Strasbourg, 14–17 April 2026
Report
The Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations of the Council of Europe convened in Strasbourg for its 2026 Spring Session from 14 to 17 April, with the Spring General Assembly taking place from 15 to 17 April. The session brought together civil society representatives from across Europe to review the work of the Conference, discuss current and future priorities, and adopt a series of important texts and resolutions addressing some of the most pressing democratic and human rights challenges facing the continent today.
This Spring Session was particularly significant in the wider context of the 50th anniversary of the Conference of INGOs. The anniversary provided not only an opportunity to look back on five decades of civil society engagement within the Council of Europe, but also to reflect on the role that organised civil society must continue to play in defending democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in an increasingly complex European landscape.
Children’s rights featured prominently throughout the session. One of the major outcomes was the adoption of a resolution on the rights of the child in Europe, adopted as part of CINGO’s 50th anniversary reflections. The resolution reaffirms the importance of placing children’s rights at the centre of European democratic life and highlights the continued need for strong, coordinated, and rights-based action to protect children, listen to their voices, and ensure that their wellbeing is fully recognised in policy and practice.
In this context, CINGO also reaffirmed the role of its Committee on the Rights of the Child in Europe, extending its mandate until Spring 2027. This decision represents an important continuation of the Conference’s work in the field of children’s rights and confirms the need for sustained civil society engagement on issues affecting children, families, and communities across Europe.
Hermínio Corrêa, member of the Supervisory Board of Parents International, will continue to serve as Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Europe. Ruth Allen, representing the International Federation of Social Workers, will continue as Co-Chair. Their renewed mandate provides continuity and strengthens the Committee’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to the work of the Council of Europe and to wider European discussions on children’s rights.
Beyond children’s rights, the Spring Session addressed a broad range of democratic and social challenges. Discussions included hate speech and discrimination, youth participation and employment, migration, gender equality, education for democracy, and the protection of civil society space. These themes reflect the growing importance of ensuring that democratic institutions remain open, inclusive, and responsive to the realities experienced by people and communities across Europe.
The discussions also underlined the essential role of civil society organisations in identifying emerging challenges, bringing lived experience into policy conversations, and helping democratic institutions remain connected to the people they serve. At a time when civic space is under pressure in many contexts, CINGO’s work continues to be a vital reminder that democracy cannot be reduced to institutions alone. It also depends on active participation, public trust, dialogue, accountability, and the organised engagement of citizens through civil society.
The session further strengthened CINGO’s engagement with key Council of Europe bodies, including the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child, the Lanzarote Committee, and other relevant steering committees. This cooperation is particularly important because it ensures that the voice of civil society contributes to the development, implementation, and monitoring of European standards in human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
For Parents International, the outcomes of this Spring Session are especially relevant. The strong focus on children’s rights, education for democracy, participation, and civil society engagement closely reflects our own work with parents, families, educators, and communities. It also confirms the importance of recognising parents and families as essential actors within democratic education ecosystems, particularly when the rights, wellbeing, and participation of children are at stake.
The next CINGO General Assembly is scheduled to take place from 28 September to 1 October 2026. This will be another important moment for the Conference, as it will include various ceremonies and activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of CINGO. The anniversary will offer an opportunity to celebrate past achievements, but also to renew the shared commitment of civil society organisations to a democratic Europe grounded in human dignity, participation, and rights for all.
Strasbourg, 17 April 2026
Hermínio Corrêa
Parents International
Key Outcomes from the CINGO Spring 2025 Session in Strasbourg
Safeguarding Civic Space in Europe: Parents International at the Conference of INGOs Task Force
