11/10/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
PACE General Rapporteur on Children, Marlene Rupprecht (Germany, SOC), and the PACE General Rapporteur on combating violence against women, José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), today welcomed, in a joint statement, the designation by the United Nations of the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October of each year with effect from 2012.
03/10/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
On the occasion of its 9th meeting, the Network of contact parliamentarians of the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE Campaign to stop sexual violence against children considered, with two experts, how to encourage children to protect themselves from sexual abuse. Ms Maury Pasquier, the Chairperson of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, stated that “this is a sensitive subject where a balance has to be found between giving children the tools to say “no” when faced with sexual violence, whilst taking care not to give them too much responsibility”.
19/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Political parties remain the main gate keepers for the participation of women in politics”, regretted the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination at its meeting in Tirana on 13 September 2012. It recommended political parties to introduce a minimum quota of 40 per cent of the under-represented sex in their executive decision-making bodies, invest in mentoring and training programmes and ensure that, during electoral campaigns, the broadcasting time allocated to the party would be proportionally shared by men and women candidates.
18/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"Parliamentarians have a vital role to play in transforming mentalities and make freedom from violence a reality in their communities," said Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, during a conference organised on this matter by the Parliamentary Network ‘Women Free from Violence’ in Tirana on 14 September.
18/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
At its meeting in Tirana on 13 September, the Equality and Non-Discrimination Committee expressed concern with regard to the rise of violent acts motivated by racism, intolerance and xenophobia, and an increasing use of racist and discriminatory discourse by political parties and asked political parties to refrain from using fear in their campaigns.
12/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination will meet in Tirana on 13-14 September 2012 with on its order of business – Thursday 13 – an exchange of views with the Albanian authorities focusing on anti-discrimination law and policy; gender equality; trafficking in human beings; the situation of Roma and national minorities; prenatal sex selection; discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
17/08/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“In the text of Article 27 of the draft constitution as approved by the Rights and Freedoms Committee of the Tunisian Constituent Assembly, it is affirmed that women are ‘complementary’ to men. Dropping the concept of equality in favour of the concept of complementarity means challenging it, taking a step backwards from the situation enshrined in the 1956 Constitution and sending out a negative signal to Tunisian society and to other countries in the region,” today said Fatiha Saïdi, PACE rapporteur on 'Equality between women and men: a condition for the success of the Arab Spring'.
04/06/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
At its meeting in Paris on 4 June, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination expressed great appreciation for the commitment made by the French authorities to make the introduction of a new law on sexual harassment a priority and to ensure that a bill is placed on the agenda of parliament at the earliest opportunity following the June parliamentary election.
04/06/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
At its meeting in Paris on 4 June 2012, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination expressed deep concern at the announcement made by the Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdağ that legislation outlawing abortion in all circumstances would be presented by the end of June. Such an announcement has been accompanied by statements from high government officials, including the Turkish Prime Minister, equating abortion with murder and identifying abortion and “elective caesareans” as the causes for the slow population growth in the country.
16/05/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in Europe in the fight against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. But while progress is being made in some countries, in others the foundations for a setback are being laid down," said PACE General Rapporteur on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBTs), Håkon Haugli (Norway, SOC), on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia.
23/04/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Fighting discrimination against LGBT people is at the heart of the Council of Europe’s mission”, Håkon Haugli (Norway, SOC), PACE General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTs said when presenting the priorities of his mandate. “LGBTs should enjoy all human rights, and not different or lesser rights as other people..."
21/03/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Girls victims of rape should be assisted and protected; the last thing that could help them overcome their trauma is being forced to marry the man who raped them” said Fatiha Saïdi, rapporteur on ‘Equality between women and men: a condition for the success of the Arab Spring’, referring to the recent suicide of a young girl in Morocco.