Germany

The challenging inconsistencies of German external human rights policy
As the multitude of international crises and conflicts, the challenges posed by more and
more refugees coming to Europe and the rise of right wing populism within many European
countries have challenged German policy makers during a time of reflection and
compelled it towards a foreign policy of far greater engagement, it is essential to critically
assess what this means for its human rights policy. As Germany’s engagement will likely
continue to increase, Amnesty International is calling for a more consistent, credible and
adaptable human rights policy. Human rights must be the primary guiding principle of
political action. They are essential to protect human dignity and should not be implemented
in a value-orientated way, but in a way that is standards orientated. A human
rights-led policy places people and their rights at its heart, upholds these consistently,
and demands this in equal measure from all state actors. It is transparent and inclusive,
and includes a full commitment to human rights obligations which is reflected in all policy
areas. Also it gives a self-critical account of its measures in Germany, Europe and the
rest of the world.
For this to work it will need both: engaged and driven human rights experts and politicians,
knowing how to play their cards right in Geneva, monitoring human rights developments,
intervening in critical developments, raising their voices for human rights defenders at
risk, advising and/or controlling the government, respectively. We need them to analyse
human rights situations, to adapt strategies according to country and situation and to
advise on the best tools and instruments to achieve respective goals. But they can’t do it
alone. We also need foreign and security politicians who listen to them and who understand
that while foreign policy is never monothematic, human rights violations need to be
the red line. Human rights are norms, not values, and their implementation is in the
national interest. Germany’s policies therefore need to be coherent and inclusive, because
human rights politics currently remain one of the few political areas where there is no
natural potential to apply sanctions. At the very least policy-makers shouldn’t undermine
the work of human rights specialists and follow the minimum claim: do no harm!
When the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented the
new EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS) to the European Council in
June 2016, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier welcomed in his statement (Auswärtiges
Amt 2016) that key elements of German peace policy are reflected in the strategy – active
advocacy for rules-based international order and the necessity of stabilization when dealing
with crises and conflicts. 10 He did not mention the role of human rights as a primary
10 Steinmeier: “Ich freue mich, dass sich auch Kernelemente der deutschen
Friedenspolitik wiederfinden: Das aktive Eintreten für eine regelbasierte internationale
Ordnung und die Notwendigkeit von Stabilisierung im Umgang mit Krisen und Konflikten.”
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Shifting Power and Human Rights Diplomacy | Germany