Strasbourg, 12 March 2012                                                                    CDLR(2012)4

                                                                                             Item 7 of the agenda

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

APPOINTMENT OF A CDLR RAPPORTEUR

ON GENDER EQUALITY

For action

Secretariat Memorandum

prepared by the

Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity

Democracy, Institution-Building and Governance Department

This document is public. It will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy.

Ce document est public. Il ne sera pas distribué en réunion. Prière de vous munir de cet exemplaire.

Introduction

The Committee of Ministers, at the 1127^th meeting of the Deputies (22-24 November 2011) adopted the Terms of Reference of all intergovernmental structures of the Council of Europe for the years 2012-2013 (document CM(2011)131 final).

According to this document, all intergovernmental structures of the Council of Europe, including the CDLR, are required to appoint a Gender Equality Rapporteur from amongst their members.

Although the Terms of Reference do not specifically define the role and functions of the gender rapporteur it would seem reasonable to assume that he/she should contribute to promoting and raising awareness of gender equality issues in the work of the CDLR. The Committee could however define more in detail the role and functions of the rapporteur, should it so wish.

Action required

The Committee is invited to appoint a rapporteur on gender equality from amongst its members and adopt a description of his/her tasks and functions.