Protecting social rights is not a secondary political agenda. It is the very foundation of democratic stability,” said PACE President Petra Bayr today, addressing the High-Level Conference on Social Rights and the European Social Charter, organised in Chisinau by the Council of Europe and the Republic of Moldova’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

On the occasion of the High-Level Conference on Social Rights – the European Social Charter, and at a time when these rights are threatened across Europe, I wish to recall the importance of social rights.

These rights can no longer be treated as an aspiration or a good intention. They are fundamental rights inherent to human dignity. Access to decent housing, as well as to a healthy environment, must be considered the minimum foundation for a life in dignity.

Leaders of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have called for the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy to be a force for peace and human dignity, and separately for the Russian national football team not to be allowed to rejoin international competitions until there is peace with Ukraine. 

A parliamentary round table at the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in Chisinau focused on what parliamentarians can do to implement the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe’s legal standard on combating violence against women, and heard from leading Moldovan officials the progress made by the country to keep women safe, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators.

At its meeting in Chisinau today, the PACE Standing Committee emphasised the importance of the Assembly’s members' active commitment at a time when multilateralism and democracy are under strain.

At the last Women@PACE group meeting during the PACE spring plenary session, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg joined parliamentarians, ambassadors and experts for an exchange of views on structural gender-based violence, placing survivors’ voices and lived experiences at the centre of the discussion.

Mediabox spoke to Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) about age-based discrimination and how PACE is calling for new measures to tackle it. More: https://pace.coe.int/en/news/9769

Mediabox spoke to Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) about her work observing February's elections to the Assembly of Kosovo*.

Mediabox spoke to Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) about PACE’s concerns over democratic backsliding in Georgia.

Moldova’s 20 October presidential election and constitutional referendum were well-managed, and contestants campaigned freely in an environment characterized by concerns over illicit foreign interference and active disinformation efforts. While this affected the integrity of the process, additionally, campaign conditions did not allow for a level playing field among contestants, international observers said in a preliminary statement released today.

Mediabox von ‪@PACE_CoE‬ sprach mit Petra Bayr (Österreich, SOC), die über Frauenrechtsverteidigerinnen, Frauenrechte und deren Schutz sprach, indem ein sicheres und förderliches Umfeld gewährleistet wird, in dem sie ihre Aktivitäten ausführen können, sowie die Verfolgung der Täter von Angriffen und Bedrohungen.

PACE President Petra Bayr and Mogens Jensen, Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media today made the following joint statement:

On the eve of the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina, PACE President Petra Bayr and Mogens Jensen, Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, recalled the Assembly’s firm position on the primacy of human rights in and through sport.

“Sport, at its very best, is a unifying force,” they said. “But neutrality must never become a pretext for silence when human rights are violated.” They underlined that the Olympic Games, while a celebration of athletic excellence, also carry a profound ethical responsibility. Recalling the resolution on the Olympic Movement and peacekeeping adopted by the Assembly in June 2025, Ms Bayr and Mr Jensen stressed that “international human rights standards must take precedence over political neutrality in sport”, adding that that the Olympic Charter “is not superior to international conventions and treaties”, and that sporting autonomy cannot shield organisations from accountability.

“As athletes take centre stage in Cortina, they must be able to compete in dignity and safety, and their achievements must never be instrumentalised for political propaganda,” they said.

Ms Bayr and Mr Jensen also reiterated the Assembly’s call for stronger safeguards within the Olympic Movement, including effective respect for the Olympic Truce and protection of athletes’ freedom of expression. “Silence is not neutrality when injustice is at stake,” they warned, emphasising that speaking out for peace and human dignity should be recognised as fully consistent with Olympic values.

At a time of heightened global tensions, Ms Bayr and Mr Jensen concluded by urging the International Olympic Committee and all actors involved to demonstrate leadership. “Human rights must take precedence over political convenience. Only then can the Olympic Games truly serve as a force for peace, solidarity and shared humanity.”