Recently I joined my colleagues on the Joint Committee on Human Rights on a visit to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Geneva is at the centre of the international mission to protect human rights. It is home to the United Nations Human Rights Council, and of course, the birthplace of The Geneva Convention – the foundation of international law.
At a time when horrific atrocities are taking place in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and elsewhere, this trip was a sobering reminder that we must ensure all citizens across the world can live a life with dignity and without fear.
Across our trip, we spoke with UN human rights bodies, civil society groups, and representatives from a range of countries. We heard moving testimonies from victims of torture and learnt about the UN’s recently published work to ensure justice for the victims of torture and degrading treatment or punishment.
We raised our committee’s work with UN officials, including our inquiries on transnational repression and forced labour in UK supply chains. We also had the honour of meeting the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, where we discussed some of my key concerns, such as the genocide against Uyghur Muslims in China.
A highlight of the trip was the visit to the UN Refugee Agency. We saw so many documents that showed Britain’s strong history of welcoming those who had fled war and persecution. I was struck by how much Manchester has given to provide sanctuary for refugees in the past, and I am deeply proud to represent an area that is so passionate about defending the rights of others.
However, one thing was very clear: the rights of refugees are being threatened across the world, including in the UK. I will continue to fight against this, to make an asylum policy that is fair, and to make sure it reflects our commitments to rights of those seeking refuge.
The values that the UN stands for: international law, collaboration, peace, and shared humanity, are ones that we cannot take for granted. I will use what I learned in Geneva to push for Labour to continue leading on protecting human rights, both at home and abroad.
