Speech
Exchange of views between the Commissioner for Human Rights and the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Speech delivered on the occasion of the exchange of views between the Commissioner for Human Rights and the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Chairperson, esteemed members of the Committee, Thank you very much for this opportunity to exchange views. Cooperation between this...
Statement
Full realisation of women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights – an imperative for empowerment and gender equality
“Unimpeded access to quality sexual and reproductive health care is essential for women’s rights and gender equality’’, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, on International Women’s Day. “In my recent report on sexual and reproductive health and rights,...
Report
Sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe: a mixed picture of progress and challenges calls for robust action and commitment
“Charting the progress made towards the full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe paints a mixed picture. We can rejoice at notable achievements, but pervasive challenges and deficits as well as new retrogressive developments point to the need for member states to take...
Country visit report
Italy should improve legislation and practice on migration and asylum, women’s rights and gender equality
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, recommends adopting a number of measures to better uphold the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and women. The Commissioner also raises certain issues concerning journalists and the legal...
Country visit report
Serbia: step up efforts to face the past, safeguard freedom of expression and assembly and protect women from violence
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report following her visit to Serbia in March 2023, with recommendations focusing on transitional justice and dealing with the past, freedom of expression and assembly and women’s rights and gender equality. ...
International Safe Abortion Day
Protect and enable the work of human rights defenders contributing to ensuring access to safe abortion care in Europe
“Council of Europe member states should recognise, protect and support the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations who contribute to making access to safe and legal abortion care a reality across Europe”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja...
Country visit
Italy: Time for a sharp change in migration policies and effective advancement of women’s rights and gender equality
“It is Italy’s and our common European responsibility to stop the ongoing human tragedy in the Mediterranean. It is high time to take collective action to end the loss of life at sea, including through responsibility sharing for adequate rescue capacity and relocation of those rescued”, said...
Letter
Slovak Parliament has a historic opportunity to deliver justice to victims of forced sterilisation
Discussions about a compensation mechanism for victims of forced sterilisation in the Slovak Republic offer “a historic opportunity to finally address this long-standing injustice”, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, says in a letter to the Slovak Parliament,...
Annual report 2022
Annual Report 2022: Commissioner Mijatović calls for renewed commitment to human rights protection to address numerous systemic problems
“The protection of human rights in Europe has suffered serious setbacks in 2022,” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, presenting her Annual Report today. “A renewed commitment to human rights is needed to reverse the trend.” The report largely focuses on the...
Country visit
Serbia: more efforts needed to face the past, increase safety of journalists and human rights defenders, and protect women from violence
“It is high time for Serbia to face the legacy of the past, to protect media freedom and freedom of assembly, and to fulfil its commitments on women’s rights and gender equality” said today Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of a visit to the country...
Country visit report
United Kingdom: Commissioner warns against regression on human rights, calls for concrete steps to protect children’s rights and to tackle human rights issues in Northern Ireland
“Both the overall system for protecting human rights, and the rights of specific groups, are currently under pressure in the United Kingdom (UK). The authorities should spare no effort to reverse this trend”, warns today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while...
Country visit
Spain should advance social rights, better guarantee freedoms of expression and assembly and improve human rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
“Spain has made significant efforts to advance the protection of social rights in recent years. Crucial legislative reforms, currently pending in Parliament, provide an opportunity to align Spanish legislation with international and European human rights standards, including in the field of the...
Speech
Addressing the rights of women with disabilities in Europe: observations and perspectives
Online intervention at the University Women of Europe webinar: "Addressing the rights of women with disabilities in Europe" Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Friends, It is an honour to be with you today. Allow me first to thank the organisers for inviting me to this important and timely event. It is...
Memorandum
Kosovo*: address shortcomings in the field of transitional justice and social cohesion, freedom of the media, and women’s rights and gender equality
“More than two decades after the armed conflict in Kosovo, social cohesion is still hampered by impunity for war-related crimes, unresolved cases of missing persons, lack of access to reparations for all war victims, obstacles to sustainable returns of displaced persons and ethnic divisions”,...
Statement
Prevent backsliding and continue progress on access to safe and legal abortion care
“I call on Council of Europe member states to continue the progress achieved so far in ensuring women and girls’ access to safe and legal abortion care. Any roll back of protections in this field is at variance with member states’ obligation to fully guarantee this human right”, said the Council...
