INGO home

NGO participation in political decision making processes

Strasbourg, 11 June NGO participation in political decision making processes is the focus of discussion at the June session of the Conference of INGOs. The meetings taking place on Wednesday and Thursday morning will take stock of the current situation of NGO participation at local and national levels and look at possibilities for more youth participation and the impact of the Code of Good Practice for civil participation in the decision-making process. The meetings are open to all INGOs. Please come along and share your experience and point of view.
Calendar of meetings

Putting the Dialogue Toolkit into practice at Issy-les-Moulineaux, 23-24 March

Strasbourg, 21 March The Paris-based "Initiative Dialogue" programme called on the INGO Dialogue Hub to give training to its team and to its partner organisations in techniques and methods to facilitate intercultural dialogue. The President of the Conference of INGOs, Jean-Marie Heydt, spoke at this two day introductory workshop on the Toolkit which was run by the INGO Dialogue Hub co-ordinator, Christoph Spreng.
More on the Dialogue Toolkit

Internet, a social space for youth: what education to respect others?

Strasbourg, 30 May

In the framework of the 2nd Festival on Young People and Human Rights and with the participation of the Council of Europe and the Conference of INGOs, the association "Regards d'enfants" organised a seminar on the theme "Internet, a social space for youth: what education to respect others", on Sunday 9 June, from 11h to 12h30 at the "Palais de la Musique et des Congres" in Strasbourg
Programme of the seminar[fr]
Programme of the 2nd festival [fr]

Putting the Dialogue Toolkit into practice at Issy-les-Moulineaux, 23-24 March

Strasbourg, 21 March The Paris-based "Initiative Dialogue" programme called on the INGO Dialogue Hub to give training to its team and to its partner organisations in techniques and methods to facilitate intercultural dialogue. The President of the Conference of INGOs, Jean-Marie Heydt, spoke at this two day introductory workshop on the Toolkit which was run by the INGO Dialogue Hub co-ordinator, Christoph Spreng.
More on the Dialogue Toolkit

Belarusian Human Rights defenders need support

Strasbourg, 14 February The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights praises the constructive role played by the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations in bringing the situation of Belarusian human rights defenders to the attention of European civil society and says these initiatives deserve more attention and support from member States governments as well. Although Belarus is not a member State of the Council of Europe the Organisation and its member States should intensify efforts to raise awareness about Council of Europe standards, instruments and mechanisms and seek to support human rights in the country (more ...)

The Conference of INGOs condemns the assassination of Chokri Belaid

Strasbourg, 12 February The Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe condemns the assassination of Chokri Belaid, defender of democracy and human rights in Tunisia and expresses its full solidarity with the democratic forces of civil society (more ...)

News from the Conference of INGOs' January Session

Strasbourg, 28 January Genuine democracy, the eradication of poverty, changes in the situation of torture in Council of member States, the key role played by women during the Arab revolutions were among the subjects high on the agenda of the week.
See all the texts adopted by the Conference

The Conference also adopted its new Rules of Procedure and its 2012 activity report [fr]
Opening remarks by the President of the Conference at the plenary meeting on 24 January. [fr]

Order of business

Women and the Arab Spring: what role do they now play?

Strasbourg, 31 January Women were key in bringing about the regime change in a number of Arab countries but what role do they now play in political and public life? The Conference of INGOs organised a round table with the participation of the Deputy Secretary General, which brought together civil socety activists from Egypt and Tunisia to discuss with Council of Europe representatives and INGOs how they could support the wishes, demands and priorities of women in the Arab World.
Programme of the Round table
Reference documents
Report by the International Alliance of Women