Human Rights and the Rule of Law at the Council of Europe

Gender Equality in Sport 📅 Save the date: 12-13 February 🌐 Where? La Coque, Luxembourg, and online (registration required) 💡 What? Closing event – “All In Plus: Promoting greater gender equality in sport”: the need for sport to better perform! Gender equality in sport is still far from being a reality, as demonstrated by the “All In Plus: Promoting greater gender equality in sport” joint European Union and Council of Europe project. The main outcomes of the project, including: 🏆 the results of the analysis following its data collection on 6 key indicators in 21 jurisdictions 🏆 its library of best practices and 🏆 the capacity-building and cooperation work with its network of sport media professionals will be at the core of the closing event, organised in the framework of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Georges Mischo, Minister in charge of Sport in Luxembourg will open the event together with Matthias Kloth, Head of the Digital Governance and Sport Department at the Council of Europe and Normunds Popēns, Deputy Director-General of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission. 📽️ On 12 February a screening of the documentary ‘Sportswomen: the media career of female fighters’ will take place as well as Q&A session with film director Marie Lopez-Vivanco, film producer Patrick Chevallier and Paoline Ekambi, President of Sportail Community. 🦉 For deeper insights: https://lnkd.in/eff5uA22 🎙️ Press contact: Paivi Suhonen 🔖 Register for online participation via this link: https://lnkd.in/ebByzvNE 📃 Programme: https://go.coe.int/hIxxM 👭 Get to know the speakers here: https://lnkd.in/ezdryiVt

📌 Labour Rights as Human Rights and Introduction to the European Social Charter - HELP course launched for Ukrainian judges and lawyers On 31 January 2025, Ukrainian judges and lawyers have started the course to deepen their expertise in European labour law standards and the mechanisms for their protection. This two-month tutored course, adapted specifically for Ukraine’s legal professionals, brings together 18 judges and 21 lawyers to explore key topics, including: ✅ Core labour rights concepts ✅ European and Ukrainian labour law protection systems ✅ Case law from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), and European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) With Ukraine’s labour and social sectors undergoing transformation on the path to EU accession, legal professionals play a vital role in ensuring that labour rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled. The course has been tailored to Ukraine’s legal framework and will be led by esteemed experts: Valentyna Malinovska – Judge, Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv Viktoriia Polishchuk – Head of the Center for Labor Law and Social Security of the Higher School of Advocacy Alla Fedorova – Member of the European Committee of Social Rights 📌 The training is organised by the Council of Europe projects: ➡️ “HELP for Ukraine including during wartime” ➡️ “Enhanced Social Protection in Ukraine” In partnership with the National School of Judges of Ukraine and the Higher School of Advocacy of UNBA. 💻 Interested in deepening your knowledge? The HELP self-study courses “Labour Rights as Human Rights” https://lnkd.in/eRfgYxwQ and “Introduction to the European Social Charter” https://lnkd.in/eZFchBY5 are available online for legal professionals. Sign up on the HELP Platform to access these and 59+ other Council of Europe courses! #LabourRights #HumanRights #CouncilofEurope #HELPforUkraine #SocialRights #RuleOfLaw #LegalEducation

The Parliamentary Assembly gives green light to new Council of Europe treaty which protects the profession of lawyer This Convention requires states to protect lawyers in various ways, allowing them to practise without fear of discrimination or interference. The Assembly highlights the increasing threats faced by lawyers and emphasises the need for a legally binding instrument to enhance their protection. Taking part in the #PACEwinter2025 debate, the Attorney-General for England and Wales Lord Hermer also welcomed the convention: “This will rightly send a strong signal that the international community takes seriously the independence of the legal profession and the right of lawyers to practise free of interference and harassment. Our collective legal systems work best in circumstances where advocates are able to take their own cases without fear or favour and represent clients irrespective of their own views as to what the client did.” Read the opinion and watch the debate: https://lnkd.in/e7rKvsi7 #Law #HumanRights

The European Court of Human Rights has just published its annual report and statistics for 2024 🔽 #HumanRights #Democracy #RuleOfLaw #ECHR #ECHR2024

During the #OpenDay event of the Council of Europe Directorate of Programme Co-ordination, Heads of Offices met in Strasbourg, France and shared with the public achievements of their teams during 2024. Our #CPROC team was represented by Alexander Seger, who presented highlights from our first 10 years of #capacitybuilding on #cybercrime and #electronicevidence, with an emphasis on the past year. You may consult below the 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭 that was prepared for 2024 at a glance. The 𝐟𝐥𝐲𝐞𝐫 prepared for our 10th anniversary in April 2024 is also available (https://lnkd.in/dsiKHUtp) and, until our yearly 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 is published, the 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 conducted by our office since 2014 may also be of interest: https://lnkd.in/dwE4fHYd Keep an eye on www.coe.int/cybercrime and www.coe.int/cproc for updates to come.

