Civil society plays an essential role in encouraging respect for human rights, as well as strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
The Council of Europe Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) organised a conference in Helsinki, Finland, on protecting and promoting the space for civil society in Europe. The aim of the event was to evaluate progress made in the member states since the adoption of the Committee of Ministers' Recommendation on the need to strengthen and foster dialogue and address current challenges that threaten civil society. The conference also highlighted successful practices that enable civil society to flourish.
The keynote speech was delivered by Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. Other speakers included representatives from international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), and the Council of Europe (CoE).
