25/06/2019 | 16:14:55 It's good to see that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe has taken stock of the situation and raised unresolved issues, stating that whilst the assembled convention has contributed to saving hundreds of lives, we need a new political and operational approach and men and women need to do this work together. It is true that across nations, new criminal offences of for example forced marriage, stalking, female genital mutilation, rape and abuse have been instituted. In my... 12/04/2019 | 10:33:12 Good morning, colleagues. I thank the rapporteur for her usual thoroughness and analysis of a topic which has many aspects. The report clarifies the interests of those concerned in gamete donation: the legal parents; the donor; the donor-conceived person as a child and as an adult; the clinics and service providers; and society. It supports the rights of the child. Advances in scientific knowledge and application have created questions and challenges in a number of areas concerning human... 11/04/2019 | 18:00:27 I thank the rapporteur for this report, and for keeping the issue of migrants and refugees on the Greek islands on the agenda. Her report maintains that more needs to be done, and her personal reflections, particularly on the physical and mental suffering taking place, were powerful. We have previously discussed the inadequate planning and implementation of a workable programme on migrants to the European Union, and the need for a co-ordinated European approach, as Ms Anastasia... 09/04/2019 | 10:28:17 I commend the rapporteurs on producing two interesting, informative and challenging reports on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals within Agenda 2030. Mr Adão SILVA welcomed the agenda’s emphasis on human rights, the rule of law and good governance through democratic institutions, as well as the importance of the Council of Europe’s continued work with the United Nations. The Council of Europe has much to offer the United Nations and other multinational and national organisations... 22/01/2019 | 18:45:52 I thank the rapporteurs most sincerely for producing this comprehensive and balanced report. My group had a powerful discussion yesterday. There were some differences on how we might address the issue of Sharia Law, but we all felt that violence against, mistreatment of and discrimination against women were totally unacceptable. This is not to be anti-Muslim; we simply cannot condone situations where rulings are applied that are fundamentally incompatible with the laws, values, principles and... 21/01/2019 | 18:45:16 I wish to address the ongoing tragedy for adolescent girls where there is armed conflict. One in six children lives in a conflict zone and there is more risk to them now than in the past 20 years according to a report from Save the Children, with particularly degrading things happening to adolescent girls. They are often targeted as symbols of conquest and are subject to high levels of violence, including rape, sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation, which creates a stigma for the girls in...