Report by Fernand Jehl,Member of the representation of the European network with the Council of Europe
François Becker, Hugo Castelli Eyre, Robert Simon, and Fernand Jehl participated in the three sessions of the conference of INGOS of the Council of Europe in June 2014, in January and June 2015. They were present also at three other sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (pace) in September 2014, in March and September 2015, for the meetings of the working groups. These periods have held meetings of CINGO, organizations International Non governmental Christian who have participatory status.
In addition, through François Becker, the European network was present:
at the conference organized by the Committee of Ministers:
• "Intercultural dialogue: interaction between culture and religion"-1-2 September 2014 (Baku, Azerbaijan)
F. Becker is invited also to the next conference:
• "Build inclusive societies:-the role and the place of religion in public space; -education on religions and non- religious beliefs at school» - 2-3 November 2015 (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
http://www.coe.int/T/cm/exchanges-intercultural-dialogue_fr.asp
G3I, Member of the European network, is responsible for the animation of a large project of the Conference of INGOS entitled "for an inclusive Europe:
o «Learn how to better live together with our different beliefs.
o 8 to the 11 2015, Strasbourg
https://RM.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId
I. Participation in the sessions of the INGOS and the CINGO
The European network has been present in the three sessions of the conference of INGOS which were held since the conference of Drongen: session from 23-26 June 2014, session from 26-29 January 2014 and the session from 22 to 25 June 2015. Fernand Jehl wrote a detailed report of the session of January 2015 (see the website of the registration). Sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Conference of INGOS, nevertheless operate working groups with which the network is associated: this has been the case of 29 September 2014, October 2, 2014, from 20 to 24 April 2015, from 28 September to 1 October 2015. During each of those weeks, are also held meetings of the CINGO. These meetings are attended by many Christian INGOS and topics are listed on the website. http://www.cingo-Strasbourg.EU/index.html The information on the site refer explicitly to work carried by the network European.
II. work carried out by the Conference (the details are given in the computer links)
This account cannot be a substitute for the extensive information provided on the work of the Conference of INGOS, accessible at the following address http://www.coe.int/fr/Web/Ingo/home
and those of the three so-called thematic commissions
Commission of human rights,
Commission Education and Culture
Commission democracy, social cohesion and global issues, available through the following link: http://www.coe.int/fr/Web/Ingo/thematic-committees
Three comments may reflect significant developments over the past months:
1. At the end of January 2015 Conference, a new President, Anna RURKA, was elected: see the report of the session the Conference on the site of the European network: http://www.en-re.EU/en25/index.php/activities/Council-of-Europe/293-report-on-the-January-session-of-the-Ingo-Conference-at-the-Council-of-Europe
This new President is very anxious to link the work of the Conference with those bodies comprising a majority of elected representatives within the Committee of Ministers, either in the pace or at the Congress of local and regional authorities. The resolutions and recommendations of the Conference must not remain a dead letter and be known by their committees. The presence of a representative of the Committee of Ministers, Mrs Astrid Emilie Helle, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Norway and Mrs Gabriella Battaini Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Conference of the month of June 2015 reflects a significant step forward.
2. President shows the reciprocal concern: the Conference must join the major themes identified by the Secretary General and the three instances and make the echo of civil society in a better defined framework. This is the reason why the Conference has a three-year workplan from 2015 to 2018. This work plan is available at the following address: https://RM.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=0900001680469e06
A careful reading of these strategic directions calls on the Ingo Conference and seeks effective responsiveness. This point should be investigated reflections of the European network at its meeting in Rome.
3. The Conference elected a new expert, equality between women and men: Anne Nègre. The plan of action adopted for this mission includes themes and strategic objectives that resemble those of the network European, including "women and religions. This action plan is available at the following address: http://www.coe.int/fr/Web/Ingo/gender-equality-expert
III. specific Contributions of the European network
In addition to the contributions to the work of the various committees and transversal groups the European network:
1. led to fruition the objectives of the 'Human rights and religions' work group thanks to the work of François Becker.
June 27, 2013, the Conference adopted the recommendation addressed to the Member States of the Council of Europe, entitled "human rights and Religions.
