EU Special Representative for Human Rights
Eamon Gilmore served as the EU Special Representative for Human Rights from 1 March 2019 until 29 February 2024.
The tasks of the Special Representative for Human Rights are to enhance the effectiveness and visibility of EU human rights policy. The Special Representative has a broad, flexible mandate, which provides the possibility of adapting to evolving geopolitical circumstances. The Special Representative works closely with the European External Action Service, which provides full support to his work.
He was tasked with guiding the implementation of the EU's Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024), which was adopted by the 27 EU Member States in November 2020.
In the course of this work, he regularly met with governments to discuss the human rights situation in their countries. He engaged with governments and civil society from almost a hundred countries, including visiting almost 40 on all continents.
He also chaired formal Human Rights Dialogues between the EU and other countries. And he spoke for the EU at international human rights meetings, including at the United Nations and the UN Human Rights Council.
"No continent on earth is free from human rights abuse and violation. I see it as part of my role to keep alive the attention to the human rights agenda in many countries, after the cameras have moved on to the next crisis."
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