40 years of work for Human Rights, Democracy and Social Cohesion
September 2017: This year the Conference on International NGOs at the Council of Europe celebrates 40 years of existence, a story of defending the civic space and hence putting people at the centre of public governance considerations. The City of Strasbourg, France gave a Reception in honour of this event at the end of June this year.
Reception in the historic Town Hall of Strasbourg for the INGO Conference anniversary. The Council of Europe with its 47 member states, is based in Strasbourg
It is five years ago that the INGO Conference launched its Dialogue Toolkit, the methodology and subsequent actions presented on this site. Before this the Expert Council on NGO Law was created, as well as the Code of Good Practice on Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process. These are the instruments offered by the INGO Conference to improve things in society, see the relevant links below.
To mark this anniversary we quote the words of INGO President, Prof Anna Rurka as she spoke at the outset of the anniversary year: “For the past 40 years, organised civil society has helped at both national and international level to achieve the statutory aim of the Council of Europe, which is the achievement of greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and of facilitating their economic and social progress”. Compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Social Charter and the other legal instruments deriving from these treaties is the only way to ensure the effective implementation of universal and indivisible human rights for everyone.”
Here are some reference links, fist the Status of Non-governmental organisation in Member States: Committee of Ministers Recommendation (2007)14 on “the legal status of non- governmental organisations in Europe”
From the INGO Conference, fist the Expert Council on NGO Law
From the INGO Conference second, the Code of Good Practice on Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process
And finally, why and what for the INGO Dialogue Toolkit “From Polarisation to Participation” was elaborated http://dialoguetoolkit.net/about/