On January 30, 2014, the Conference adopted 'Tracks of reflection and action proposed to members and officials of the religions' and an 'appeal to the citizens of Europe, the International Non governmental Organisations (INGOS).
All of these three texts are gathered in a document signed by the two leaders of the thematic commission of human rights. A Monitoring Committee is responsible for ensuring the application of this commitment of the Conference. The document is online at the following address:
https://RM.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016802f793a
2. has set up a working group led by Hugo Castelli Eyre (Redes Christianas), entitled "Human rights, co-development and migration". This working group proposed January 27, 2014, at the Conference is given as a aims to mobilize the forces of civil society, relying on the guidelines and the international conventions, in order to modify the current conditions of the exploitation of natural resources by multinational enterprises. These include to put pressure on these companies so that they respect human rights, the rights and the interests of the countries where they operate and promote development Co. Deregulated exploitation of the resources of these countries has the effect of compelling a portion of the population to emigration punitive to their inhabitants and their economy.
The WG met on 29 January, April 9, June 23, September 30 2014, then January 28, April 21, on 22 June and 30 September 2015.
The work is based in particular on the preparation of a draft declaration of the Rights Committee Director of man, entitled 'Human rights and enterprises' submitted to the Committee of Ministers in January 2016. It will allow INGOS to ask Member States to enforce these rights (in particular extractive) corporations whose headquarters is located in one of the Member States of the Council of Europe. The draft declaration is online: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/cddh/CDDH-CORP/CDDH-CORP(2015)R5_fr.pdf
The GT has also just sent all the INGOS of the conference a letter describing the activities of the Working Group and the importance of the regulatory texts that will be issued under the seal of the Council of Europe in favour of respect for human rights and business
Many contacts are underway to know these work within the Conference and of interested partners, such as publish what you pay (PCFV), the Forum (CSR) corporate social responsibility, Amnesty International (AI), the Catholic Committee against hunger and development (CCFD, who is now attending the GT),
The objective of the Working Group is to prepare a meeting very open to the various bodies of the Council of Europe in June 2016 in order to know the strong points that is will be cleared of these numerous working sessions and established contacts. Finally a 'recommendation' to Member States will be proposed at the Conference to weigh in on one of the levers of Development Co: a more environmentally-friendly economy of the rights of local people to allow them to live in the country and not to be subjected to a forced emigration.
3. Participates in steering the Working Group «•Eduquer to living together in Europe intercultural - dialogue» The objective of this new working group is to gather successful experiences of intercultural (formal and informal) to living together and dialogue so that the Conference can make new recommendations in this area. The 47 member countries should be consulted through the INGOS members of the Conference: the work with a view to the European network. Fernand Jehl is a member of the Steering Group.
4. contributes to the work of the Working Group on "great poverty and human rights".
Hugo Castelli, François Becker, Robert Simon, Fernand Jehl.
See, in particular, the seminar organized by the WG on October 16, 2015:
International Day for the eradication of poverty the company civil against the poverty of children in Europe: https://RM.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168047cca4
5. participates in the work of the group "Europe - Mediterranean".
IV. Various
Participation in a day of session of the Congress of local and regional authorities: the plenary meeting was devoted to examples of cities that lead inclusive public policies. The meeting conducted an Exchange on combating radicalisation. The Congress offers the feature to give a voice to young representatives of organized youth. (Fernand Jehl)
Approach with officials (past and present) of the Conference to understand why, despite his request, the European LGBT Forum got no status participatory (Robert Simon, Fernand Jehl)
Contacts with elected representatives to pace, members of the commission "Migration and population displacements" (Hugo Castelli)
Participation in the Side Event of September 29, 2015, devoted to the impacts of climate change (Hugo Castelli and Fernand Jehl) human rights
Organization of a visit of the Council of Europe by the members of a national association adherent to the European network (60 persons): exchanges with Madam Deputy Secretary General, presentation of the conference of INGOS by Ms Rall, delegated by the President, work of the registration within the Conference (François Becker, Robert Simon, Fernand Jehl)