High Level Conference on Parliamentary Support to Victims of Terrorism

A high-level conference on Parliamentary Support to Victims of Terrorism was held in Rome, Italy on June 7-8, 2022.

The Conference was organized by the UNOCT Programme Office on Parliamentary Engagement, in cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA), the African Parliamentary Union (APU), and the Shura Council of the State of Qatar.

The Conference commenced with the opening remarks, keynote addresses, and a presentation of the model legislative provisions, which were followed by four thematic sessions.

• Session 1 discussed the role of parliamentarians in ensuring a tailored
• response to address large scale displacement and violations of rights.
• Session 2 explored the role of civil society groups and organizations in
• complementing state and parliamentary efforts.
• Session 3 focused on incorporating protection and national support for victims of terrorism in counter-terrorism strategies and legislation. 
• Session 4 covered good practices and lessons learned on support to victims of terrorism on the local and national levels.

Participants

The following speakers addressed the opening ceremony: 

• H.E. Mr. Ettore Rosato, Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy 
• Mr. Mauro Miedico, Deputy Director, Chief, Special Projects and Innovation Branch, UNOCT 
• H.E. Mr. Gennaro Migliore, President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy
• Hon. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Subaie, Member, Shura Council of the State of Qatar  
• H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ali Houmed, President, Executive Committee, African Parliamentary Union, Speaker of the National Assembly of Djibouti
• Hon. Reinhold Lopatka, Chair, Counter-Terrorism Coordination Mechanism on Parliamentary Assemblies and Vice-President Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Member of the National Council of Austria

The Conference was attended by 120 in-person and 30 online participants, from 29 different countries, including Parliamentarians and representatives of parliamentary assemblies from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Economic Community of West African States Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Member States, the Arab Parliament, and Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the G5 Sahel. Additionally, participants included representatives of 15 Civil Society Organizations and Academia, including victims of terrorism and their associations, as well as representatives of UNOCT, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and other international organizations. The Conference concluded with a call for concrete recommendations and regional plans of action through the Parliamentary Assemblies.