9 avril 2019

On behalf of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has made the following statement:
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, that has left so many people dead and seriously wounded. Our deepest condolences go to the families of the victims and to the people of New Zealand”. More...

States should step up their fight against sexism in all walks of life, according to a Recommendation just adopted by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.
In response to the #MeToo and other recent movements that have heightened awareness of persistent sexism in society, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted a recommendation to stop sexism, which includes the first ever internationally agreed definition of it. More...

In a Recommendation, applicable to both the public and private sectors, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, calls on governments to transmit these guidelines to health-care systems and to actors processing health-related data, in particular health-care professionals and data protection officers. More...

The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme is the 2019 recipient of the "Carlos V European Award" , which honours people, organisations, projects or initiatives that contribute “to the enhancement of Europe’s cultural and historical values”. More...

In a decision published today, the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights found that certain provisions of the Family Allowances for Children Act in Bulgaria violate the right to appropriate social, legal and economic protection for the family, and are discriminatory against Roma, particularly towards Roma female minors. More...

Gender stereotypes and sexism represent a serious limit to the achievement of substantive gender equality: equal rights for women and men in all spheres of public and private life. Gender stereotypes and sexism contribute to different forms of hate speech (on line and off-line) and discrimination based on factors such as ethnicity, age, social class, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or sexuality. More...

In its seventh annual Roma Women's Conference, this year held in Finland, the Council of Europe stresses the importance of "mainstreaming" Roma and Traveller gender equality issues as part of its "Strategy for Gender Equality 2018-2023". More...

An Intercultural Integration Academy will be held in Iceland on 25-28 March organised by the Council of Europe (Intercultural cities programme), the Ministry of Social Affairs and UNHCR. More...

Europe’s social structure has become more and more diverse: its citizens have plural identities, different ethnic origins, religions, identities, sexual orientations, and social classes. Yet, while diversity could be managed as a strength to make societies more dynamic, prosperous, and creative, we are witnessing a rise in racism and xenophobia, hate speech against migrants and minorities, islamophobia, and the spreading across Europe of political rhetoric based on the defence of fixed national identity defined by ethnicity and traditions. More...

This week marks the 5th anniversary of the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation. I would like to recall the Committee of Ministers’ condemnation of the annexation, which constitutes a violation of international law and cannot form the basis for any alteration of their status, and to reiterate its commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. More...