Central Europe

534954

The OSCE Presence in Albania and the Constitutional Court announced today the winners of a competition for drafting of individual constitutional complaints. Twenty-seven students from public and private law faculties across Albania participated in the competition, and their submissions were marked by Constitutional Court justices.

Twenty-seven law students from public and private universities from across Albania took part in the competition organized by the OSCE Presence and the Constitutional Court. Their submissions were marked by legal advisors and judges of the Constitutional Court.

The winners were awarded at a ceremony that took place today in the presence of Head of OSCE Presence Ambassador Guido De Sanctis, Chair of Constitutional Court Vitore Tusha and former Court member Përparim Kalo.

Earlier this year, the OSCE Presence organized three training workshops on individual constitutional complaints with 200 students from Tirana, Vlora and Shkodra law faculties.

The Presence developed the project following a request of the Constitutional Court to popularize the individual constitutional complaints mechanism as well as address issues with the poor quality or inadmissibility of the submissions.

The constitutional justice reform of 2016 expanded the range of subjects and the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court with regard to individual constitutional complaints, enabling individuals to appeal against any act of public power that violates their fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Albania.

National and international experts gathered today in Tirana to discuss measures to combat technology-facilitate trafficking in human beings in Albania. The OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE’s Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings organized the roundtable.

Participants from law-enforcement agencies, prosecutors, international and civil society organizations discussed how the national legislation, including within the National Referral Mechanism, is enhanced to address technology-facilitated trafficking of human beings. Special focus was given to what legal requirements are in place and what can be improved to ensure that online platforms do not facilitate illegal activities associated with trafficking in human beings, and measures to ensure rapid exchange of data between law enforcement and technology companies.

Opening the event, Deputy Head of Presence Clarisse Pasztory said: “You know from numerous reports, including OSCE's own research, how modern communication technologies, such as the internet, social media, and mobile applications, have really significantly changed how organized crime groups engage in human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants”. “Today you will not only discuss about the downsides of modern technologies, but also about the positive sides and opportunities, and will be hearing of good practices and positive effects both in Albania and in other countries how to harness technology to better investigate and prosecute human trafficking and better identify victims of trafficking. Both of these are issues on which the OSCE Presence in Albania is extremely engaged,” she added.

Member of High Court Sandër Simoni, Chief of Cybercrime Unit in the Albanian State Police Hergis Jica and General Director of the National Authority for Electronic Certification and Cyber Security Igli Tafa spoke at the opening of the roundtable.

The event was part of the wider efforts of the OSCE Presence to increase the capacities of institutions and civil society in Albania against human trafficking.

534921 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 14 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU) and the Spanish National Police concluded a two-day training on “Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism” (P/CVERLT) in Madrid, Spain.

“It is necessary to integrate gender and its role in today's society in the analysis and police actions against violent extremism. This training, a joint effort of the International Cooperation Division of the Spanish National Police and the OSCE, constitutes a further step in this task”, the Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Division of the Spanish National Police, Police Commissioner Mrs. Yolanda Rodríguez, stated in her opening remarks.

The training brought together 12 participants from Spanish law enforcement agencies to reflect and exchange on how gender relates to and intersects with violent extremism. It aimed at enhancing the participants’ expertise , in integrating a strong gender perspective in their P/CVERLT efforts. The event also demonstrated how a gender-responsive approach leads to better outcomes and improved operational effectiveness of P/CVERLT responses and protects human rights.

“The police must actively strive towards gender equity across ranks in order to achieve an inclusive and efficient approach to preventing and countering violent extremism”, one of the law enforcement officers concluded.

his was the third training workshop organized by TNTD/ATU, based on the OSCE Guidebook “Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism - Good Practices for Law Enforcement”. The previous trainings were held for Jordanian participants in Malta in October and for North-Macedonian participants in Skopje earlier in December.

534843

From 5 to 9 December 2022, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a study visit for Albanian officials to the Italian special detention regime 41-bis facilities. The visit was the first of this kind in Albania, following the introduction of the special regime in 2020 based on the model of the Italian 41-bis. The special regime puts several restrictions on the offenders, which, if applied improperly, may lead to violations of human rights.

