1. HIGHLIGHTS OF GENDER EQUALITY ACTIVITIES IN 2013 AND PRIORITIES IN 2014 PowerPoint presentation by Betty Doornenbal Gender Equality Expert (GEE) of the Standing Committee of the Conference of International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) of the Council of Europe (CoE) Strasbourg, 30 January 2014 1

2. Priority 2013: THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION Promoting the ratification of the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CAHVIO), adopted by the Committee of Ministers in April 2011. (Also referred to as the Istanbul Convention) 2

3. Ratifications Istanbul Convention, 29 January 2014 Albania Austria Bosnia and Herzegovina Italy Montenegro Portugal Serbia Turkey 3

4. ACTIVITIES 2013: GENDER EQUALITY COMMISSION (GEC) ADVISORY COMMISSION TO THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS ON GENDER EQUALITY Major subjects 2013 Media & the image of women. Conference organised by the GEC in Amsterdam Media & the image of women. Conference organised by the GEC in Amsterdam The ratification and entry into force of the Istanbul Convention 2013-2014 The ratification and entry into force of the Istanbul Convention 2013-2014 “Act against rape! Use the Istanbul Convention”. Joint action of the CoE and the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) 2013-2014 “Act against rape! Use the Istanbul Convention”. Joint action of the CoE and the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) 2013-2014 Contributions GEE Represented the Conference of INGOs and participated in the work of the GEC Represented the Conference of INGOs and participated in the work of the GEC Emphasized the important role INGOs can play Emphasized the important role INGOs can play Presented our sample letters in English and French to promote the Istanbul Convention as soon as possible and without reservations and also to adapt the national legislation as necessary Presented our sample letters in English and French to promote the Istanbul Convention as soon as possible and without reservations and also to adapt the national legislation as necessary These sample letters were very much appreciated by the members of the GEC for further distribution These sample letters were very much appreciated by the members of the GEC for further distribution 4

5. ACTIVITIES 2013: PACE Participated in the Parliamentary Network women free from violence, Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Participated in the Parliamentary Network women free from violence, Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Participated in the Parliamentary Network to stop sexual violence against children, Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Participated in the Parliamentary Network to stop sexual violence against children, Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Followed the work of PACE on gender equality Followed the work of PACE on gender equality 5

6. ACTIVITIES 2013: The Congress of Local & Regional Authorities Representative of the Congress has been invited to speak at the INGOs Conference about achieving sustainable gender equality in local & regional political life Representative of the Congress has been invited to speak at the INGOs Conference about achieving sustainable gender equality in local & regional political life 6

7. Activities 2013: Working Groups Contributed to the Freely Constituted Equality Group Contributed to the Freely Constituted Equality Group - Lobbied as a team for gender equality and parity by talking with members of the Parliamentary Assembly and drafting amendments for their reports. - Worked together to set up the Working Group on preventing and combating violence against women, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings Initiated and facilitated the Working Group on preventing and combating violence against women, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings of the INGO Conference Human Rights Committee. Initiated and facilitated the Working Group on preventing and combating violence against women, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings of the INGO Conference Human Rights Committee. Report June-December 2013 is on the website Contributed to the Working Group Gender perspectives in political and democratic processes Contributed to the Working Group Gender perspectives in political and democratic processes 7

8. Activities 2013 Written and published an article to promote the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and presented the sample letters to be used by NGOs and citizens to urge; Written and published an article to promote the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and presented the sample letters to be used by NGOs and citizens to urge; their governments to ratify and their members of Parliament to promote this Convention Speaker at expert meeting on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, organised by the Dutch Council of Women (Umbrella organisation) in cooperation with the European Women’s Lobby and the Council of Europe Speaker at expert meeting on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, organised by the Dutch Council of Women (Umbrella organisation) in cooperation with the European Women’s Lobby and the Council of Europe Speaker at the Human Rights Committee Speaker at the Human Rights Committee Subject: the Istanbul Convention and what NGOs can do to promote the ratification Subject: the Istanbul Convention and what NGOs can do to promote the ratification 8

9. In conclusion & the Quadrilogue As representatives of the Conference of INGOs we have been working on human rights and gender equality issues in our Committees, Working Groups, in the Standing Committee and at our Conference As representatives of the Conference of INGOs we have been working on human rights and gender equality issues in our Committees, Working Groups, in the Standing Committee and at our Conference We have been working in close cooperation with the other pillars of the Council of Europe as well We have been working in close cooperation with the other pillars of the Council of Europe as well Thank everybody of the INGO Conference and the members of the secretariat, with whom I have the pleasure to work with on these issues, for their hard work and important contributions Thank everybody of the INGO Conference and the members of the secretariat, with whom I have the pleasure to work with on these issues, for their hard work and important contributions 9

10. PRIORITIES 2014 Continuation of current activities: Continuation of current activities: promoting human rights and gender equality promoting human rights and gender equality within the Conference, its Committees, Working Groups and the Standing Committee within the Conference, its Committees, Working Groups and the Standing Committee within the Quadrilogue; in cooperation with the GEC, PACE Networks and the within the Quadrilogue; in cooperation with the GEC, PACE Networks and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Congress of Local and Regional Authorities furthermore by writing articles and as guest speaker furthermore by writing articles and as guest speaker As soon as the Istanbul Convention is ratified by enough countries and enters into force: monitoring the Istanbul Convention As soon as the Istanbul Convention is ratified by enough countries and enters into force: monitoring the Istanbul Convention Drafting and publishing a digital Newsletter on gender equality Drafting and publishing a digital Newsletter on gender equality In cooperation with the Education and Culture Committee: inviting (a) guest speaker(s) on Gender equality and education In cooperation with the Education and Culture Committee: inviting (a) guest speaker(s) on Gender equality and education In 2012 and 2013 the Human Rights Committee (subject: human rights are women’s rights, the acquis) In 2012 and 2013 the Human Rights Committee (subject: human rights are women’s rights, the acquis) respectively the Committee of Democracy (subject: Women of the Arab spring) have invited guest respectively the Committee of Democracy (subject: Women of the Arab spring) have invited guest speakers on these subjects speakers on these subjects 10

11. Let’s continue our work together and make a difference! Let’s continue our work together and make a difference! 11