A/RES/71/17 Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe 12. Also welcomes the regular and active contribution of the Council of Europe to the sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women and the agreed and specified cooperation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN -Women), which includes support to member States, upon their request, in implementing commitments on gender equality and women’s human rights, in particular access to justice and women’s political participation, and the promotion of the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2014–2017, takes note of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which is open for accession by all States, in this context encourages the above-mentioned bodies to continue to develop a fruitful collaboration in eliminating violence against women, including with the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on violence against women, its causes and consequences, and the achievement of de facto gender equality, and recognizes the important contribution of the Convention in eradicating this scourge; 13. Encourages continuing cooperation between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Council of Europe, including the Council of Europe Development Bank, in particular in the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, and in the prevention and reduction of statelessness, welcomes, in the context of the ongoing large movements of refugees and migrants, the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants 7 and encourages activities identifying durable solutions for refugees, including facilitating integration through education and the creation of employment opportunities, takes note of the nomination of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe for migration and refugees, and recognizes the importance of the interface offered by the presence at the Council of Europe of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation to the European Instituti ons in Strasbourg, as well as by the Permanent Delegation of the Council of Europe to the United Nations Office at Geneva; 14. Recognizes and encourages the continuing close liaison and fruitful cooperation between United Nations missions and the Council of Europe offices in the field; 15. Encourages further cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe in the area of democracy and good governance, including through active participation in the Strasbourg World Forum for Democracy and engagement with youth representatives and civil society, as appropriate, and the strengthening of the links between the World Programme for Human Rights Education and the Council of Europe project on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights, and in this context welcomes the contribution to the activities of the International Contact Group on citizenship and human rights education; 16. Notes the important role of the United Nations Development Programme and the Council of Europe in supporting good local democratic governance, as well as the fruitful cooperation between them, encourages further deepening of the cooperation following the signature in February 2010 of the memorandum of _______________ 7 4/7 Resolution 71/1.