The 12-member delegation was headed by Prison Police Director Paulin Rajta, and composed of Head of Prisons Internal Oversight Service at the Ministry of Justice Klevis Qose; MP Denis Deliu – member of both the National Security Committee and the Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights Committee; People’s Advocate Commissioner on the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Ahmet Prençi; National Legal Officer/Project Manager of the OSCE Presence Alba Jorganxhi, and senior prison staff.

The delegation was hosted by Judge Carlo Renoldi, Head of Department of Penitentiary Administration and by General Brigade Mauro D’Amico, Director of the Operational Mobile Group (Gruppo Operativo Mobile, GOM) under the Italian Ministry of Justice that co-organized and facilitated the study visit.

The participants were equipped with knowledge of the best domestic and international standards on human rights compliant management for high-risk prisoners. They also benefitted from the experience and practices of the Italian Penitentiary Police in the visited prisons. The programme included a visit to 41-bis detention facilities in Sassari and L’Aquila, and a visit to the Penitentiary Training School Giovanni Falcone in Rome, where participants were introduced with the training curriculum for the Italian penitentiary staff.

The study visit was part of the Presence’s project Strengthening human rights protection in Albania and of the extra-budgetary project Rule of law compliant responses to terrorism in the criminal justice system of Albania, which is funded by the governments of Austria and Norway.

The study visit builds upon the Presence’s support to prison reform in Albania and its active involvement in promoting the rights of people in detention. Earlier this year, the Presence developed and delivered a training module for the prison staff of the special regime. In 2021, the Presence organized a training session of prison staff of the Special Regime on the human rights compliant management of high-risk prisoners In 2020, the Presence prepared an assessment report of the special regime for high security prisoners in Albania, in line with international good practice and in view of the specific needs of the offenders.

Apart from the special regime, the Presence has contributed to the achievements in the penitentiary system by offering legislative support to the legal package on the penitentiary system; working on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (P/CVERLT) in prisons and probation settings; and establishing a Master’s Programme in Criminology at Tirana University.

534660

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator Office in Uzbekistan in cooperation with the National Commission on Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labour has started a pilot anti-trafficking simulation exercise at the premises of the Academy under the General Prosecutor’s Office on 12 December 2022 in Tashkent. Approximately 50 professionals from law enforcement agencies will gather for a five-day simulation exercise, including the representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Academy under the General Prosecutor’s Office, Agency on Social and Medical Support, lawyers and civil society organizations.

The main aim of this pilot simulation training to improve inter-agency coordination and cooperation within the newly established national referral mechanism for the victims of human trafficking by prioritizing the human rights centred and gender sensitive approach. The premises for the simulation exercise are recreated to simulate instances of sexual and labor exploitation of men, women, and children. Actors of the ‘Ilkhom” theatre simulating actual human trafficking scenarios are incorporated into this innovative training simulation methodology to offer front-line responders the chance to practice potential anti-trafficking responses.

Several participating States are engaging in organizing training exercises at a national level, following the OSCE model, which has demonstrated its effectiveness as an innovative and successful methodology to improve the skills and competencies of practitioners to work in a multi-disciplinary team when handling trafficking cases.

From 20 November to 10 December the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in co-operation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, delivered four online training sessions aimed at improving the capacities of investigative journalists and civil society on data-journalism, data analysis and visualisation through the use of open data and digital tools.

Twenty participants, selected among 516 applicants representing various media and civil society organizations committed to exposing corruption, successfully completed the online course that focused on the theory and practice of data visualization, data analytics and data storytelling.

“The current digital format of media and information distribution, the wide availability of open source data visualization software, as well as the open data published by governments and business, are key in increasing transparency and accountability of public and private sectors if used and monitored properly. Watchdog activities play a critical role in ensuring this. It is therefore important that such watchdog groups have up-to-date knowledge on innovative tools and instruments to identify, monitor, analyse, use and re-use government disclosures on its decisions and expenditures of public funds,” said Eni Gjergji, Economic Adviser at OCEEA.

