52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK statement on Estonia

Thank you Vice President,

The UK acknowledges the demanding security context facing Estonia, shaped by Russia’s aggression, persistent cyber and hybrid activity, and efforts to weaken democratic trust and societal cohesion. We commend Estonia’s continued leadership in upholding democratic values, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including its proactive approach to countering disinformation and strengthening national resilience.

We welcome Estonia’s continued progress on gender equality and minority inclusion. We also commend Estonia’s principled and sustained support for Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression.

We recommend that Estonia:

1. Strengthens its response to violence against women and girls, including by progressing consent‑based sexual offences legislation and ensuring accessible, adequately resourced protection, support and justice for victims.
    
2. Continues advancing equality for LGBT+ people by strengthening comprehensive anti‑discrimination protections and improving the prevention, investigation and prosecution of hate speech and hate‑motivated crime.
    
3. Ensures that measures adopted on national security grounds remain consistent with human rights obligations – including freedom of religion or belief, freedom of association and the rule of law – while safeguarding the effective participation of minority communities in democratic and public life.