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AI healthcare - addressing risks, supporting healthcare professionals, protecting patients
Organised by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and with the support of the Alan Turing Institute, the HUDERIA Academy for health brought together 30 participants, including policy makers, health professionals, health...
Right to health: what can local and regional politicians do?
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has published a new brochure entitled “Right to health: what can local and regional politicians do?” Health is a human right, not just a matter of public policy. Local and regional authorities have a key role to play in ensuring...
When a doctor becomes a bridge: developing more accessible and inclusive health system in Armenia
When Dr Mariam* fled her home and crossed the border into Armenia, she brought with her over a decade of medical experience. What neither the system nor her medical training had given her was a way to bridge the gap between her own experience of displacement and the expectations of a new...
The Slovak Republic joins the Council of Europe Coalition for Health Literacy and Human Rights
By joining the Coalition, the Slovak Republic reaffirms its commitment to strengthening health literacy as a key element of public health, human rights, and social inclusion. Minister of Health Kamil Šaško underlined the importance of health literacy as a foundational element of effective,...
Albania and Mexico join the Council of Europe Coalition for Health Literacy and Human Rights
By joining the Coalition, Albania and Mexico reaffirms their commitment to strengthening health literacy as a key element of public health, human rights, and social inclusion. In confirming Albania’s participation, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Evis Sala highlighted the importance of...
Respect for autonomy in mental healthcare: Council of Europe adopts new recommendation
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation on respect for autonomy in mental healthcare, which aims at ensuring respect for the autonomy of persons receiving mental healthcare and at preventing the use of coercion in the provision of such care. It reaffirms the principle of free and...
Evaluating the ethical and human rights implications of chatbots
On 5 June 2026, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights in Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO) gathered experts, youth representatives, and policymakers to discuss the ethical and human rights implications of conversational and generative AI for young people’s health and...
Strasbourg debate addresses exposure to social media, well-being, and policy responses to mitigate risks
Social media and children’s mental health: right answers are rarely black and white
Any policy decisions about access of children to social media should be guided by a children’s rights approach, informed by the latest research and, most importantly, by children’s voices. With many countries reviewing their legislation on children’s access to social media, the participants of a...
Portugal and San Marino Join the Council of Europe Coalition for Health Literacy and Human Rights
Portugal and San Marino have officially joined the Council of Europe Coalition for Health Literacy and Human Rights, reaffirming their commitment to human rights and equitable access to healthcare. In confirming Portugal’s participation, Minister of Health Ana Paula Martins highlighted the...
Equipping Public Health Professionals to Enhance Health Literacy
Health literacy makes a fundamentally important contribution to safeguarding the human rights principle of equitable access to healthcare, especially when existing healthcare resources are less accessible to certain populations due to their circumstances. Health literacy, the ability of...