The training marked the start of the implementation of activities in Ukraine in co-operation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation. They were organized in the framework of the extra-budgetary project, Promoting good governance and a positive business climate in the OSCE region through digitalization and the use of open data funded by the United States and Poland.

534630

The OSCE held a regional workshop on Fostering Women’s Participation in the Energy Sector in Central Asia, jointly with the Qazaq Green Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Association and with in-kind support from UNDP Kazakhstan in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 7-8 December. The event offered a platform for 30 representatives from energy ministries, industry, women’s energy associations, and academia from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to discuss regional opportunities and challenges facing women in the energy sector.

“The energy transition cannot be achieved without women’s equal participation and leadership. This is why we are supporting policymakers and industry representatives across the region to implement tailored solutions and overcome existing barriers,” Giulia Manconi, OSCE Project Manager said.

While women’s potential as key drivers of change is increasingly being recognized, there remains much to be done to create an inclusive sector and make lasting change. “We need to create a conducive environment with corporate practices that are supportive of family and work-life balance, allowing women to be mothers without sacrificing their career ambitions,” the participants shared.

“Initiatives like this are also crucial to help women build confidence and overcome challenges instilled by gender stereotyping. This will in turn help women to achieve their full potential for success and leadership in the energy sector,” said Ainur Sospanova, CEO of the Qazaq Green RES Association.

The participants underlined their readiness to foster the implementation of measures needed to create positive change. Case studies from global and regional initiatives were explored and a number of concrete actions that could be implemented in Central Asia were identified, including:

• tailored gender action plans to be implemented across energy organizations and companies;
• workshops and training for all energy professionals, also aiming to engage more senior managers and men;
• the establishment of a regional talent pool of women in energy to foster networking and facilitate personal and professional development;
• investments in gender balanced human capital development to meet the requirements of the evolving energy sector.

The Workshop was organized within the framework of the OSCE Project on Promoting women’s economic participation in the energy sector for energy security and sustainability in Central Asia, co-funded by Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway and Poland.

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 6 and 7 December, the OSCE’s Transnational Threat Department (TNTD) conducted a two-day needs assessment visit in Tbilisi on the status of the implementation of Georgia’s Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) system.

The visit, organised jointly with representatives from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Revenue Service, and the Operative-Technical Agency, served to support implementation of a national passenger data system in the country. It also reaffirmed the OSCE’s commitment in supporting the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 2396 (2017) and, UNSCR 2482 (2019).

The visit provided a forum for discussion by all relevant Georgian authorities involved in implementing and managing the country’s API/PNR system, to assess issues that affect the establishment of an efficient and comprehensive travel document system. The topics discussed included negotiating with potential API/PNR system providers, building consensus on future funding; improving connectivity with air carriers; and streamlining co-ordination and co-operation within the existing Eastern European Informal Working Group (EE IWG) towards the establishment of a national Passenger Information Unit (PIU).

The outcome of the discussion was that the establishment of the Georgian PIU will be co-ordinated with due consideration of good practices and lessons learned from other OSCE participating States, by supporting study visits in the course of the next calendar year.

The assessment visit is part of the OSCE’s long-term efforts to support participating States in establishing their own national passenger data systems, which includes legal support, technical assistance and operations/training delivery.

WARSAW, 10 December 2022 – All those who mark Human Rights Day this year do so deeply troubled by the current state of affairs. Russia continues to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine, targeting civilian infrastructure and leaving millions without heat or power as winter closes in. Already a legacy of war crimes and wanton destruction has been revealed. Within Russia, the country’s moral and intellectual infrastructure is also being destroyed, with minorities targeted and journalists and human rights defenders fleeing the country.

The prospect of energy shortages in Europe is emboldening populist forces targeting migrants and asylum seekers, who are already among the most vulnerable. The generosity of many countries that have opened their doors to millions of Ukrainian refugees will be tested as the war continues.

