The Deputy Secretary General Mr Bjørn Berge welcomed the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council Mr Jürg Lauber for an exchange of views on the contemporary challenges to multilateralism and the respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy. They discussed the need for an enhanced cooperation between the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Council in addressing these challenges, and in particular the democratic and rule of law backsliding, gender inequalities and gender-based violence as well as the global regulation of new technologies in a responsible manner respecting the principles of human rights, the rule of law and democracy,
Further to this meeting the Deputy Secretary General delivered a speech in the opening of the thematic discussion of the Committee of Ministers and the representatives of the United Nations institutions entitled "Human rights and digital technologies". The topic of the speech was to address the question "Whether we are ready for the Future?" faced with the challenges posed by new technologies. The Deputy Secretary General stressed that "No one organisation, no one country, no one company can address these challenges alone. That is why co-operation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations matters."
On 25 February, the Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset,will speak at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speech by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General
