ICJW at the Council of Europe

ICJW has been representing the interests of Jewish Women at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg for several decades.

Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe (COE) is a European intergovernmental organization based on Human Rights, Participative Democracy and the Rule of Law. It was the first international body to recognize the importance of NGOs by granting them consultative status in 1952 and participative status in 2003.

There are approximately 400 INGOs (International NGOs) active within the Council of Europe, which presently meet twice a year, in January and June, during the sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) composed of national parliamentarians of the 47 member-states.

During the past decade, there have been many changes within the COE, in general, and for its fourth pillar, namely the Conference of INGOs.

ICJW delegates report regularly on the reshufflings and reforms, and their participation in NGO Committees (Human Rights; Education and Culture; Democracy, Social Cohesion and Global Changes;) as well as the PA Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination.

In Strasbourg, the ICJW delegates attend regular NGO meetings (of the 3 NGO Committees and of the INGO Conference), but also observe developments at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and, with the participatory status of ICJW, go to Committees of PACE.

For further information see www.coe.int/NGO