Throughout the OSCE area, members of minorities and religious groups – including Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities face heightened threats of physical attacks. The coarsening public discourse and breakdown in social media controls have propelled anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers into the mainstream with disastrous consequences. Muslim communities are viewed with suspicion. Rather than being embraced as a reflection of today’s diverse and pluralistic societies, they are viewed only through the lens of security concerns.

We again urge all OSCE participating States to be mindful of their commitments to protect the human rights of all their citizens. We hope that the very real difficulties we face today will not be cause for despair, but instead serve as the impetus to redouble efforts, to share best practice examples, to strengthen international relationships and contribute to security and peace.   

Rabbi Andrew BakerPersonal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism

Associate Professor Dr. Regina PolakPersonal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions

Ambassador Dr. Ismail Hakki MusaPersonal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims

534431 Marina Živaljević

In responding to the survey, every second parent agrees that their children find it challenging to control how much time they spend in front of a screen. Parents largely believe that the time they spend accessing available content, especially through television and mobile devices, has a negative impact on their mental health and development. Content of children programs often promote gender inequality and promotes stereotypes. Almost every child surveyed owns a mobile phone. In the past 12 months, both children and parents say that they have not visited the theatre, but 36.9% of surveyed children read printed or electronic books unlike 15.5% of their parents.

These are some of the concluding findings of an opinion poll Media Literacy – Children, Parents and the Media in Montenegro, conducted from August until November 2022. It was commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro for the Agency for Electronic Media, and conducted by DeFacto Agency, on a sample of 1,050 parents and 675 children from nine to 17 years of age.

Slaven Živković, executive director of DeFacto Agency, said that research shows that the amount of time both parents and children spend in front of electronic devices is increasing. “During weekdays, on average, children spend up to nine hours in front of the TV, mobile phone, tablet or computer/laptop. On weekends even more. Additionally, the number of parents who think that their children do not have good balance between the time they spend on the screen and the time they devote to other things is growing. Nevertheless, both parents and children mostly think that digital devices play a positive role in their lives. In addition, the vast majority of children still say that they regularly read books and visit libraries, which, even if it is not true, indicates that they consider such behaviour desirable,” said Živković.

“Media literacy is a concept that helps us to learn how to observe media messages more critically and to distinguish between factual and fictional content more easily. The emergence of social media and online platforms changed the way we communicate,” said Evan Eberle, the Mission’s Media Programme Manager. He added that media literacy is in its early stages in Montenegro, welcoming the decision by the National Council for Education to approve a program for “Media Literacy” as a subject for elementary schools. “The research recognized the need for additional education for children when it comes to media literacy. Recognizing its importance, the Mission together with the Agency for Electronic Media organizes and supports a series of activities to foster media literacy and professional reporting,” said Eberle, encouraging parents to understand the media content their children follow and guide them through their process of becoming media literate.

Elvira K. Ceković from the Agency for Electronic Media stated that since 2018, the Agency has implemented the media literacy campaign “Let’s Choose What We Watch”. According to her, the results of the research presented today show whether and how children and parents have changed their habits. “The research results should serve as a basis for planning future activities aimed at the development of media literacy in Montenegro, not only for the Agency, but also for many other institutions in the field of culture and education. The responsibility of the family in this process is inevitable and crucial, so the Agency will do everything to make the results of this research available to all citizens, with an invitation to join the launched media literacy campaign,” said Ceković.

In 2022 together with the Agency, the Mission organized and supported a series of activities and events to mark Media Literacy Days. Among those, the Mission and Agency distributed a Media and Digital Literacy Booklet to students, parents and to schools in Montenegro. Based on this publication, a video was produced to raise awareness on media literacy and protect children from harmful media content. A regional conference on Media and Digital Literacy gathered communication and media specialists who discussed the importance of media and digital literacy, algorithms, and fact checking.

The Mission will continue to make media and digital literacy one of their priorities in 2023.

BELGRADE, 9 December 2022 - At a ceremony held today in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia presented its 2022 Person of the Year Award to Ms. Miljana Pejić, Secretary General of the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS).

