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GRF-07853 |
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submitted/soumis: 06.12.2023 |
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Multistakeholder pledge: Localisation – Cities – A Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees |
Engagement multipartite : Localisation – Villes – Appel à l'action locale en faveur des migrants et des réfugiés |
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Support member States in promoting intercultural inclusion strategies and policies at local, regional and national level |
Aider les États membres à promouvoir des stratégies et des politiques d'inclusion interculturelle aux niveaux local, régional et national |
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Within the framework of the decisions taken by its Committee of Ministers and of available resources, the Council of Europe’s Anti-Discrimination Department will support local, regional and national authorities in designing and adopting intercultural strategies and policies facilitating the inclusion of migrants and refugees through the promotion of standards, advocacy and assistance in policy changes. It will also support the strengthening of knowledge and capacities to adapt local, regional and national policies to increase the intercultural inclusion of migrants and refugees. The Council of Europe’s intercultural inclusion approach encourages institutions at all levels of governance to work together and co-ordinate visions and actions to promote the potential of diversity, real equality, citizens’ participation and meaningful interaction between people and groups with diverse backgrounds. Successful implementation of interculturalism requires a whole-of-society approach, including all levels of government and all residents living in cities and other municipalities. Through activities of, inter alia, the Intercultural Cities Programme, intergovernmental committees such as the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) and its sub-Committee of Experts on Intercultural Inclusion (ADI-INT), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, as well as the office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Migration and Refugees, coordinating the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025), the Council of Europe will promote and support the implementation of the relevant standards and principles regarding intercultural inclusion of migrants and refugees. Such standards are essentially set out in Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on intercultural integration, which notably recommends that the model of intercultural integration and the tools which have been designed to facilitate its implementation and measure its impact, are brought to the attention of local and regional authorities, as well as relevant national, regional and local institutions, organisations and networks; and Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on multilevel policies and governance for intercultural integration which notes that intercultural integration is, by nature, a responsibility of all governmental levels and requires interdepartmental co-ordination at each level of government, as well as effective partnerships with non-governmental organisations. It underlines the role of cities and regions in migrant integration and recommends a bottom-up transfer of knowledge, expertise, and decision-making. The promotion and dissemination of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Resolution 487(2022) on the reception of women and children refugees and its 2019 Human Rights Handbook for local and regional authorities, as well as the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly report and Resolution 2502 (2023) “Integration of migrants and refugees: benefits for all parties involved” will be achieved through the participation of the relevant members to events, conferences, expert meetings and round tables. This collective effort aims to contribute to more effective implementation at multiple levels. The implementation of the Congress multilateral project “Strengthening resilience in local and regional authorities facing migration challenges” in the framework of the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025) will contribute to increased awareness of local and regional authorities’ role in ensuring an enabling environment for refugee reception and integration. |
Dans le cadre des décisions prises par son Comité des Ministres et des ressources disponibles, le Département anti-discrimination du Conseil de l'Europe aidera les autorités locales, régionales et nationales à concevoir et adopter des stratégies et des politiques interculturelles facilitant l'inclusion des migrants et des réfugiés par la promotion de normes, le plaidoyer et l'assistance en matière de changements politiques. Il soutiendra également le renforcement des connaissances et des capacités nécessaires pour adapter les politiques locales, régionales et nationales afin d'accroître l'inclusion interculturelle des migrants et des réfugiés. L'approche du Conseil de l'Europe en matière d'inclusion interculturelle encourage les institutions à tous les niveaux de gouvernance à travailler ensemble et à coordonner leurs visions et leurs actions afin de promouvoir le potentiel de la diversité, l'égalité réelle, la participation des citoyens et une interaction significative entre les personnes et les groupes d'origines diverses. La mise en œuvre réussie de l'interculturalisme nécessite une approche globale de la société, incluant tous les