🆕 New report : Bulgaria's progress in combating corruption   The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (#GRECO) has released today a report on Bulgaria's progress in combating corruption.   Bulgaria has: 🟢 fully implemented 7 of 28 recommendations 🟡 11 recommendations are partly implemented, and 🔴 10 have not been implemented.   ▶️ Reforms are underway regarding the National Anti-Corruption Council and election of members to the Anti-Corruption Commission. ▶️ There is a lack of rules on incompatibilities and vetting for top officials' advisors, and information on political cabinet members is not public. ▶️ Law enforcement has made more progress, including increased representation of women, better pay, ethics advisors, and mandatory misconduct reporting. ▶️ More efforts are needed to strengthen police independence, ensure open senior appointments, and address post-employment risks of former officers.   Bulgaria needs to continue implementing GRECO’s recommendations make further progress within the next 18 months and submit new information by 31 May 2026.   For deeper insights: 👉 Full report in English: https://lnkd.in/eQkEKzgh 👉 Full report in French: https://lnkd.in/eK_pYf3Q 👉 Full report in Bulgarian: https://lnkd.in/e6J66Gcc Summary: https://go.coe.int/8TGnc   #YesIntegrity #NoCorruption

🆕 Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing - New report on Bosnia and Herzegovina The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body, #MONEYVAL, has released today a report urging Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to improve its measures to combat money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF).   The assessment highlights moderate effectiveness in 9 of 11 areas, including: 🔺 risk understanding, 🔺 international cooperation, 🔺 use of intelligence and 🔺 ML/TF investigations. However, major improvements are needed in these areas.   Based on the results of its evaluation, MONEYVAL decided to apply its enhanced follow-up procedure and invited Bosnia and Herzegovina to report back in December 2026.   For deeper insights 👇 :  🔗   Get the summary here: https://lnkd.in/dE-U2fDK 🔗   Read the report: https://lnkd.in/dr3B3Py5 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dmztMVNN #AntiMoneyLaundering (#AML) #CounterTerroristFinancing (#CTF) Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

📢 Tackling Overcrowding in European Prisons - The Role of National Prevention Mechanisms (NPMs) in Safeguarding Rights and Ensuring Effective Oversight 🛡️ Overcrowding in detention facilities poses serious risks, including:  🔴 Increased potential for ill-treatment  🔴 Restricted access to healthcare and rehabilitation  🔴 Challenges in meeting international standards for humane detention conditions.  How Can We Tackle These Challenges? 🗝️ Solutions focused on physical space alone are insufficient—ensuring dignified and lawful detention conditions requires:  ✔️ Penal policy reforms  ✔️ Greater use of alternatives to detention  ✔️ Improved rehabilitation and correction programs Key Alternatives to Incarceration to Reduce Overcrowding:  ✅ Reducing reliance on pre-trial detention  ✅ Expanding non-custodial measures  ✅ Implementing community-based sanctions  ✅ Strengthening diversion programs for minor offenders Why Upholding ECHR Standards is Crucial?  ⚖️ The European Convention on Human Rights (#ECHR) mandates humane and dignified detention conditions.  ⚠️ Persistent overcrowding affects the execution of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights, making sustainable reforms essential. 📢 Workshop: Tackling Overcrowding in European Prisons🗓️ When? 5-6 February 2025  📍 Where? Strasbourg, France  👥 Who? Experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from the Council of Europe member states 🎯 Why? To explore sustainable strategies to combat overcrowding, promote rights-based detention practices, and examine the ethical use of AI in prison and probation services.  🔗 More about the workshop and the NPM Forum here: https://go.coe.int/6KEpi

🆕🌏Global trends in #cybercrime legislation 💻and #ElectronicEvidence since 2013, established by the Council of Europe 👇:   The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention, ETS No. 185) continues to guide reforms of legislation on cybercrime globally! 

2025 AI Action Summit 📅 Save the date: 11 February 2025 13h30 CET  🌐 Where: Paris, Council of Europe Office and online (live broadcast)  💻 What: 2025 AI Action Summit: Council of Europe Side event on African engagement in global AI governance The Council of Europe is organising a workshop focusing on African engagement in global AI governance. This is a targeted side event of the AI Action Summit 2025 hosted by France on 10 and 11 February 2025.  The side event will take place at the Council of Europe’s Paris Office and provide a valuable opportunity for an open exchange with various stakeholders on ways of deepening engagement of African countries in the global governance of AI.  📽️ You can join the workshop live on 11/02 at 13h30 CET in English and French 👇 :  https://lnkd.in/eMajih8V 🦉 Other useful links:  👉 AI Action Summit website: https://lnkd.in/eVf37y4E 👉The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence: https://lnkd.in/eHfwABYD