The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation. Since its foundation in 1949, the organisation has created a common legal space, centred on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), across its 46 member states. This represents a death penalty-free zone for more than 700 million people. ­

The Council of Europe:

• Fights violence against women, child sexual abuse, corruption, cybercrime, discrimination, racism, human trafficking, money laundering, organ trafficking, terrorism and torture
• Protects freedom of speech, media freedom, free elections, privacy, personal data, social rights, national minorities and minority languages
• Promotes democratic citizenship, human rights education, youth participation, integrity in sport, culture and Europe’s cultural and natural heritage
• Supports civil society
• Tackles future challenges, such as artificial intelligence, bioethics and the environment