niveaux de gouvernement et tous les habitants des villes et autres municipalités. Grâce aux activités, entre autres, du Programme «Villes interculturelles», des comités intergouvernementaux tels que le Comité directeur sur la lutte contre la discrimination, la diversité et l'inclusion (CDADI) et son sous-comité d'experts sur l'inclusion interculturelle (ADI-INT), le Congrès des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux, ainsi que le bureau du Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général (RSSG) pour les migrations et les réfugiés, qui coordonne le Plan d'action pour la protection des personnes vulnérables dans le contexte des migrations et de l'asile en Europe (2021-2025), le Conseil de l'Europe encouragera et soutiendra la mise en œuvre des normes et principes pertinents en matière d'inclusion interculturelle des migrants et des réfugiés. Ces normes sont essentiellement énoncées dans la Recommandation CM/Rec(2015)1 du Comité des Ministres aux États membres sur l'intégration interculturelle, qui recommande notamment que le modèle d'intégration interculturelle et les outils conçus pour faciliter sa mise en œuvre et mesurer son impact soient portés à l'attention des autorités locales et régionales, ainsi que des institutions, organisations et réseaux nationaux, régionaux et locaux concernés ; et dans la Recommandation CM/Rec(2022)10 du Comité des Ministres aux États membres sur les politiques et la gouvernance à plusieurs niveaux pour l'intégration interculturelle, qui note que l'intégration interculturelle est, par nature, une responsabilité de tous les niveaux de gouvernement et nécessite une coordination interministérielle à chaque niveau de gouvernement, ainsi que des partenariats efficaces avec les organisations non gouvernementales. Elle souligne le rôle des villes et des régions dans l'intégration des migrants et recommande un transfert ascendant des connaissances, de l'expertise et de la prise de décision. La promotion et la diffusion de la Résolution 487(2022) du Congrès des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux sur l'accueil des femmes et des enfants réfugiés et de son Manuel des droits de l'homme 2019 à l'intention des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux, ainsi que du rapport et de la Résolution 2502 (2023) de l'Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l'Europe « L'intégration des migrants et des réfugiés : un bénéfice pour toutes les parties concernées » sera réalisée grâce à la participation des membres concernés à des événements, conférences, réunions d'experts et tables rondes. Cet effort collectif vise à contribuer à une mise en œuvre plus efficace à plusieurs niveaux. La mise en œuvre du projet multilatéral du Congrès « Renforcer la résilience des autorités locales et régionales confrontées aux défis de la migration » dans le cadre du Plan d'action pour la protection des personnes vulnérables dans le contexte de la migration et de l'asile en Europe (2021-2025) contribuera à sensibiliser davantage les autorités locales et régionales au rôle qu'elles ont à jouer pour garantir un environnement propice à l'accueil et à l'intégration des réfugiés. |
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Reporting on progress, March 2025 |
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Summary |
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The CoE through the Intercultural Cities’ (ICC) Programme and committees (mainly: CDADI, ADI-INT, CDENF) continued supporting local, regional, and national authorities in designing and implementing strategies and policies promoting inclusion by building capacities, fostering multi-level governance, and a whole-of-society approach to benefit from diversity. |
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Brief description of the steps taken in implementing the pledge |
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Fostering democratic participation and enhancing inclusion is one of the pillars (Pillar 3) of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025) The ICC Programme continued supporting more than 160 cities worldwide in 48 different countries, by fostering intercultural integration through strategies, capacity-building, and tools that promote diversity and inclusion. In alignment with the work of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Intercultural Inclusion (ADI-INT), the ICC Programme continued assisting the development of policies for managing diversity at both local and national levels. It connected cities globally, sharing best practices and providing training on various aspects of diversity management (including intercultural competencies, anti-rumours, and equality data), while the ADI-INT continued providing a forum to local and national governments to develop inclusive national policies, often using the ICC model as a successful framework. The ICC Programme expanded its impact, with nine additional cities receiving their ICC Index Reports , which includes a detailed assessment of a city's efforts in managing diversity and promoting social inclusion, and recommendations and inspiration for improvements in areas such as governance, public services, and community engagement. In 2024, the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish cities - a collaborative effort between the CoE’s ICC Programme, ODIHR, UNHCR, and OECD - trained 146 officials from 13 Polish cities on inclusion, intercultural competencies, and anti-rumour strategies (anti-rumours handbook and manual for the design of a training course on intercultural competences: Part 1 and Part 