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| Conference of INGOs | |
|---|---|
| Name | Conference of INGOs |
| Native name | Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations |
| Formation | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Strasbourg |
| Region served | Council of Europe member states |
| Membership | International NGOs |
Conference of INGOs
The Conference of INGOs is an association of international non-governmental organisations engaging with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, operating alongside institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the European Commission for Democracy through Law and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. It brings together NGOs from across Europe and beyond, interacting with bodies like the United Nations, the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the International Criminal Court, and the Council of the European Union to influence policy and monitor rights instruments. The Conference works in the context of treaties and documents including the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The origins trace to post‑World War II civil society mobilization alongside the creation of the Council of Europe and the signing of the Treaty of London (1949), with early contacts involving organisations such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the European Movement International, the Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch, the World Organisation Against Torture, and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH). In the 1950s and 1960s, associations including the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education, the European Youth Forum, the International Lesbian and Gay Association, and the International Catholic Migration Commission sought consultative arrangements similar to those of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Reforms in the 1990s and 2000s followed influences from events such as the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the Yugoslav Wars, the Helsinki Accords, and the enlargement processes that brought in Poland, Hungary, and Czech Republic. Major procedural changes were shaped by interactions with the European Court of Auditors, the European Ombudsman, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and civil society platforms like the European Civic Forum.
The Conference’s mandate derives from the statutory framework of the Council of Europe and aims to promote implementation of instruments like the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Social Charter, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Objectives include fostering dialogue between NGOs and institutions such as the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and thematic bodies such as the Steering Committee for Human Rights and the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. It supports coalitions around issues addressed by the European Committee on Social Rights, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and the Committee on Bioethics (DH-BIO).
The Conference comprises plenary sessions, a Bureau, a secretariat in Strasbourg, and subject‑specific working groups that liaise with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Members include international NGOs with participatory status alongside organisations such as Amnesty International, Transparency International, Save the Children, Caritas Internationalis, Greenpeace International, Médecins Sans Frontières, Human Rights Watch, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, International Rescue Committee, Oxfam International, CARE International, World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth International, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Plan International, War Child, Federation of Islamic Associations, European Roma Rights Centre, Coalition for the International Criminal Court, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Solidarity Centre, Global Witness, International Alert, CIVICUS, International Federation for Human Rights and many others from Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Observers and partner organisations have included the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Health Organization, and the International Labour Organization.
The Conference organises thematic conferences, seminars, and monitoring activities engaging with the European Court of Human Rights, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Human Rights, and the European Committee on Legal Co‑operation (CDCJ). It issues opinions, contributes to reports by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), prepares studies for the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and convenes campaigns in partnership with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, Greenpeace International, and Save the Children. Programs include capacity building with the European Youth Forum, anti‑discrimination initiatives with the European Roma Rights Centre, election observation with the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe, and thematic coalitions addressing issues treated by the European Committee on Migration (CDMG) and the Steering Committee for Equality (CDEG).
The Conference maintains participatory status and regular consultation channels with the Council of Europe organs including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Joint activities involve collaboration with the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines, the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH), and the European Committee on Legal Co‑operation (CDCJ), while links extend to external partners such as the European Union institutions, the United Nations, and regional networks like the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
Funding stems from membership fees, Council of Europe grants, project funding from donors such as the European Commission, the Open Society Foundations, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and philanthropic bodies including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and corporate partnerships with entities like the European Investment Bank. The Conference also seeks support via project collaborations with the Council of Europe Development Bank, academic partners including University of Strasbourg, Sciences Po, University of Oxford, and private foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation.
Critiques have addressed questions of representativeness, transparency, and funding links with actors like the Open Society Foundations, the European Commission, and corporate donors, paralleling debates involving Amnesty International and Transparency International about NGO influence. Controversies have touched on membership disputes involving organisations associated with the European Roma Rights Centre, allegations resembling those leveled in broader NGO debates with groups like Human Rights Watch, and tensions with national delegations in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe over policy positions. Concerns about accountability and auditing mirror issues discussed at forums such as the European Court of Auditors and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.