European conscientious objection office

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (Engl. European Bureau for Conscientious Objection in short, EBCO) is a European umbrella organization for national peace organizations that conscientious objectors support. The organization is based in Brussels and was founded in 1979. Its aim is to organize solidarity campaigns for conscientious objectors who are accused in European countries, and to promote the right to conscientious objection in European institutions. Together with War Resisters' International , which is also a member organization of the umbrella association, EBCO is one of the leading international organizations for conscientious objectors.

aims

ECBO advocates the right to refuse military service and any preparation for it. The organization understands this right as a human right . She lobbies for asylum rights for conscientious objectors, whose rights are not recognized in their home countries. She also promotes the abolition of conscription and cuts in defense budgets .

activities

The organization creates a network for organizations from Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany ( German Peace Society - United War Resisters and Evangelical Working Group for Conscientious Objection and Peace ), France, Greece, Italy, Russia, Switzerland ( Zivildienst Association and CIVIVA ), Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Cyprus. Friedhelm Schneider from Germany has been the acting chairman of the organization since 2017.

The organization worked to ensure that all European countries sign and ratify the Optional Protocol on the Participation of Children in Armed Conflict as an annex to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child .

ECBO writes reports and researches conscientious objection in Europe. Since at least 2008 ECBO has been writing annual reports on conscientious objection and community service for the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament.

ECBO has had participant status at the Council of Europe since 1998 . Since 2005 the organization has been a member of the NGO conference of the Council of Europe and since 1995 it has been a full member of the European Youth Forum .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e About EBCO | European Bureau for Conscientious Objection . In: www.ebco-beoc.org . Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  2. ↑ a b Member organizations | European Bureau for Conscientious Objection . In: www.ebco-beoc.org . Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  3. ↑ THE RIGHT TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN EUROPE: A Review of the Current Situation . In: Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) . 2005. Accessed June 14, 2020.
  4. ↑ EBCO Board | European Bureau for Conscientious Objection . In: www.ebco-beoc.org . Retrieved June 14, 2020.