This award celebrates citizens of Serbia who have in a given year contributed the most through the activities supported by the Mission to the promotion of OSCE values and principles in the country, such as non-discrimination, consolidation of human rights, equal opportunities and sustainable democratic reforms, and focus on improving the lives of individuals and communities.

Miljana Pejić, the Secretary General of the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS), is recognized for her outstanding contribution to improving the position of young people in Serbia by supporting youth-inclusive public policymaking, as well as youth sector capacity-building ensuring that young people can actively participate in political and public life in their communities.

“The OSCE Mission to Serbia engages youth from Serbia’s diverse communities across all its programmes — democratization, rule of law, security co-operation, and media. We are proud to award Miljana Pejić, the Secretary General of the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS), one of the Mission’s key partners in youth engagement.  Their work is innovative and flexible. It demonstrates the potential that a country has,” pointed out the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Jan Braathu.

“Just as KOMS acts as a link between young people, its member organizations and various decision-makers in Serbia, we hope that young women and men will follow their example and join together, participate more in public life with a focus to contributing to development of Serbian society.”

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE approach to responding to hate crimes was presented at an OSCE-organized introductory online seminar that took place on 9 December 2022.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the event in co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), to raise the participants’ awareness on hate crimes, the OSCE concept of hate crimes and relevant OSCE commitments.

The event brought together representatives of the lower chamber (Mejlis) of the Milli Gengesh (National Council), Ministry of Justice (Adalat), Ministry of Interior, Ministry of National Security, State Border Service, State Migration Service, Ombudsperson’s Office, Supreme Court, General Prosecutor`s Office and Bar Association.

ODIHR experts on hate crimes elaborated on ODIHR’s tools and capacity building programmes for assisting participating states in implementing their commitments in the area of hate crime. They provided insights into ODIHR’s annual hate crime reports and stressed the importance of national authorities’ role in preventing and addressing hate crimes.

“Hate crime not only affects the individual or group, it has a negative impact on society in general. Our today’s event aims to introduce the tools and resources to support and assist the local and governmental bodies in responding to hate crimes and ensuring effective access to justice, support and protection to victims of hate crimes,” said Rune Castberg, Programme Co-ordinator of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

534350 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

On 6 December 2022, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko, to discuss various media freedom issues and developments in the country’s legal regime regarding media freedom, including on a broad range of regulatory matters, such as the current draft of the law on Media and on the regulation of social networks.

The Representative reiterated her readiness to continue supporting Kazakhstan in these regulatory and in other spheres. Deputy Minister Vassilenko emphasized the importance of media freedom literacy and media self-regulation and confirmed that Kazakhstan is engaged in a continued dialogue with the RFoM Office.

The Representative and the Deputy Minister concluded that the authorities of Kazakhstan will be well-served by making a long-term investment in programs to promote and enhance media freedom literacy.

WARSAW, 9 December 2022 – Tomorrow’s Human Rights Day reminds us of the universality embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the entire international human rights framework, but also of the efforts still needed to achieve its guarantees in both word and spirit, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

“Times of crisis are a stress test for human rights protection – including for the international framework that was built to support or intervene in situations where national authorities unfortunately breach them,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “As human rights continue to be violated, we must work together in a spirit of dialogue at both the national and international level if we are to fulfil the promise contained in the Universal Declaration, of a world where everyone is free and equal in dignity and in rights.”

This year’s Human Rights Day marks the launch of the countdown to next year’s 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a landmark on the path towards respect for human rights for all. ODIHR assists countries across the OSCE region to fulfil their commitments to respect the rights of every individual, for example through monitoring the freedom to peaceful protest, helping to ensure that policies to counter terrorism integrate a human rights perspective, working to strengthen the rule of law, and helping to build more equal and open societies.

ODIHR’s strong ties with civil society are at the heart of its work. At present, however, a healthy civil society is too often seen by governments not as a partner for safeguarding rights more effectively, but as a security risk, with the result that civil society organisations as well as human rights defenders have come under increasing threat. By assisting governments to engage actively with civil society, ODIHR helps to increase respect for human rights and in this way strengthen the security of the entire region.

