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Strasbourg, 12 December 2014CDDECS (2014) RAP 3

 

 

 

 

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL COHESION,

HUMAN DIGNITY AND EQUALITY

(CDDECS)

 

 

ABRIDGED REPORT

 

 

2ND MEETING

 

18-20 November 2014

 

 

 

 

Council of Europe, Strasbourg

Palais de l’Europe, Room 11

Avenue de l’Europe

 

 

 


  1. The European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS) held its 2nd meeting from 18 to 20 November 2014 in Strasbourg.

 

  1. The agenda was adopted as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

 

Implementation of the CDDECS work programme

  1. The CDDECS took note of the proposed topics for Round Table discussion/ Exchange of Views and of the proposed activities, made by the Members States in the CDDECS survey on activities, conducted in October 2014. The chair proposed activities that would not duplicate the work of the subordinate bodies and that would take into account the Term of Reference of the CDDECS.

 

  1. The CDDECS decided to form 6 ad-hoc working groups to prepare actions for 2015. The groups are to prepare concept papers for:

 

  1. roundtable discussion on “Social inclusion of all persons and in particular of all persons in vulnerable situations and effectiveness of rights” during the 3rd CDDECS plenary in May 2015. Finland, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the INGO Conference volunteered for this working group.

 

  1. review of the Social Cohesion Strategy and Action Plan. The working group, with the help of an external expert, is to use the results of the Baku Conference of 2014 as basis for their work. Belgium, France, Poland, Russia and Turkey volunteered to participate in this working group.

 

  1. exchange of good practices against discrimination and stereotypes on any ground. Austria, Estonia, Portugal, Spain and “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” volunteered to participate in this working group.

 

  1. hearing on social inclusion of all persons, and in particular of all persons in vulnerable situations in the second half of 2015. Bulgaria volunteered to participate in this working group.

 

  1. roundtable discussion on the role of equality bodies, national Human Rights Institutions, and ombudsmen in promoting equality. Albania, Ireland, Moldova, the Netherlands and Romania volunteered to participate in this working group.

 

  1. feasibility study/green book on existing materials for awareness on equality/discrimination and human rights for social workers, police, health sector professionals and legal professionals etc. France volunteered to participate in this working group.

 

  1. The Chair invited member States to reflect on the working group participation further and to volunteer by 10 December by informing the secretariat.

 

  1. The results of discussions in these working groups are to be delivered to the secretariat by the end of January 2015, and will then be considered by the Bureau of the CDDECS during its next meeting in Paris in February 2015. With regard to the review of strategy on social cohesion, the final review is to be delivered by the end of August 2015 to the secretariat.

 

  1. With regard 2016, the chair put the following proposals on the table for inspiration.

 

  1. Organising a hearing on the role of equality bodies, NHRIs and ombudsmen in promoting equality. 
  2. Organising a roundtable discussion on knowledge of their rights by persons in institutions.
  3. Roundtable discussion on both the GREVIO (first monitoring results of the Istanbul convention) and new forms of violence (e.g. cybercrime).
  4. Developing materials and recommendations for social workers, police, health sector professionals and legal professionals, etc. on equality and discrimination.

 

  1. These proposals are either interlinked with actions from 2015 (a. and d.) or taken from the list of issues that were proposed by member States in the survey (b. and c.).  The Chair proposed to discuss the post 2015 agenda in the next meeting of CDDECS. 

 

  1. The CDDECS presented to the representatives of its subordinate committees (GEC, DECS-ENF and DECS-RPD) the list of activities it has decided to implement in 2015-2016.

 

Coordinating the functioning of the subordinate bodies

 

Gender Equality Commission (DECS-GEC)

  1. During its exchange of views with the Gender Equality Commission, the CDDECS proposed the revision of the TOR of the GEC to ensure that travel and subsistence expenses for the 47 member States’ representatives are borne by the CoE.

 

  1. The CDDECS took note of the GEC’s Annual Report on the implementation of the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017 and decided to forward it to the Committee of Ministers.

 

Committee of Experts on the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (DECS-ENF)

 

  1. The CDDECS took note of the information provided by the secretariat on the activities done by the DECS-ENF at its first meeting on 13-14 November 2014 in order to prepare a new strategy for the rights of children as well as the future events planned in this field.
  1. As regards the draft questionnaires on child friendly social services, the CDDECS agreed to incorporate the comments presented by some member States and decided to send the revised version of the questionnaire to the member States by 15 December 2014 for replies by end of March 2015.

 

  1. With regard to the draft questionnaire on child friendly health care, the CDDECS supported the proposal made by the secretariat to work in cooperation with WHO. It decided to further discuss this issue during the next bureau meeting of the CDDECS in February 2015.

 

  1. The CDDECS took note of the Summer School organized in 2015 as a follow up to the Recommendation (2006) 19 on policy to support positive parenting.

 


Committee of Experts on the Rights of People with Disabilities (DECS-RPD)

  1. The CDDECS took note of the information provided by the chair of the DECS-RPD and the secretariat on the activities done by the DECS-RPD at its first meeting on 1-3 October 2014, including on the evaluation of the implementation of the current Disability Action Plan in Member States.

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Exchanges of views

 

  1. The CDDECS had fruitful exchanges of views with the following Council of Europe bodies:
  1. the Executive Secretary of the European Committee of Social Rights on the European Social Charter and the new “Turin process”.

 

  1. the Chair of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment (CPT).

 

  1. the secretariat of the Youth Department about the “No Hate Speech” Campaign and the current work on young people’s access to fundamental rights.

 

Recent developments in member States

 

  1. The CDDECS thanked the governments who provided latest developments in the field of CDDECS mandate and decided to follow written procedure in the future on the recent developments.

 

Recent developments in relevant Council of Europe Bodies

 

  1. The CDDECS took note of the presentation made by
    1. the representative of the PACE,
    2. the representative of Belgium on behalf of the Belgium presidency of the CM.

 

Recent developments concerning relevant CoE Conventions

  1. The CDDECS took note with interest of the presentations made by the secretariat about
    1. the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention),
    2. the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and
    3. The Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

 

Preparation of forthcoming meetings

 

  1. The CDDECS decided that its 3rd meeting will be held on 27-29 May 2015 in Strasbourg.