Ten years of reforms, known as the Interlaken Process, have “strengthened the system of the European Convention of Human Rights” according to the Chairs of the “Human Rights” meetings of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in their introduction to the Committee’s 2019 annual report on its supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
The report shows that, between 2010 and 2019, there were 2,120 new “leading” cases – highlighting structural and/or systemic problems at national level – and 2,287 such were closed, representing a closure rate of 108%. Between 2000 and 2010, by comparison, there were 1,470 new leading cases and only 602 leading cases were closed – a closure rate of 41%.
By 31 December 2019, a total of 5,231 judgments and decisions were pending before the Committee of Ministers at different stages of execution. This included 1,245 leading cases, down from a peak of 1,555 leading cases pending in 2015. 635 leading cases had been pending for more than 5 years, compared to 720 such cases in 2016.
Most countries in the world, including the Member States of the Council of Europe, are facing an unprecedented pandemic, the so-called coronavirus, or COVID-19. For a few weeks now, governments have been introducing, gradually and at different paces, a wide range of measures, ranging from basic hygiene recommendations to partial or total confinement of their populations.
Relevant authorities at national, regional or local level and medical experts are all reiterating that only by a strict compliance with the measures proposed, will the further spread of the COVID-19 be controlled.
While welcoming the steps taken, it has to be noted that countries have not systematically shared the information, instructions, guidelines or recommendations in languages other than the official language of the country. This also concerns the traditional regional or minority languages spoken in the respective countries. The communication of relevant recommendations in these languages is of utmost importance for the well-being of the speakers of regional or minority languages.
By Jenna Harvey
Women Informal Workers on the Frontlines of COVID-19: Providing Critical Services Without Adequate Protections & Pay
7 April 2020 - As cities across the world shut down to stop the spread of COVID-19, governments are depending on a set of essential workers to continue to go out and work: to keep the public fed and informed, to care for the sick and vulnerable, and to maintain a clean and safe urban environment, among other critical services.
In the global South, many of these workers – such as street and market vendors, newspaper sellers, waste pickers and domestic workers – work in the informal economy. Their economic and working conditions were already precarious before the crisis. Now, without legal and social protections, they are working to sustain their families and ensure their communities have the food and basic services they need to survive – all at great personal risk.
https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/grevio
GREVIO is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) by the Parties.
Direct Link to Full 75-Page 2020 GREVIO Report:
https://rm.coe.int/1st-general-report-on-grevio-s-activities/16809cd382
By Tony Porter, CEO of Call to Men
April 8, 2020 - I’m saddened — but not surprised — to hear that traffic to porn sites is spiking during this time of physical isolation. It means that not only are we more socially isolated than we were before, but far too many of us — especially men — are turning more than ever to dangerous content portraying and celebrating the objectification of women and normalizing violence against women and girls.
Today’s pornography – which is free and available at the click of a mouse – reinforces the most damaging elements of male socialization: that women are objects, they're the property of men, and that they have less value than men. Today’s pornography normalizes violence against women and girls and shows a version of sex that has nothing to do with connection or intimacy. Male dominance and pursuing women solely for sexual conquest – both of which are harmful teachings of the Man Box – are recurring themes.
Kids are also seeing this destructive content younger than ever. A colleague shared with me recently that her 10-year-old son was shown Pornhub. That day, her son became a statistic. The average American boy sees Internet porn for the first time at age 10. With increased time on screens during this pandemic, this destructive force has crept even closer.