Every OSCE country has recognized that human rights are the birthright of all human beings, are inalienable and are guaranteed by law. According to the OSCE’s unique vision, sustainable security is only possible if it is based on respect for human rights, which can only be fully guaranteed in a pluralistic democracy based on the rule of law.

PODGORICA, 8 December 2022 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Dominique Waag, emphasised the importance of quickly appointing judges to the Constitutional Court today.

“Recognizing the importance of a swift appointment of judges to the Constitutional Court to preserve the constitutionality, legal order and regular political process in Montenegro, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro calls on political leaders to engage in inclusive dialogue in order to build consensus within Parliament,” said Waag.

Waag also highlighted the importance of the Constitutional Court in the current political context.

“As a guardian of constitutional democracy, the Constitutional Court is critical in ensuring the legitimacy and legality of democratic elections by adjudicating electoral complaints and ensuring the protection of voters’ rights. Underscoring this vital role, we strongly encourage all actors to overcome the current impasse in Parliament and secure full functionality of the Constitutional Court well in advance of the next presidential elections,” said Waag.

The Mission stands ready to continue its close work with the national authorities to assist Montenegro in achieving its strategic goals, in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

534239 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 6 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized a fourth webinar for cadets and lecturers from the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The purpose of this initiative is to raise awareness about key trends and developments in contemporary policing among students and staff of the Academy.

The webinar was dedicated to combating gender-based violence and advancing the meaningful participation of women in law enforcement. It was delivered by two experts from the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. The presenters outlined the forms of gender-based violence, as well as the opportunities in the areas of multi-sectoral co-ordination, training of practitioners and awareness raising on the topic. They also highlighted the importance to address gender inequality as one of the root causes of gender-based violence, and discussed ways to advance the meaningful participation of women at all levels of policing. The speakers presented four flagship OSCE projects that address these topics: Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in Eastern Europe (2018-2020), South-Eastern Europe (2021-2024) and Advancing the Meaningful Participation of Women in Law Enforcement in Montenegro (2020) and Uzbekistan (2022).

The event was attended by over 100 cadets and lecturers from the Academy, and is preceded by webinars on topics such as countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime and intelligence-led policing.

534218 Marina Živaljević

The role of the media in the regional reconciliation process is the focus of a three-day training course that started on 7 December in Budva, organized by the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) Local Branch Office with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

Fifteen young journalists from across Montenegro gathered to discuss intercultural dialogue, and basic principles of professional reporting.

In opening the workshop, Dominique Waag, Head of the Mission, reminded participants of the limitations of freedom of expression – especially in relation to phrases that promote or incite xenophobia and any form of hatred or intolerance. “While the exercise of freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental human right, it must always be balanced against using it as a cover for hate speech. This will be an essential parameter for you to have in mind, as journalists, in order to promote reconciliation in the region while also promoting freedom of information,” said Ambassador Waag, adding that young journalists can play an important role in media literacy, building a strong foundation of professional and ethical journalism, based on facts-checking, in a multi-ethnic or multi-cultural environment.

Bojana Lalatović, Programme Officer from RYCO Local Branch Office, stated that this training course should strengthen the professional standards of media representatives, given their key role in building and promoting sustainable and inclusive peace. “The way media content is presented to young people and creation of credible and interesting stories that promote different groups and perspectives have a strong influence on young people’s perception of social events and development of democratic culture in the society,” said Lalatović.

With the support of two experts from intercultural and journalism area, young journalist will improve their knowledge and skills on effective reporting on issues related to intercultural dialogue, reconciliation and peace building.

534206 Marina Živaljević

On 8 December, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro published a document Handbook on media reporting on gender-based violence against women, a guide for media professionals on how to report about gender-based violence against women and girls in line with ethical principles and standards. National TV stations, newspapers, news portals and local broadcasters in Montenegro have received copies of the handbook.

