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Zonta and the Council of EuropeAnne Kraus, Council of Europe Committee
Zonta International envisions a world in which women's rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able
to achieve her full potential.
In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision
making positions on an equal basis with men.
In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.
The Council of Europe (CoE)is Europe’s
leading human rights organization
The Council of Europe (CoE) is NOT an institution from the European Union! (EU)
Separate organizations
The CoE has 47 member statesand 6 observer states, such as Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico and United States of America
It represents more than 820 million citizens
Hereunder more than 400 million women and girls
28 member states are also members of the EU
European Convention on Human Rights
All 47 member states have signed the treaty
A treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy, and the
rule of law
The European Court of Human Rights oversees implementation in
the member states
Where does the CoE hold its meetings?
Strasbourg, France
Global cooperation
The Council of Europe co-operates with: • the United Nations (UN) • the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
The Council of Europe works with the European Union (EU)
The Council of Europe co-operates with countries worldwide
www.zonta.org
Take time to watch the Corporate Film – “Inside the Council of
Europe”! http://www.coe.int/en/web/about-us/who-we-are
Within the structures of the Council of Europe there are several bodies. • The Committee of Ministers (decision-making body) • The Parliamentary Assembly • The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities • The Conference of INGOs
• The European Court of Human Rights
• The Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe structure
The Conference of International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs) is recognized as an institution of the CoE
The Conference is one of the four institutional pillars of the Council of Europe “quadrilogue” and is composed of about 400 INGOs
The Conference is the chief body representing INGOs with participatory status, the official voice of Europe’s civil society
The Conference of INGOs
Member of the Conference of INGOs
Zonta is one of about 400 INGOs enjoying “participatory status” with the CoE
These very different INGOs discuss and work together as partners
Zonta’s representative is officially invited to speak out
Added value to ZI through its participatory status
Visibility and trustContributes directly to debates, resolutions or
recommendations
Part of the consultation processes
Participates in international conferences, seminars and
projectsParticipates in the World
Forum of Democracy
Introduces specific themes to be raised/discussed at INGO
Conference
Votes and influences decisions
Actively supports gender equality issues amongst the
most important representatives of Europe’s
civil society
The work of the Conference of INGOs
The Conference of INGOs
identifies the general
action needed to
organize its participation
helps to affirm the
political role of civil
society at the CoE
decides on policy lines and defines and adopts
action programs
Who represents Zonta?
ZI Council of Europe
Committee
Zonta’s participatory status at CoEZonta
has the right to approach and
work “individually”
with all bodies of the CoE
Zontaparticipates in meetings of
the Parliamentary
Assembly Committee
(PACE)
Zontacan approach
directly Parliamentarians
and make our issues known to
them
Further information or questions
Karin Nordmeyer, Chairman, D 30Zonta Club of Freiburg-Schauinsland, [email protected] Irma Ertman, Vice-Chairman, D 20Zonta Club of Helsinki II, [email protected] Frieda Demey, Member, D 27Zonta Club of Brussel Zavel, Belgium [email protected] Anne Kraus, Member, D 27Zonta Club of Luxembourg- Multiculturel, [email protected] Anita Schnetzer-Spranger, D 28 Zonta Club of Mainz, [email protected]
