The overarching strategic initiative of the Council of Europe is the work towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe (NDPE) around three pillars

  1. Learning and practising democracy to boost resilience
  2. Protecting democracy to ensure democratic security
  3. Innovating to shape democracies of tomorrow

 CDADI AND THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PACT FOR EUROPE 

On 4 May 2026, CDADI and the Gender Equality Commission of the Council of Europe (GEC) published a joint statement on the fundamental importance of equality, gender equality, diversity and inclusion for the New Democratic Pact for Europe. The statement underlines the fundamental importance of equality, gender equality, diversity and inclusion for the New Democratic Pact for Europe, which is the strategic initiative of the Council of Europe to make European democracies more resilient and adapted to the changing world.

Both committees underline that equality and equal participation form the backbone of democracy. Democracy can function legitimately and flourish only if all individuals, regardless of gender or any other ground of discrimination are able to participate safely in public life on an equal footing. Equality is a structural condition for democratic legitimacy.

Equality, gender equality, diversity and inclusion harness the full potential of society and benefit society as a whole, strengthening stability, trust, creativity and prosperity. They enhance economic growth, promote innovation, increase labour market participation and living standards and strengthen competitiveness and societal cohesion.

CDADI and GEC emphasise that placing the protection and advancement of equality, gender equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the New Democratic Pact for Europe is imperative for securing future-ready, peaceful, prosperous, sustainable, safe and trusted democracies.

Already today, CDADI contributes to all three pillars of the pact:

  • Pillar 1: CDADI work on political participation, education, empowerment and awareness-raising.
  • Pillar 2: CDADI work on combating hate speech and hate crime, as well as advancing equality and inclusion.
  • Pillar 3: CDADI work on data collection, AI and comprehensive inclusion strategies.

CDADI’s contributions must fully fed into the New Democratic Pact for Europe – so that equality, remains at the heart of this process as a cornerstone of democracy.

Pillar 1. Learning and practising democracy to boost resilience

This first pillar focuses on empowering the actors of democracy and strengthening democratic institutions, namely by promoting media literacy and democratic engagement which include advocating for inclusion, equal access, and dialogue across political, generational, cultural, and digital divides.

The following strands of the CDADI work contribute to advance this pillar:

Pillar 2.  Learning and practising democracy to boost resilience

The second pillar of the Pact focuses on protecting democratic institutions and addressing the roots of disillusionment, extremism and polarisation.

The CDADI work on hate speech and hate crime is an essential contribution for this pillar, remarkably with the implementation of:

Hate speech – especially online – fuels polarisation, undermines trust, silences participation, and opens the door to authoritarian tendencies. Ensuring that those targeted by hate feel safe to participate in civic life is a precondition for democratic vitality.

In this context, it is important that the No Hate Speech Week, now entering its third edition, has been firmly integrated into the NDPE process. It is a concrete tool to raise awareness and mobilise public engagement against hate.

The promotion of inclusive and alternative speech, as reflected in Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on multilevel policies and governance for intercultural integration, also contributes to this pillar.

Protecting democracy requires sustained efforts to advance equality and inclusion, leaving no one behind. The following work strands contribute to these efforts:

The work of the ADI-ROM on Roma and Travellers, which contributes to promoting and protecting the rights of Roma and Travellers in Council of Europe member States and to fostering equal opportunities, diversity and social inclusion by fighting discrimination and antigypsyism

The work of the ADI-SOGIESC on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics, which contributes to ensure equality of rights and protect the rights of LGBTI persons

  • The forthcoming Handbook on democratic governance and participation of Roma and Travellers
  • The work of the ADI-INT on intercultural inclusion, which promotes interaction, participation and shared belonging through coordinated policies at the local, regional and national levels.  These policies strengthen trust, creativity, innovation and cohesion in society – all essential for resilient democracies       

Pillar 3.  Innovating to shape democracies of tomorrow

The third pillar is about ensuring that democracy remains responsive and oriented towards the future.

It involves addressing data gaps so that policies can be evidence-based. In this regard, the mandate of CDADI’s for 2026-2027 includes a study containing practical guidance on data collection in relation to the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and the use of regional or minority languages including through population census. 

Innovation also concerns technology. The Recommendation on equality and artificial intelligence, drafted with the Gender Equality Commission, is a landmark instrument. It will help ensure that AI serves to reduce discrimination, not amplify it; to strengthen democracy, not weaken it.

The latest ADI-INT deliverable – the Guidance Document on strategies for inclusion – is another strong example of democratic innovation. By mainstreaming equality across all fields, rather than taking a segmented approach, it enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of inclusion policies. Under its mandate for 2026-2027, CDADI will continue to map, develop and pilot elements of equality mainstreaming on the grounds covered by CDADI at the Council of Europe and with interested member States.

Innovating for democracy includes also efforts to confront the environmental crisis  and recognise its profound impact on democratic resilience. The mandate of CDADI’s for 2026-2027 includes a study about the impact of the environmental crisis on persons exposed to discrimination and measures to prevent and alleviate such impact.