2). The ICC Programme also supported the participation of cities in a dedicated capacity building programme of Placemaking Europe, enabling them to better use urban planning and spaces to the benefit of the entire community. Furthermore, grants were used to encourage inter-city co-operation in addressing inclusion-related challenges. Their work focused on education, youth participation and anti-rumours strategies as ways to foster intercultural inclusion. The "Training Manual on Equality Data Collection and Analysis to Prevent and Address Systemic Discrimination" has been developed through collaboration with local, regional, and national authorities, focusing on data collection as a tool for combating systemic discrimination. Adopted by the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion (CDADI), it drew upon the ICC Programme expertise in addressing systemic discrimination. Additionally, a newly published guide on designing communication strategies for intercultural cities helps cities improve their communication policies. This guide emphasised a process-driven approach, political commitment, and internal strategy design, focusing on creating intercultural communication strategies that could be adapted to the context of each city. The ICC member cities and national networks continued autonomously implementing projects which advance intercultural inclusion, placing a strong emphasis on youth and anti-rumours. Furthermore, the ICC Programme, in collaboration with the European Commission's Directorate General for Structural Reform Support, continued enhancing intercultural integration and multilevel governance in Cyprus and Finland through dedicated projects. Both joint projects produced key tools and documents aimed at strengthening multilevel governance approaches to intercultural integration, playing a crucial role in enhancing governance frameworks and fostering intercultural integration in both countries. The Council of Europe Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) concluded its review of the Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration and adopted the implementation review report on 4 December 2024. The Consultation Group on the Children of Ukriane’s Thematic Dialogue on Guardianship based on its survey results on the implementation of Rec.CM/Rec(2019)11 and report of the CDENF, has formulated a list of gaps that currently exist in the protection of children in need of effective guardianship. Concrete deliverables to meaningfully fill these gaps, in the form of guidance, are currently being produced by the Dialogue Group. Targeted support to Member States on the concrete implementation of the Rec.CM/Rec(2019)11 is channelled through the Children’s Rights Division co-operation activities. In this regard, a project Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context - Council of Europe Office in Yerevan was launched in April 2024 and ensured the translation of the Rec.CM/Rec(2019)11 and its Explanatory Memorandum into Armenian. A thematic training session was organised in October 2024 with 30 civil servants, and a Practical Manual on Effective Guardianship is to be released early 2025. It will be followed by a new series of capacity-building activities. In parallel, the project facilitated the adaptation of the Council of Europe HELP course on Refugee and Migrant Children into the Armenian context. This online course enables professionals working for and with children to strengthen their skills and understanding of legal protection for refugee and migrant children, child-friendly procedures, social rights, family reunification and guardianship. Sport as a tool for the social inclusion is promoted in line with Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Resolution 2503(2023) Social inclusion of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons through sport . The list of CoE texts related to migration, adopted in in 2024: Report of the fact-finding mission to Finland by Mr David Best, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees 21-23 May 2024 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Immigration, one of the answers to Europe's demographic aging Missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers – A call to clarify their fate A shared European approach to address migrant smuggling Ensuring human rights-compliant asylum procedures Precarious and irregular work situations of migrant seasonal and domestic workers The theme of migration and asylum in election campaigns and its consequences on the reception of migrants and their rights Integration of migrants and refugees: benefits for all parties involved Report Doc. 15785 (2023) / Resolution 2502 (2023) Social inclusion of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons through sport Report Doc. 15786 (2023) / Resolution 2503 (2023) CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Protecting the Defenders: Ending repression of human rights defenders assisting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Europe, in English & French. Introduction and recommendations available in Croatian, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Polish & Spanish – Feb. 2024 Guides/toolkits: Language Support for Migrants Toolkit 2024 & Guide – 80 resources designed for educators Resilience journal for adolescents in English, Romanian & Ukrainian – June 2024 Guide to protect the rights of refugee, migrant and asylum-seeking women and girls – May 2024 |
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The impact of the pledge |
