Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. It includes 47 member states, 28 of which are members of the European Union. All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Since Moldova's accession to the Council of Europe on 13 July 1995, the Organisation has been supporting Moldova in honouring its statutory obligations and specific commitments to strengthen democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Values
Human rights, Democracy, Rule of Law
The Council of Europe advocates freedom of expression and of the media, freedom of assembly, equality, and the protection of minorities. It has launched campaigns on issues such as child protection, online hate speech, and the rights of the Roma, Europe's largest minority. The Council of Europe helps member states fight corruption and terrorism and undertake necessary judicial reforms. Its group of constitutional experts, known as the Venice Commission, offers legal advice to countries throughout the world.
The Council of Europe promotes human rights through international conventions, such as the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and the Convention on Cybercrime. It monitors member states' progress in these areas and makes recommendations through independent expert monitoring bodies. Council of Europe member states no longer apply the death penalty.
Our History
In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, it was generally felt that a new –style organization was needed to ensure that totalitarianism would never get a second chance in Europe, and guarantee peace, democracy and human rights throughout the Continent.
Founding fathers
Achievements
Education in human rights and democracy
The Council of Europe develops strategies and tools to promote the learning of human rights and democracy.
Democracy also extends to active public participation in community life, especially in the context of civil society activities. The Council of Europe develops strategies and tools to promote the learning of human rights and democracy. The Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education shows us how to put those values into practice.
Over 5,000 youth leaders are trained each year at the Council of Europe's European Youth Centres in Budapest and Strasbourg. The courses provided produce a cascade effect, with the youth leaders passing on what they have learned to the members of their associations. Over 15,000 young people also benefit from projects supported by the European Youth Foundation with a view to promoting understanding, tolerance and solidarity.
Strengthening of human rights
Every country which joins the Council of Europe agrees to be subject to independent monitoring mechanisms which assess its compliance with human rights and democratic practices.
One example is the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture, which regularly makes unannounced visits to places of detention in the 47 member states (prisons, police stations, holding centres for foreign nationals) in order to evaluate the way in which people deprived of their liberty are treated.
For its part, the European Committee of Social Rights verifies that the rights to housing, health, education, employment and freedom of movement guaranteed by the European Social Charter are implemented by the countries concerned.
Another example is the Group of States against Corruption (Greco), which identifies deficiencies in national anti-corruption policies and encourages states to carry out the necessary legislative, institutional or administrative reforms. Its evaluation is based on the relevant Council of Europe conventions.
Election observation
hrough their advisory and observation activities, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and some other European institutions, such as the OSCE, help to guarantee democratic, free and fair elections throughout the continent.
Through their advisory and observation activities, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and some other European institutions, such as the OSCE, help to guarantee democratic, free and fair elections throughout the continent.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities periodically observes local and regional elections in the Council of Europe's 47 member states. Its observation missions cover the whole electoral process and complement its activities in monitoring the European Charter of Local Self-Government.
Furthermore, in order to improve the proper conduct of elections, the Council of Europe draws up programmes of assistance for fundamental reform of electoral legislation, for the drawing up of electoral rolls and for the training of national observers and election officials.
Upholding freedom of expression
The Council of Europe is constantly active in defence of The right to freedom of expression, taking account of any developments.
There can be no true democracy without freedom of expression and without free and pluralist media. The case-law of the European Court of Human Rights affords the press extremely wide-ranging protection, especially where the confidential nature of journalists' sources is concerned. According to the Court, the absence of such protection could deter sources from helping the press to keep people informed about matters of public interest.
The right to freedom of expression also applies to new forms of mass communication, including the Internet. The Council of Europe is constantly active in defence of this right, taking account of any developments.
It is helping several of its member states to improve their legislation and policies on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Training courses and study visits are also organised for media professionals.
Abolition of the death penalty
The Council of Europe has made abolition of the death penalty a precondition for accession.
The Council of Europe played a pioneering role in the struggle for the abolition of capital punishment, which it regards as having no place in democratic societies. In April 1983 it adopted Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights abolishing the death penalty, followed in May 2002 by Protocol No. 13 on abolition in all circumstances.
The Council of Europe has made abolition of the death penalty a precondition for accession. No executions have been carried out in any of the Organisation's 47 member states since 1997.
Protection of children's rights
The aim of the Council of Europe's programme for children is to protect their rights.
Children are vulnerable and depend on adults for most of their needs. The aim of the Council of Europe's programme for children is to protect their rights, prevent every kind of violence against them, ensure that offenders are prosecuted and promote children's participation in those decisions which concern them.
Hence the Convention for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse is the first instrument criminalising sexual abuse of children, including at home or in the family. The convention came into force on 1 July 2010.
In addition, the Council of Europe has adopted guidelines to improve children's access to justice.
Gender equality
The aim of the relevant Council of Europe instruments is to combat all forms of discrimination against women and to promote women's role in society.
In the sphere of justice and democracy, gender equality is now considered to be important to countries' economic growth. The aim of the relevant Council of Europe instruments is to combat all forms of discrimination against women and to promote women's role in society.
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, which constitutes a significant step forward in this field, is based on the premise that such violence cannot be eradicated unless efforts are made to achieve greater equality between women and men.
Non-discrimination and the fight against racism
The European Convention on Human Rights prohibits all forms of discrimination by public authorities, on any grounds whatsoever.
The European Convention on Human Rights prohibits all forms of discrimination by public authorities, on any grounds whatsoever. The Council of Europe carries out various activities to protect minorities, including the largest minority in Europe, the Roma.
The European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion, for instance, is an initiative of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. One tangible result of the Alliance is the Romact project run jointly with the European Union.
For its part, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance analyses those specific problems and makes regular recommendations to the 47 member states of the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe also plays a leading role in the fight against discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Finally, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities provides for a monitoring mechanism which evaluates and improves the protection of minorities in the countries concerned.
European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
Defence of cultural diversity
In order to promote intercultural understanding, the Council of Europe prepares programmes and tools to improve language teaching.
Following the adoption in 2008 of its "White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue", the Council of Europe started several programmes on teacher training, the protection of minorities and social cohesion, including an annual dialogue with religious communities and representatives of non-religious beliefs. A network of Intercultural Cities helps its member cities to manage cultural diversity and fosters mixing and interaction between heterogeneous groups in public places in order to promote cohesion. It designs tools for resolving cultural conflicts.
In order to promote intercultural understanding, the Council of Europe prepares programmes and tools to improve language teaching.
Reform of Justice System
The Council of Europe is a widely recognized reference point in the field of justice in Europe: in over 60 years of existence, the Organisation has developed common standards for its 47 member states and it has well-established expertise and experience in the field of independence, efficiency and quality of justice.
European standards on an independent and efficient judiciary are mostly those set forth by the Organisation and they are acknowledged by the European Union as such.
The Council of Europe offers a unique contribution in the field of independence, efficiency and quality of justice. It is the sole European Organisation which provides a “full cycle” of support to its member states by making available both reference standards, monitoring and capacity-building tools in the field of justice.
The Council of Europe acquis has been developed by the Council of Europe standard-setting and monitoring bodies, in particular the European Court of Human Rights.
Other bodies which issue important substantive guidance are the Consultative Council of European Judges, the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors, the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) and the Commissioner for Human Rights. The Council of Europe also monitors the function of European judicial systems through its European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) and provides support to its member states in improving their judicial systems in line with the standards set forth by the Organisation.
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice
Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE)
Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE)
European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission)
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