The Council of Europe and Civil Society
Our aim with the dedicated civil society portal and the practical guide published thereon is to give you the information you need to work alongside the Council of Europe. As a large organisation that has grown over many years, it can look complex at first glance. But there are many ways that civil society and NGOs - especially international NGOS (INGOs) - can get involved, from actual partnership, to providing information to different bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights or the Commissioner for Human Rights, to aiding the work of monitoring bodies as they carry out their work in different countries. It also gives guidance on available resources and describes ways that human rights defenders can seek help if they are under threat.
As you navigate through the site you will find all the information you need on the Council of Europe’s co-operation with civil society in its core areas of human rights protection, building democratic societies and ensuring respect for the rule of law. Join us to build a better Europe.
The new Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer: An important text for many NGOs and human rights defenders
This new Convention, opened for signature in May 2025, covers lawyers and their professional associations and addresses notably entitlement to practise, professional rights, freedom of expression and specific protective measures. Ratification and implementation of the Convention will also protect the interests of NGOs by ensuring that lawyers who act on their behalf in proceedings are able to represent them without themselves being the target of any form of physical attack, threat, harassment or intimidation or any improper hindrance where NGOs are stigmatised because of the legitimate objectives that they pursue. Moreover, many NGOs working in favour of human rights, environmental and consumer protection, and the fight against corruption for instance, work hand in hand with lawyers in support of victims or to prompt essential jurisprudential evolutions (strategic litigation).
The entering into force of the Convention (already signed by 29 member States) needs 8 ratifications and it may thus be in the interests of many NGOs to promote this treaty and to encourage the member States in which they operate to ratify it.
Further information about the Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer
GET THE LATEST UPDATES
Download the "Working with the Council of Europe" guide - in English - 2,38 MB