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The pledge, implemented through the CoE’s ICC Programme, Committee of Experts on Intercultural Inclusion (ADI-INT), and co-operation projects, has strengthened the capacity of local, regional, and national authorities to create and implement intercultural integration strategies that foster migrant and refugee inclusion, promote diversity as a value, and improve multilevel governance. Further extending its impact, the ICC Programme launched key and concrete initiatives in 2024. This included the publication of ICC Index Reports for twelve additional cities, assessing their efforts in managing diversity and fostering inclusion. As part of the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish cities , 146 officials were trained in inclusion strategies, intercultural competencies, and anti-rumour methodologies, equipping Polish cities to better respond to the needs of Ukrainian refugees. The programme also contributed to the creation of the Training Manual on Equality Data Collection and Analysys , a key resource for addressing systemic discrimination. Additionally, practitioners and civil society actors gained access to new tools in multiple languages, including English, Greek, Finnish, French, Polish, Spanish and Swedish. Among these resources was a guide on communication strategies for intercultural cities, providing tailored advice to enhance local policies. In collaboration with the European Commission, the ICC Programme supported efforts to strengthen multilevel governance in Cyprus and Finland. This involved the development of tools, guidelines, and recommendations to promote multilevel governance and intercultural inclusion in both countries. Specific training sessions were conducted for municipalities in Cyprus and Finland, focusing on anti-discrimination, intercultural competencies, communication, and anti-rumour strategies. Throughout the year, various initiatives such as the Workshop on Active Citizenship and Particiapation, trainings in the context of the No-Hate-Speech-Week and the ADI-INT meetings provided member states and cities with opportunities to exchange best practices, engage in networking, and receive peer support, further advancing the programme's mission. |
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Beneficiaries reached |
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Residents, public officials and other relevant stakeholders in more than 160 cities in 48 different countries, which are members of the ICC Programme, as well as cities beyond this network, through the ICC Index Reports. National governments of Council of Europe member states through the ADI-INT work. In Armenia - 30 civil servants (training session on effective guardianship). In Poland - 146 officials (Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish cities). |
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Links to relevant content |
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Pledge contribution to one or several of the multi-stakeholder pledges |
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The pledge aligns with the Multistakeholder Pledge for Localisation by active promotion of inclusive, intercultural governance and by fostering partnerships between municipalities, civil society, and communities; by empowering cities to take the lead in integrating migrants and refugees through initiatives such as the ICC Index Reports and capacity-building activities; the ICC Programme strengthens local authorities' ability to create welcoming environments that support self-reliance and social cohesion. |
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Involvement of refugees |
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ICC Programme collaborates with cities, regions and organisations to ensure that refugee voices are included in the designing and execution of policies that affect them and fostering integration and inclusion. This involvement typically occurs through community consultations, focus groups, and participatory decision-making processes led by cities and or regions. |
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Pledge consideration of the age, gender and diversity |
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The ICC Programme actively engages in youth-related initiatives through its national networks and the broader Intercultural Cities network. In Portugal, The Portuguese Network of Intercultural Cities is developing Guidelines for Teachers, which will be featured on a new youth-focused webpage. In Spain, The Spanish Network of Intercultural Cities network is advancing work on Young People and Interculturality, integrating youth-led anti-rumour efforts. Additionally, the networks contribute through reports such as Bridges Narrative and the Young Ambassadors Programme, both of which will be published on the new thematic youth page. These initiatives reflect the ICC programme’s commitment to fostering intercultural awareness and inclusion among young people at the local level. In Italy, The Italian Network of Intercultural Cities has adapted the anti-rumour approach to youth work and youth centres, developing a handbook for youth workers and educators, an infographic outlining the steps to design an anti-rumour strategy in youth work, and recommendations for public authorities on fostering youth participation. As part of a collaboration between the Italian and the Spanish national networks, a specific project on Empowering Youth Participation for Inclusive and Plural Communities is also being implemented. |
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