Information Documents

SG/Inf(2025)32

15 October 2025

___________________________________________________________________________________

Implementation of Committee of Ministers’ Resolution (2016)3 on participatory status for international non-governmental organisations with the Council of Europe

Granting of participatory status

Communication to the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

___________________________________________________________________________________

1.    In accordance with the rules as set out in the Committee of Ministers’ Resolution (2016)3
(Article 8 of its appendix), on participatory status for international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) with the Council of Europe, the Secretary General has the honour to communicate to the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, for their tacit approval, the names of the INGOs to which it has been decided to grant or refuse participatory status.

2.    Further information on these INGOs and the reasons for the decisions are contained in the appendices to this document[1]:

Appendix 1: Granting of status: INGOs which applied for participatory status and which meet all the conditions set out in Article 2 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3;

Appendix 2: Refusal of status: INGOs which applied for participatory status and which do not meet all the conditions set out in Article 2 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3.

3.    In conformity with Article 6 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3, the Secretariat communicated the names of the INGOs concerned to the Standing Committee of the Conference of INGOs, which expressed a favourable opinion within the required 30 calendar days.

4.    In the absence of any objection raised by the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly or the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, founded on the conditions set out in Article 9 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3, the decision of the Secretary General will enter into force 60 calendar days from the date of this document.

Appendix 1

INGOs which applied for participatory status and

to which the Secretary General intends to grant participatory status

The following INGOs which applied for participatory status fulfil the conditions set out in Article 2 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3 and are recommended for participatory status. Further information on each INGO is presented in this document.

·         Centre de la Protection Internationale (CPI)

·         Campaign to Uphold Rights in Europe (CURE)

·         International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)

·         Missing Children Europe (MCE)

·         Save the Children Europe

Conditions set out in Article 2 of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3:

“2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs:

a.    which respect and defend the values and principles of the Council of Europe;

b.    which are able, through their work, to support the achievement of that closer unity mentioned in Article 1 of the Council of Europe’s Statute;    

c.    which are created on the basis of a constitutive act adopted according to democratic principles;

d.    which have a democratic structure and governance;

e.    which are particularly representative in the field(s) of their competence, fields of action shared by the Council of Europe;

f.     which are represented at European level, that is to say which have members in at least five member States of the Council of Europe;

g.    which were created and have implemented activities at least two years before the moment of applying for participatory status;

h.    which already have working relations with the Council of Europe;

i.     which are capable of contributing to and participating actively in Council of Europe deliberations and activities;

j.     which are able to make known the work of the Council of Europe to society.”

Centre de la Protection Internationale (CPI)

Founded: 2006

Type of NGO: Association

Headquarters:

22 Rue de la 1ère Armée

67000 Strasbourg

France

Internet site: https://cpingo.org/

Aims: protection of the human rights in Council of Europe member States - both directly and by assisting, collaborating with and supporting civil society in these countries.

Activities: legal assistance, consultations, dissemination of information, creation of a library of international human rights acts, existing legislation, precedents, literature, references in the field of human rights.

Geographical representation in Europe: France, Georgia, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine.

Funding: private donations, grant agreements.

Campaign to Uphold Rights in Europe (CURE)

Founded: 2022

Type of NGO: Network / Association

Headquarters:

44 Bad St.

13357 Berlin

Germany

Internet site: www.cure-campaign.org

Aims: contribute to the strengthening of the Council of Europe in fulfilling its statutory role as a guardian and promoter of a pan-European legal framework in human rights, democracy and rule of law, and as a pioneer in developing international norms and standards.

Activities: advocacy and awareness-raising.

Geographical representation in Europe: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine.

Funding: governmental and private donations.

International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)

Founded: 1986

Type of NGO: Association

Headquarters:

81 Main Street

10601 New York

United States of America

Internet site: www.iafl.com

Aims: provide international legal advice and improve the practice of law and the administration of justice in the area of matrimonial and family law.

Activities: facilitate advice, representation and education to all and promote law reform internationally.

Geographical representation in Europe: Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Funding: membership fees.

