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Liechtenstein should improve gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities
The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, welcomed the solid legal and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of human rights in Liechtenstein, which has been strengthened by the establishment in January 2017 of the Association for Human Rights...
Albania and Denmark: Policies on violence against women and domestic violence assessed in new reports
On the eve of the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) publish their first-ever evaluation reports on Albania and Denmark. For Albania, GREVIO welcomes a...
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner: shortlist announced
The Committee of Ministers has submitted today a shortlist of three candidates for the post of Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner to the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly. The candidates are, in alphabetical order: - Mr Goran KLEMENČIČ (presented by Slovenia) - Mr Pierre-Yves LE...
Secretary General in Madrid to commemorate 40th anniversary of Spain's accession
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is in Madrid today to speak at the opening of an event in the Spanish Parliament to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Spain´s accession to the Council of Europe, on 24 November 1977. The Secretary General said that “over the last 40 years Spain has developed a...
Protocol on transfer of sentenced persons opened for signature
Five states signed today a new protocol aiming to modernise and improve the European legal framework for the transfer of sentenced persons. Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland were the first to sign this new treaty which amends the Additional Protocol to the Convention on the...
Reconciliation stalled in the Western Balkans
“After having visited all the countries of the Western Balkans, I am concerned that reconciliation has stalled and is being superceded by mounting ethnic divisions and polarisation in the region”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights...
Poland: progress made against human trafficking, but labour exploitation not sufficiently addressed
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking expert group (GRETA) assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Poland in May 2013 on the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human...
Protecting children from sexual risks online: Council of Europe experts offer quick tips to parents
Ahead of the European Day to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, marked on the 18th of November, the Council of Europe has published a series of online video tutorials to protect children from the new risks of sexual nature they encounter online, and help them safely...
Lifeline for volunteers helping refugees and migrants
Tens of thousands of volunteers across Europe who are struggling to teach their language and culture to new refugees and migrants have been offered a lifeline. At last, free teaching materials adapted to refugees’ special needs have been developed and are being launched online by the Council of...
Secretary General Jagland attends Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is attending a major European Summit to promote fair jobs and growth. The Social Summit is taking place on Friday 17 November in Gothenburg, Sweden, and is jointly organised by the European Commission and the Swedish government. The summit was...
Anti-torture committee issues a report on Spain
Anti-torture committee acknowledges some positive steps in Spain, but calls for ending fixation in prisons and juvenile centres
GRETA report on Belgium: the authorities asked to improve the identification of child trafficking victims
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published today its second evaluation report on Belgium. The report assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Belgium in September 2013 as regards the...
CPT signs monitoring agreement with International Criminal Court
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has concluded an Exchange of Letters with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to monitor the treatment of persons sentenced by the Court. Under the terms of the Exchange of...
Committee of Ministers: the Czech Republic hands over chairmanship to Denmark
The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from the Czech Republic to Denmark, at a meeting at the Organisation's Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States. Before handing over the chairmanship to his successor, the...
MONEYVAL publishes a report on Andorra
MONEYVAL welcomes reforms in Andorra to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, but calls for some improvements
Eastern Partnership: Council of Europe and EU present joint project results
The Council of Europe and the European Union have presented results for their joint projects in the six Eastern Partnership countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The projects, conducted under the Partnership for Good Governance initiative, were aimed...
Malta should step up efforts to enhance protection of women’s and migrants’ rights
“I welcome the government’s efforts to combat domestic violence in Malta. The transposition into domestic law of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, currently debated in parliament, is a decisive step forward. However, more...
Council of Europe Democracy Innovation Award goes to Russian investigative newspaper The Insider
Today, at the closing session of the World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its Democracy Innovation Award was the initiative The Insider. The Insider is an investigative newspaper that seeks to provide its readers with information about the current...
Council of Europe partners with leading technology companies to promote respect for human rights
The Council of Europe will strengthen its co-operation with the private sector in order to promote an open and safe internet, where human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are respected. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland signed the agreement – in the form of an exchange...
Preventing corruption in respect of MPs, judges and prosecutors – Conference in Prague
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic are organising a conference in Prague on 9 and 10 November to discuss stepping up the implementation of measures to prevent corruption in respect of Members of Parliament, judges...
