Violence against women and children, the involvement of youth and civil society, the freedom of expression and the importance of independent media in a democratic society, as well as the standards and initiatives implemented by the Council of Europe in those areas, were at the centre of discussions during the first meeting of the initiative "Agir ensemble (Act Together): Journalists for the rule of law and human rights", held on 7 - 8 February in Lisbon, Portugal.

The meeting brought together a network of women journalists aiming to strengthen the communication on standards and values promoted by the Council of Europe in the MENA region (Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, and Palestine) and Sub-Saharan Africa. This meeting also facilitated the exchange of good practices among participants in the region. Network members will be encouraged to continue their exchanges during other relevant activities of the Council of Europe, thus contributing to a concerted response to various issues related to human rights and the rule of law.

The activity was supported by the project “Freedom of Expression, Pluralistic Media and Access to Information” (FREX-PLUME), as part of the Council of Europe and the European Union joint Programme, "Protecting human rights, rule of law and democracy through shared standards in the Southern Mediterranean" (South Programme V). The involvement of the Council of Europe North-South Centre in this initiative ensured the connection between the dissemination of information and the contribution of youth and civil society.