Directorate-General for External Policies Directorate for Democracy Support Western Balkans Unit Parliamentary seminar "PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE SITUATION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN" with the Members of the Western Balkan parliaments and of the European Parliament Draft PROGRAMME 14 and 15 November 2012 Meeting room: József Antall Building 6Q-2 Altiero Spinelli Building 5G-2 European Parliament rue Wiertz 60, Brussels Contact: European Parliament: Ms Aušra RAKŠTELYTĖ, Administrator, Directorate for Democracy Support, Western Balkans Unit; tel. +32 2 28 34160, email: [email protected] Wednesday, 14 November 2012 Meeting room: József Antall Building 6Q-2 In the Chair: Ms Barbara LOCHBIHLER, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) 15.00 Arrival and registration of the participants 15.05 - 15.20 Opening remarks by the Chair Ms Barbara LOCHBIHLER, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights 15.20 - 16.00 Role and positions of the European Parliament in the Human Rights Policy. Human Rights in Western Balkans Mr Eduard KUKAN, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Questions and debate 16.00 - 16.40 Protection of minorities in the EU and in the Western Balkans Ms Ulrike LUNACEK, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) Questions and debate Coffee break 16.55 - 17.40 EU Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy Mr Stavros LAMBRINIDIS, EU Special Representative for Human Rights (tbc) Questions and debate 17.40 - 17.45 Concluding remarks on the first day of the seminar 2 Thursday, 15 November 2012 Meeting room: Altiero Spinelli Building 5G-2 In the Chair: Mr/Ms..., Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) 08.30 - 08-45 Arrival of the participants 09.00 - 09.05 Opening of the second day of the parliamentary debate Mr/Ms..., Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) 09.05 - 09.40 Gender equality in the EU: main concerns and the EP policy Ms Mariya GABRIEL, FEMM Rapporteur on the Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2011, substitute Member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) Questions and debate 09.40 - 10.25 Situation of women and children in the Western Balkans Ms Marije CORNELISSEN, Rapporteur on Women's rights in the Balkan accession countries, Member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) Ms Kinga GÁL, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Questions and debate 3 10.25 - 11.05 Developing Human Rights Law and Policy. Recommendations of the Council of Europe to the Western Balkans Mr/Ms , Council of Europe Questions and debate 11.05 - 12.20 Parliamentary efforts to improve the Human Rights situation in the Western Balkans 5 min presentation by each Western Balkan parliament, followed by the general debate 12.20 - 12.30 Concluding remarks by the Chair 12.45 Lunch hosted by Mr László SURJÁN, Vice-President of the European Parliament (Members' Restaurant, ASP building 00 level) 4 .