16/05/2006 | News
“For some years now we have been witnessing a return to the most distorted stereotypes in advertising, showing women as housewives in thrall to men, whereas major advances have now been made in the legislation in this area” said Marie-José Laloy (Belgium, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the image of women in advertising, speaking at the opening of a hearing on the subject held in Paris today. “Pictures inciting people to violence against women or to discrimination on grounds of sex are violations of human dignity”, she went on to say.
16/05/2006 | News
At the end of a hearing on the image of women in advertising PACE rapporteur Marie-José Laloy (Belgium, SOC) said that in view of the urgent social need to prevent violence and combat discrimination, she would like an in-depth study on the subject to be conducted, involving advertising professionals, representatives of the community and regulatory bodies. On this basis a ‘code of conduct’ could be framed, taking the form of guidelines to help advertising creatives project positive images of men and women and eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sex. Advertising must remain within an ethical framework, showing due regard for equality between women and men and respect for human dignity, she said. “However, our aim should not be simply to add to the range of possible punishments, but to try to find better ways of reconciling freedom of expression and creation with respect for human dignity”, explained Ms Laloy.
16/05/2006 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
PACE's Culture Committee is organising a parliamentary hearing on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs, to take place in Paris on 18 May. The hearing aims to bring together philosophers, historians, theologians, journalists, artists and writers, as well as a panel of personalities from different religions and individuals involved in recent blasphemy cases. Participants at this hearing, which is open to the press, include Caroline Fourest, sociologist and essayist, Ronald Koven, World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), Ibrahim Nawar, Arab Press Freedom Watch (APFW), David Messas, Grand Rabbi of Paris, and Tareq Oubrou, Rector of the Bordeaux Mosque.
16/05/2006 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Members of the Assembly’s Sub-committee on Refugees will take part in this seminar, in Lisbon on 18-19 May, on the theme “Co-development and democracy: the socio-political role of migrants”, which looks at co-development policies in relation to democracy, human rights, diasporas and refugees. It is organised by PACE's Migration Committee and other Council bodies in partnership with the Portuguese Parliament and the Gulbenkian Foundation, and will be opened by the Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament Jaime José Matos da Gama.
15/05/2006 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
The Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, meeting in Paris today, adopted a report on domestic violence against women which suggests that at midday on 24 November 2006 parliaments should all unite symbolically to denounce domestic violence as a serious violation of human rights. "This is an ideal opportunity for MPs from across the European continent to signify their determination to combat this problem, which is once more on the rise in Council of Europe member states," the committee said. The report is due to be discussed during the Assembly's summer session in Strasbourg (26-30 June).
14/05/2006 | Election observation
There was progress in the conduct of voting during election day for the 13 May partial re-run of the parliamentary elections, according to PACE observers. In a statement issued today, the 20-member delegation said the conduct of the candidate registration process was inclusive but regretted the decision of certain opposition parties to boycott the elections. The electoral campaign was generally low key and took place without the incidents that marred the November elections, the observers said.
12/05/2006 | News
“A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus would have to be considerably different from the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe as conflicts are still latent. It should therefore take into account all aspects of the specific situation in the South Caucasus,” Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) said at the opening of today’s hearing on the subject, organised by PACE’s Political Affairs Committee in Brussels.
12/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on “the image of women in advertising” is to take place in Paris on 16 May 2006, organised by PACE's Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. Participants at this public hearing, which is open to the press, include the Director General of French lingerie firm Aubade Anne-Charlotte Pasquier, who discusses “The image of women: veiled or unveiled”.
12/05/2006 | Prizes
The 2006 Europe Prize, the highest distinction that can be bestowed on a town or local authority for its actions in the European domain, has been awarded to the town of Szeged. It is the first time a Hungarian town has received the prize. The decision was taken unanimously by PACE's Environment Committee, meeting today in Paris. The "Plaque of Honour", the second highest distinction, was awarded to ten towns in six countries. Some 25 municipalities received the "Flag of honour" and 27 were granted the "European Diploma".
12/05/2006 | News
"A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus cannot be imposed on the countries concerned, but it could well be imposed on ourselves," said Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) in his concluding remarks at a hearing on the issue organised by PACE's Political Affairs Committee in Brussels today.
11/05/2006 | Election observation
An eighteen-member delegation from the PACE, headed by Leo Platvoet (Netherlands, UEL), will observe the partial re-run of the Azerbaijan parliamentary elections on 13 May 2006. Following the poll on 6 November 2005, repeat elections are being held in ten constituencies in which the Central Election Commission and the Constitutional Court annulled the results. PACE said the original elections did not meet international standards despite some improvements. The delegation, which will be in the country from 11 to 15 May 2006, will meet representatives of political parties and blocs, electoral officials and NGO representatives and will observe polling on the day of the vote.
10/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on the Stability Pact for the South Caucasus will take place on Friday 12 May in Brussels, organised by the Political Affairs Committee of PACE. The hearing, which is open to the press, will focus on the prospects for such a Pact – similar to the one for South-East Europe – with the participation of representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as high-level officials from the EU, World Bank and G8, as well as members of the European Parliament.