Strasbourg, 22 April 2026 – Presenting his 2025 Annual Activity Report to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, warned that Europe, and the rest of the world, is no longer merely in an “era of change” but is experiencing a profound “change of era” that threatens the very foundations of human rights law and practice.
“We are living in a context where our stable cultural framework is being shattered by rapid social and technological advances that surpass our capacity to grasp them,” the Commissioner stated. Highlighting the impact of artificial intelligence, the triple planetary crisis, and worsening inequality, he noted a widespread diminishment of trust between citizens and the state, as well as between generations and an increasing pressure on institutions and civil society across the continent. “Unimaginably, we risk losing our invaluable acquis of human rights law. This is the duty of our generation: to act and ensure these rights survive this transition intact”.
A threat to the middle ground of politics
Commissioner O’Flaherty expressed deep concern over the scale of human rights abuses, noting that violence and war are at their highest levels in a generation, and also over a second, more insidious dimension: the repudiation of human rights standards within the political middle ground. This shift is particularly evident at Europe’s borders and in the management of migration, where a willingness to disavow fundamental principles has emerged that would have been “unthinkable just a short time ago”.
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Human rights at the heart of peace in Ukraine
Addressing Russia’s war against Ukraine as the “single greatest challenge” for Europe, the Commissioner emphasised that any pathway to peace must be human-centred. Based on his 2025 memorandum on human rights elements for peace in Ukraine and high-level Warsaw meeting, he reiterated that a shift from a transactional to a people-centred approach is required. “A peace without justice, accountability, and ordinary people at the forefront – including prisoners of war, displaced persons, and civil society – will not survive. We must not forget that this is a war both against the people of Ukraine and against us all, against Europe and our values”, he said.
Standing with marginalised communities
The report highlights the Commissioner’s continued focus on Europe’s 12 million Roma and Travellers, whom he identifies as experiencing the most widespread denial of human rights on the continent. Through dedicated country visits and the publication of his book, The Unheard 12 Million, the Commissioner has called for action to uphold the rights of Europe’s largest ethnic minority, seeking to convey their voices, especially those of women, who he sees as the main catalysts for change, while celebrating their culture and demanding an end to appalling patterns of discrimination and exclusion.
A toolbox for survival
Despite the “deeply challenging years” ahead, Commissioner O’Flaherty issues a message of hope grounded in action. “We have the toolbox for survival. The challenge lies in deploying it properly,” he said, calling on everyone, including on member states to recognise human rights as Europe’s greatest strategic asset and a channel for the “deep pool of decency” within its populations.
The 2025 Annual Activity Report details the Commissioner’s work across four priority areas: the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on human rights; embedding human rights in the great issues of the day (migration, AI, environment, and inequality); supporting forgotten people; and protecting human rights defenders and civil society.
Read the Commissioner’s 2025 Annual Activity Report– here.
Michael O’Flaherty began his six-year term as the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights in April 2024. He promotes awareness of and fosters the effective observance of human rights across the organisation’s 46 member states.
Council of Europe