Health Literacy and Human Rights

Listening and empowering people to build trust

 5 December 2025 INAIL, via IV novembre 144, Rome, Italy

 

This event is organised by the National Office Against Racial Discrimination of Italy, in cooperation with the Council of Europe,
and with the support of the Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities of Italy, and the Minister of Health of Italy

 

 Objective

This event will launch the pathway for the Rome Coalition on Health Literacy and Human Rights, a network to bring together political, institutional, and civil society actors, with the goal of promoting equity and inclusion.

 Programme

Welcome coffee (10:00 - 11:00)

Opening Statements

11:00 - 11:45

Moderator: 

  • Assunta MORRESI, Council of Europe Steering Committee for Human Rights in the fields of Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO)

Panellists:

  • Eugenia ROCCELLA, Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities, Italy
  • Orazio SCHILLACI, Minister of Health, Italy
  • Rafael BENITEZ, Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Council of Europe

Introductory remarks

11:45 - 12:15

Moderator: 

  • Agnese Nadia CANEVARI, National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR), Italy

Panellists:

  • Evis SALA, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Albania
  • Vasiliki KARAOULI, Secretary Permanent, Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family Affairs, Greece

Morning Summary

12:15 - 12:20

This session will recall the views and political commitments expressed during the morning and the shared intention to collaborate in the setting up of the Rome coalitition on Health Literacy and Human Rights with the support of the Council of Europe.

  • Lorenzo MONTRASIO, National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR), Italy

Lunch (12:20 - 14:00)

Listening and empowering people to build trust

14:00 - 14:20

This session explores the stigma and discrimination faced by people and groups in vulnerable situations, and considers ways to better to listen, empower and protect them so that they can effectively exercise their right to the protection of health.

Moderator: 

  • Lee HIBBARD, Health Division, Council of Europe 

Panellists:

  • Kristine SØRENSEN, Global Health Literacy Academy, Denmark 
  • Guglielmo BONACCORSI, University of Florence, Italy
  • Chiara LORINI, University of Florence, Italy

Listening and empowering people to build trust - Institutional perspectives

14:20 - 15:50

This session discusses how public institutions and government bodies listen, empower and protect people’s health, and considers how the Rome Coalition adds value to their efforts, both individually and collectively.

Moderators: 

  • Miguel TELO DE ARRIAGA, Directorate-General of Health, Portugal

Panellists:

  • Luisa BORGIA, Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee for Human Rights in the fields of Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO)
  • Robert GAJDA, Commission for Protection from Discrimination, Albania
  • Tigran KARAPETYAN, Council of Europe
  • Signe MEŽINSKA, Steering Committee for Human Rights in the fields of Biomedicine and Health at the Council of Europe, Latvia 
  • Luciana TEOFILI, National Blood Center, Italy

Closing remarks and way forward

15:50- 16:00
  • Mattia PERADOTTO, National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR), Italy
  • Rafael BENITEZ, Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Council of Europe

 Photos

 Speakers & Moderators

Speakers and moderators are being confirmed progressively, with updates shared on this webpage as they become available.

Voltar Rafael BENITEZ

Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Council of Europe
Rafael BENITEZ

Rafael A. Benitez was born on 23 January 1969 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. He holds a Master’s degree in European Law (LL.M.) from the College of Europe (Bruges) and degrees in Law and Finance from the I.C.A.D.E. - University of Comillas (Madrid). He also studied Political Science at the U.N.E.D (Madrid). He has studied in Spain, Belgium and the United States.

Rafael A. Benitez is currently Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment in the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe.

He has worked in the Council of Europe since 1994 where he has previously occupied other functions including: Director of the Congress of Local and Regional authorities, Director Programme and Finance, Chief of Protocol, Head of the Programme Department, Head of the Public Law Department, Head of the Anti-Terrorism Division and Head of the International Law Division.

He has worked extensively in the legal field including administrative law and justice, international criminal justice and criminal law, in particular corruption and terrorism, and public international law.

He has written in these fields and spoken at many international conferences on these topics.

He has been a visiting lecturer at the Institute of International Relations (ITI-RI) and the International Human Rights Institute (IIDH) in Strasbourg and a member of the admissions board to the French Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

Prior to joining the Council of Europe he worked in the private sector, both in a law firm and a business association.

He speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian.

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