Reporting on incidences of violence against women and girls is highly sensitive and can have a significant impact on the survivors’ lives, as well as influence public opinion and policy makers. It has the potential to shed light on the root causes of violence against women and girls, promote positive social and gender norms, and help in risk mitigation through the provision of essential information to victims. It is crucial for journalists to report on cases of violence and eradicate the stigma around it. Too often media reports on violence against women are insensitive and encourage secondary victimization of survivors.

The handbook emphasizes that the media should avoid sensationalism and refrain from promoting harmful stereotypes about women. A particularly problematic method of reporting is highlighting and elaborating on "reasons" the abuser, who is often the partner, had, such as envy, rejection, poverty, loss of employment, or addiction, where the responsibility for violence is shared or even shifted from the abuser to the survivor.

This handbook encourages journalists to approach violence against women and girls as a social problem, which in reporting on it, raises awareness and addresses how to respond to it responsibly. It clarifies major concerns in reporting, shatters myths that influence how violence is reported, and formulates clear, practical principles and recommendations to set new standards and enhance existing ones.

Building on this handbook, the Mission will continue to support students and journalists to further enhance their capacities to report on gender-based violence.  

534236 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The OSCE facilitated working group meetings on youth crime prevention that brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, and experts from Kyrgyz civil society.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities organized these meetings, held on 3 November and 8 December 2022. During the meetings, government and civil society representatives provided feedback on youth crime prevention school and university curricula as well as on the youth social media awareness-raising strategy on integrity and the rule of law. The curricula and strategy were prepared by the OSCE at the request of the Kyrgyz government, capitalizing on the UNODC Education4Justice materials under the Doha Declaration.

The educational curricula and the awareness-raising campaign were developed by the OSCE under a Memorandum of Understanding and Co-operation (MoU)  signed between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government on youth crime prevention in April 2022. As part of the MoU, the OSCE assists the Kyrgyz authorities in implementing their national commitments, namely the Youth State Policy and the State Anti-Corruption and Drug Control Strategies. These documents emphasize the importance of youth education and awareness-raising on the rule of law and integrity to prevent these phenomena.

The OSCE will train teachers, professors and juvenile affairs officers on these youth crime prevention curricula in summer 2023, which will then be rolled out as a pilot in different schools and universities across Kyrgyzstan. The social media awareness-raising campaign for youth on the dangers of organized crime, corruption and illicit drugs and on the importance of the rule of law and integrity will also be launched across the country in the summer of 2023.

These activities took place as part of the “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption” project, which is funded by Germany and the Polish OSCE Chairmanship.

533843 Marina Živaljević

A two-day annual meeting of “Police Persons of Trust”, organized by the Police Directorate with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector from Norway, begun on 7 December in Budva.

Some 30 participants from the Police Directorate, security centres from eight Montenegrin cities, the Administration for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions and Ministry of Defence discussed with experts from Norway and the United States the concept of police persons of trust as a mechanism to promote gender mainstreaming and integrity in the police.

Referring to Mission’s continuous support for women advance through the ranks of the police, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the Mission, stated that the Persons of Trust network is recognized as one of the key mechanisms to advocate for gender equality in the service. “In addition to projects, campaigns and activities that promote equality between men and women in the police, the OSCE supports development of a gender training curriculum and trains police officers on gender awareness. These officers facilitate in-service gender training of their colleagues, ensuring sustainability of our joint efforts,” said Leirtroe, adding that through the activities of the Persons of Trust, more women may feel empowered to assume leadership positions within the Police.

Biljana Dulović, Head of the Human Resources and Legal Affairs Service in the Police Directorate, said that the Police Directorate continuously implement measures to improve gender equality. “We pay great attention to the education of employees and the improvement of mechanisms to combat discrimination. One mechanism is the professional empowerment of ‘persons of trust’, who serve as contact persons in specific security centres and departments,” said Dulović, adding that this seminar will help person of trust to make their role and importance more visible, creating a better working environment.

Persons of trust are experienced and trustworthy colleagues whom the police officers can approach in confidentiality and ask for advice and support. The police ‘persons of trust’ primary task is to promote gender awareness in-service and develop communication with the community.