and security, and the recently adopted UN Security Council resolution 2242 making women a central component in all efforts to address global challenges; reiterates, in this context, its call on the EU and its Member States to support, in the process of building sustainable reconciliation, the systematic participation of women as a vital component of peace processes; calls, in this regard, on the EU to support, at the international level, the recognition of the added value of women’s participation in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, as well as in peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Calls for further European military integration to improve European armed forces' readiness and flexibility, to respond to threats and in cases of grave violations of human rights, genocide or ethnic cleansing; stresses, in this regard, that the concept of 'Responsibility to Protect' should be consolidated into international law and that the EU, as a community of values, should lead initiatives and meaningful actions to protect civilians also when they are threatened by their own state;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Underlines the need for EU leadership to push for reforms of the UN with the goal of strengthening the impact and the strength of the rules-based multilateral system, and of ensuring more efficient human rights protection and the advancing of international law;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Condemns that seats on the UNHRC are often occupied by countries with proven track record of grave human rights violations; calls on the EU to intensify its efforts to improve the credibility and effectiveness of the UNHRC;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Condemns the dramatic number of deaths at sea in the Mediterranean; is extremely concerned about the growing numbers of human rights abuses against migrants and asylum seekers on their route to Europe; highlightdeplores the weaknesses and systematic incoherence of the policies of the EU and the Member States in this area and stresses the need for a holistic approach to find long-term solutions;
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls on the Member States to respect and fully implement the adopted EU common asylum package and the common migration legislation, particularly to safeguard vulnerable asylum seekers, such as children, women and elderly people, against violence and discrimination during the asylum process; calls on the Member States to participate in resettlement programmes, giving access to family reunification and granting humanitarian visas;
Amendment 467 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Reaffirms the urgent need to act in a continuous, effective and coherent manner at all levels, including national, European and international, in order to effectively to address human rights abuses by international corporations when they appeaoccur, and to address the legal problems resulting from the extra-territorial dimension of companies and their conduct;
Amendment 479 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Amendment 482 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 d (new)
Paragraph 46 d (new)
46d. Notes the Commission's plans to strengthen European economic diplomacy; warns, in this regard, that economic diplomacy must not substitute the Union's long-standing policy to link market access and trade promotion and facilitation with other foreign policy goals such as respect for human rights and democratisation; stresses that the goal of trade policy must not only be economic opportunity for European businesses, but also sustainable growth in third countries;
Amendment 491 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48 a (new)
Paragraph 48 a (new)
48a. Further recommends that, whenever a gross breach of human rights occurs by a partner country with which an agreement has been concluded, the EU takes more effective steps in carrying out the appropriate sanctions as stipulated in the human rights clauses of the agreement, including (temporary) suspension of the agreement;
Amendment 504 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 b (new)
Paragraph 50 b (new)
50b. Calls on the Member States to exercise stricter and more human rights- based arms export controls, especially when it comes to countries with proven track records of violent internal repression and human rights violations;
Amendment 533 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Stresses the importance of not undermining the acquis of the Beijing Platform for Action regarding access to education and health as a basic human right, and the protection of sexual and reproductive rights, and to ensure that all necessary safe medical assistance is provided to female war rape victims - including abortion, as foreseen under international humanitarian law; points out that family planning, maternal health, easy access to contraception and safe abortion are important elements in saving women’s lives, and highlights the need to place these policies at the core of development cooperation with third countries;
Amendment 562 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 15 a (new)
Subheading 15 a (new)
Rights of the elderly
Amendment 566 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62 g (new)
Paragraph 62 g (new)
62g. Underlines the particular challenges older persons face in the enjoyment of their human rights, such as on access to social protection and healthcare; invites Member States to use the current review of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing to map the implementation of existing instruments and identify potential gaps; calls on the EU and the Member States to be actively involved in the UN Open- Ended Working Group on Ageing and step up their efforts to protect and promote the rights of older people, including by considering the elaboration of a new legal instrument;