Missing Children Europe (MCE)

Founded: 2001

Type of NGO: Federation

Headquarters:

Rue de l’Industrie

1000 Brussels

Belgium

Internet site: www.missingchildreneurope.eu

Aims: prevention of children going missing and protection of children from any violence, abuse or exploitation leading to or resulting from disappearance.

Activities: research, training, advocacy, awareness raising, facilitation of thematic exchanges and cross-order co-operation, co-ordination of the network of the missing child hotlines.

Geographical representation in Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Funding: membership fees, public funding, private donations, fundraising.

Save the Children Europe

Founded: 1919

Type of NGO: Organisation

Headquarters:

Rue Marie Thérèse 21

1000 Brussels

Belgium

Internet site: www.savethechildren.net

Aims: driving change for children most impacted by inequality and discrimination, ensuring policies and funding have a lasting and positive impact on children’s lives.

Activities: advocacy, promotional campaigns, fundraising, international programmes, research and consultancy.

Geographical representation in Europe: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Funding: public funding, private donations.

Appendix 2

INGOs which applied for participatory status which do not meet the required conditions

Name of INGO	Aims	Headquarters	Reason for refusal
Association Justice and Environment (J&E)	Handling cases, participating in legislative processes and sometimes providing legal analyses and consultations for national governments	Czechia	The Association Justice and Environment (J&E) currently has no direct working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)	Use the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights and ensure a just and sustainable society.	United States of America	The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is not represented at European level. It therefore does not meet condition 2.f of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: f. which are represented at European level, that is to say which have members in at least five member States of the Council of Europe”.
International Liaison Centre of Women’s Freemasonry (CLIMAF)	Create for its members a space for reflection, exchange, dialogue and joint actions promoting the values of Universal Free Masonry, and particularly of Women’s Free Masonry, and of democracy.	France	The International Liaison Centre of Women’s Freemasonry (CLIMAF) currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
Global Pact for the Environment	Encourage the promotion of a Global Pact for the Environment and of any international text enshrining the rights, duties and fundamental principles relating to the environment.	France	The Global Pact for the Environment currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
International Communities Organisation (ICO)	Empower communities, by giving them tools so that they may autonomously develop their skills and ideas and use peaceful channels to set out their self-development goals for their legitimate rights as they are guaranteed by the international humanitarian law and the human rights conventions.	United Kingdom	The International Communities Organisation (ICO) currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
Ivanov School of Leaders – Alumni Association (ISLAA)	Stimulate the positive values of the young intellectual elite and future political, cultural and economic leaders of the country, to develop their capacities to take on the challenges emerged with the global technology, international competition and cultural and religious diversities.	North Macedonia	Ivanov School of Leaders – Alumni Association (ISLAA) is a national NGO and currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet conditions 2.f and 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: f. which are represented at European level, that is to say which have members in at least five member States of the Council of Europe; h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
Mas Human Rights	Improve the quality of life and combat all forms of social exclusion and discrimination against migrants and women of all ages; support fragility; spread the culture and practice of solidarity and participation; enhance the experience, skills, creativity and ideas of older people; develop solidarity and exchange relations with younger generations.	Italy	Mas Human Rights is a national NGO, currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
OTHERS (Solidarity with)	Defend and promote human rights in Türkiye and elsewhere	Belgium	OTHERS (Solidarity with) currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
SosyalBen	Support the social development and social identities of the children of 7-13 age living in disadvantaged regions; broaden their horizons; boost their self-confidence and contribute to raising these children as happier individuals; support them to gain sharing and social life awareness and maintain the continuity of all of these goals.	Türkiye	SosyalBen currently has no meaningful working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.
World Diplomatic Organization for Justice and Peace (WDOJP)	Engage global leaders and governments, provide strategic solutions to the most pressing issues facing the world, and generate ideas that help improve the state of the world.	United States of America	World Diplomatic Organization for Justice and Peace currently has no working relations with the Council of Europe. It therefore does not meet condition 2.h of the appendix to Resolution (2016)3: “2. Participatory status may be granted by the Council of Europe to INGOs: h. which already have working relations with the Council of Europe”.