UNGA81 Third Committee General Debate
Statement delivered by H.E. Mr. Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia
2 October 2026, New York
Chair,
Distinguished colleagues,
Estonia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union and would like to add the following.
The world today is marked by deepening conflicts, shrinking civic space, growing humanitarian needs and impunity. Human rights violations are a systemic challenge to peace and security. At this critical moment, Estonia stands firmly for international law, accountability, human rights and the dignity of every human being.
In Afghanistan, systematic discrimination and repression of women and girls are among the gravest human rights crises of our time. The international community must remain steadfast in supporting Afghan women and girls, whose participation is essential for the development, peace and stability of the country.
In Iran, we remain deeply concerned by the repression of women and girls, human rights defenders, journalists and peaceful protesters, as well as the widespread use of the death penalty. Iran must uphold its international human rights obligations, end arbitrary detention and ensure accountability.
In Sudan, civilians endure mass atrocities, ethnically motivated killings, sexual and gender-based violence, and famine. Millions are displaced, and humanitarian access continues to be hindered. We reiterate our call for immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, armed groups continue to terrorise communities, recruit and use children, and commit horrific acts of sexual and gender-based violence. Protection of civilians must remain central to our response, together with accountability, humanitarian access, peacebuilding, and promotion of democracy.
The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, remains of great concern. Attacks against civilians, including children, humanitarian workers, journalists and other media workers, cannot be justified under any circumstances. Estonia continues to call for full respect for international humanitarian law and unhindered humanitarian access. We remain a consistent donor to UNRWA and are committed to a credible political process leading to a sustainable two-state solution, based on international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
In Belarus, the Lukashenka regime continues to repress civil society, independent media and democratic opposition, while deliberately instrumentalising migration for political purposes. That is unacceptable and must be addressed with full respect for human rights and international law.
In Russia, independent journalists, civil society, human rights defenders and ordinary citizens continue to face repression, arbitrary detention and politically motivated prosecutions. 21 541 individuals are designated as terrorists or extremists and at least 5 063 individuals were prosecuted on politically motivated administrative or criminal charges as of mid-2026.
The long list includes two Indigenous Peoples’ representatives – Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt – who are arbitrarily detained under unfounded charges of terrorism. Since the start of the unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine, Russia has designated 172 Indigenous organisations as terrorist, showing systematic targeting of Indigenous communities in Russia.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine remains one of the gravest tests for the United Nations, marked by daily attacks on civilians, the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children and conflict-related sexual violence. A permanent member of the UN Security Council repeatedly listed for grave violations against children and conflict-related sexual violence should not enjoy impunity. Listing must carry consequences, including suspending Russia’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Russia claims to champion decolonisation while pursuing neo-colonial and imperial ambitions in Ukraine and beyond, and uses the argument of “combating Nazism” to justify its war of aggression. For Estonia, this rhetoric recalls almost 50 years of illegal Soviet occupation, marked by executions, repression, mass deportations and forced Russification. While remaining fully committed to the agenda of combating Nazism, Estonia cannot support Russia’s absolutely cynical draft resolution on this issue.
Chair,
Estonia firmly believes that multilateral cooperation based on international law is the only way to address global challenges. We reiterate our full support for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and commend the High Commissioner for his efforts to defend human rights worldwide.
Estonia is honoured to serve as a member of the Human Rights Council in 2026–2028 and as a Vice-President of the Council in 2026. During our membership, children’s rights, digital rights and media freedom will remain among Estonia’s top priorities, along with women’s rights and gender equality.
This includes our strong commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Together with New Zealand and Colombia, Estonia is leading negotiations in the Human Rights Council on the resolution on preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, which reaffirms that preventing maternal mortality is a question of justice and human rights, not merely a healthcare issue. Estonia is also committed to safeguarding the rights of women and girls in the digital space, including through initiatives aiming to counter technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Estonia continues to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We are currently in the process of conducting our fourth National Action Plan for WPS, and in July this year, we officially joined the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Prosecution Network, strengthening accountability for this heinous crime. We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and violence, including against LGBTI+ persons.
Estonia contributes actively to UN bodies and mechanisms through political and financial support, and by supporting strong, independent experts. We are proud that Ms. Marianne Mikko has been re-elected to the CEDAW Committee for 2027–2030 as a joint Nordic-Baltic candidate. Estonia has nominated Dr. Nele Leosk as a candidate for the position of the Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. We count on your most valuable support for her candidature.
As one of the world’s top three countries for press freedom, Estonia remains committed to promoting media freedom, protecting journalists and other media workers, and enhancing media literacy, including through our engagement in the Media Freedom Coalition. In the face of growing disinformation and pressure on independent media, journalists must be able to work freely and safely, without fear of censorship, harassment or violence. Cases such as that of Jimmy Lai remind us that independent media and pro-democracy voices continue to face severe pressure. We urge the Chinese authorities to abide by their international human rights commitments and legal obligations and to respect universal rights and freedoms.
Having chaired the Freedom Online Coalition in 2025, Estonia continues to advance digital rights and freedoms. Digital transformation and AI bring enormous opportunities, but require secure, reliable and human rights-based governance. As co-facilitator of the First Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence, together with El Salvador, Estonia has helped shape responsible, inclusive and transparent AI governance, centred on safe, trustworthy and human-centred AI. As President of the UNICEF Executive Board, I also highlight Estonia’s commitment to child-centred innovation in education, including through our national “AI Leap” programme.
Chair,
At this challenging time for the world and for the United Nations, we need strong and inclusive leadership. After 81 years, it is high time for this organisation to be led by a woman.
Thank you.