Amendment 659 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Condemns, in keeping with Article 10 TFEU, all acts of violence and discrimination on the basis of ideology, religion or belief; expresses its serious concern over the continued reports of violence and discrimination against religious and non religious minorities around the world;
Amendment 673 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74
Paragraph 74
74. Stresses that the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief is a fundamental human right, interrelated with other human rights and fundamental freedoms and encompassing the right to believe or not to believe, the right to manifest or not to manifest any religion or belief, and the right to adopt, change and abandon or return to a belief of one’s choice, as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights;
Amendment 682 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Calls on the EU and its Member States to ensure that religious and non- religious minorities are respected worldwide, including in the Middle East, where Yazidis, Christians and Muslim minorities are being persecuted by ISIS and other terrorist groups;
Amendment 687 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75 a (new)
Paragraph 75 a (new)
75a. Highlights that Christians are currently the religious group harassed and intimidated the most in countries throughout the world, including Europe, where Christian refugees routinely suffer religiously motivated persecution, and that some of the oldest Christian communities are in danger of disappearing, especially in North Africa and the Middle East;
Amendment 689 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75 c (new)
Paragraph 75 c (new)
75c. Requests concrete actions to protect religious minorities, non-believers and atheists that are victims of blasphemy laws and calls on the EU and Member States to engage in political discussions to repeal such laws;
Amendment 715 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 a (new)
Paragraph 79 a (new)
79a. Regrets the increasing number of attacks against environmental and human rights defenders worldwide; strongly condemns impunity towards their murders and calls upon the EEAS to advocate for those responsible to be brought to justice;
Amendment 716 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 b (new)
Paragraph 79 b (new)
79b. Strongly condemns the issuing of travel bans by authorities as a tool to intimidate and silence independent voices of human rights defenders and activists, as well as lawyers and journalists, and emphasises that these measures are often taken arbitrarily and without judicial grounds;
Amendment 717 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 c (new)
Paragraph 79 c (new)
79c. Strongly condemns that many countries worldwide have recently passed strict NGO laws, which debilitate civil society and lead to arbitrary application with punishments including imprisonment, the freezing of assets and access bans for NGO staff members, especially towards those receiving foreign public funds;
Amendment 722 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80 a (new)
Paragraph 80 a (new)
80a. Calls on the VP/HR, the EEAS and/or the EUSR to adopt a policy to systematically condemn the killings of human rights defenders, and issue guidelines on this to all Delegations; emphasizes that this adds consistency to the EU's current priorities as set out in the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, on Freedom of Expression and on the Death Penalty;
Amendment 727 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81
Paragraph 81
81. Calls on the VP/HR and the EU foreign ministers to place on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council, on a regular basis, a discussion of EU efforts to pursue the release of human rights defenders, journalists, political activists and others, and to arrange a public annual Foreign Affairs Council, with an agenda that includes the shrinking space for civil society and the jailing of human rights defenders, as well as mechanisms of preventive protection to avoid harassment, retaliation and murder, paying special attention to the cases raised in Parliament’s resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law;
Amendment 743 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86
Paragraph 86
86. Highlights the importance of promoting unrestricted access to the internet in all forms of contact with third countries, including in accession negotiations, trade negotiations, human rights dialogues and diplomatic contacts, to make information about human rights and democracy as accessible as possible to people all around the world;
Amendment 751 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87 b (new)
Paragraph 87 b (new)
87b. Expresses its serious concern at the proliferation and spread of monitoring, surveillance, censoring and filtering technologies, which represent a growing threat to human rights and democracy activists in autocratic countries;
Amendment 752 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87 c (new)
Paragraph 87 c (new)
87c. Strongly condemns authorities' control of the internet, media and academia, and the increased intimidation, harassment and arbitrary arrests faced by human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists;
Amendment 830 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106
Paragraph 106
106. Calls on the VP/HR, the Member States and the Council to include armed drones and fully autonomous weapons in relevant European and international disarmament and arms control mechanisms;