While the Special Representative praises the reception conditions for refugees and asylum-seekers in mainland Spain and the support offered by the authorities to learning Spanish language, he points out that the reception facilities in Melilla and Ceuta, including those for unaccompanied children, are overcrowded. Dozens of unaccompanied children in Melilla and Ceuta have fallen out of the protection system, living in the streets and trying to get on board of ferries heading to mainland. More...

In a new report to assess measures taken by the Cypriot authorities to carry out its recommendations, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) gives a mixed assessment (see the Greek version of the report). More...

The severity of ill-treatment by the law enforcement in Ukraine appears to have diminished, but allegations are still frequent. Poor material conditions, overcrowding and lack of out-of-cell activities remain major problems in prisons; and the system of guardianship in psychiatric and social care establishments should be improved. More...

The 20th anniversary of the Barnahus (Children’s House), a Council of Europe-promoted model to address child sexual abuse by coordinating parallel criminal and social welfare investigations in a child-friendly and safe environment , is marked today at an event in Reykjavík, Iceland. More...

The North-South Centre is delighted to announce a new, free, online course: “Global Education - The Human Rights Dimension”, in collaboration with The Network University, designed for teachers working in both formal and non-formal education, policymakers and media professionals. More...

The entry into force of the European Charter of Local Self-Government thirty years ago has profoundly transformed the democratic landscape in Europe and anchored local democracy throughout the continent. The Charter, opened for signature on 15 October 1985 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, entered into force on 1 September 1988. It has now been ratified by all 47 Council of Europe member States. More...

The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, better known as the European Convention on Human Rights, entered into force on 3 September 1953. More...

The European Heritage Days (EHDs), a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission, are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events shared by the citizens of Europe. The pan-European nature of this project contributes to bringing citizens together and highlighting the European dimension and the value of cultural heritage in the 50 signatory States of the European Cultural Convention. More...