Country visit
United Kingdom: backsliding on human rights must be prevented
“Legal reforms should not weaken human rights protections in the United Kingdom”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, following a five-day visit to the country (27 June to 1 July), which focused on the system for human rights protection, the situation...
Letter
Bulgaria: improve protection from violence against women and domestic violence
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria published today, Commissioner Mijatović calls on the Bulgarian authorities to improve the legal and institutional protection of victims of violence against women and domestic violence. The Commissioner stresses...
Country visit report
Austria: improve reception and integration of migrants and protection of women’s rights
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report following her visit to Austria carried out in December 2021, with recommendations on improving the reception and integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and on strengthening women’s...
Human Rights Comment
Addressing the invisibility of women and girls with disabilities
Often, women with disabilities are invisible and marginalised in society, including among those promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, and those promoting gender equality and the advancement of women. The exclusion of women with disabilities from decision-making spaces has for a long...
Human Rights Comment
No space for violence against women and girls in the digital world
The advancement of technology has enabled us to connect, share important information, speak up and raise awareness on human rights violations. But it has also provided additional fertile grounds for gender-based violence against women and girls to an alarming extent, and with little...
Statement
On International Women’s Day, let us stand with Ukrainian women and girls
“Ahead of International Women’s Day, my sympathy and profound solidarity go to Ukrainian women and girls who are caught up in a war waged with total disregard for human life and dignity. I pay my deepest respects to those of them who have been killed, and my thoughts are with those who have been...
Country report
Malta: High time for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia and for reforms to safeguard media freedom and better protect the rights of migrants and women
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report on her visit to Malta carried out in October 2021, with recommendations on safeguarding media freedom and ensuring the safety of journalists, protecting the lives and dignity of refugees, asylum...
Country visit
Austria should step up efforts to protect women’s rights and gender equality and improve the reception and integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
“Austria has taken significant steps to combat violence against women but, as the high number of femicides and the emergence of new digital dimensions of violence show, increased and better co-ordinated efforts are required,” said Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović...
Speech
Combating violence against women in a digital age utilising the Istanbul Convention: GREVIO General Recommendation No.1 on the Digital Dimension of Violence against Women
Dear GREVIO members, Distinguished speakers, Colleagues and friends, Let me begin by congratulating GREVIO on the adoption of General Recommendation No.1 on the digital dimension of violence against women. I wish to extend my congratulations to all the experts and actors who worked on this...
Third Party Intervention
Commissioner intervenes before the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning abortion rights in Poland
Today the Commissioner published her written observations to the European Court of Human Rights as a third party in the cases of K.B. v. Poland and 3 other applications, K.C. v. Poland and 3 other applications and A.L. - B. v. Poland and 3 other applications concerning abortion rights in Poland....
Letter
Slovak Republic: Parliament should reject bill that restricts access to safe and legal abortion services
Today the Commissioner published a letter she had sent to the National Council of the Slovak Republic in which she raises concerns about a draft law currently under discussion that would introduce restrictions on access to safe and legal abortion services. For the third time in three years, the...
Country visit
Reforms needed to better protect journalists’ safety and the rights of migrants and women in Malta
“Implementing the recommendations of the public inquiry report which found that the state must bear responsibility for Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination should be a top priority for the government”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, following a...
Speech
Hearing of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in the cases of H.F. and M.F. v. France and J.D. and A.D. v. France
Mr President, Distinguished members of the Court, I have decided to intervene in these cases because they concern an urgent situation, demanding urgent action. The situation faced by nationals of Council of Europe member states detained in the camps in North-East Syria is continuously...
Letter
Slovak Republic: the government should deliver justice to victims of forced sterilisation through a compensation mechanism
In a letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice of the Slovak Republic, published today, the Commissioner calls on the government to set up a mechanism to ensure prompt and effective access to reparations for victims of forced or coercive sterilisation. This is a long-standing...
Human Rights Comment
Protecting the human rights of sex workers
The lived realities of sex workers across Europe raise serious human rights concerns. It is crucial to approach this important and complex issue with a full understanding of the human rights consequences of the experience of high levels of violence and inadequate protection from law enforcement...
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