Leo van Doesburg

On the 27th of April, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted, by 44 votes to 19, a report   on the protection of the "The protection of the rights of parents and children belonging to religious minorities" . The rapporteur for this report  was ECPM Member Valeriu Ghiletchi (MP, Moldova) . The report calls on Council of Europe (CoE) Member States to protect religious freedoms in each country and to respect the right of parents to raise their children according to their religious beliefs.

Yesterday, on the 30st of May, the Standing Committee of the Council of Europe adopted the  resolution on "The employment rights of domestic workers, especially women, in Europe" drafted by Romanian MP Viorel Badea. The PACE’s Standing Committee has called on ember States to guarantee the social protection and labour rights of domestic workers, in particular normal hours of work, periods of daily and weekly rest and annual leave, minimum wage coverage, social security protection, occupational safety and health and decent working conditions.  This report also calls to protect pregnant women and their unborn child and the pressure to women to terminate their pregnancies.  Article 4.3. "extend maternity protection and work–family balance to the domestic work sphere, including paid maternity and parental leave, adequate rest periods, time for breastfeeding, childcare facilities and freedom from maternity-based discrimination and ensure that pregnant work...