OSCE

532025

From 24 to 25 November, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the OSCE Presence in Albania conducted a two-day regional training for representatives of civil society organizations and journalists from South Eastern Europe in Tirana, Albania. The training enhanced technical capacities and fostered discussions and knowledge sharing on the use of open data in preventing and combating corruption with a special focus on the transparency and oversight of public procurement processes.

The training provided participants with knowledge on relevant international legal and compliance frameworks as well as with practical open data tools and ways to analyse, visualise, use, re-use and investigate government disclosures on its decisions and expenditures of public funds, as an important anti-corruption measure used to ensure transparency and efficiency in public institutions’ functions.

“The future of transparent and accountable public processes lies in responsibly designed digital tools that enable full participation of all groups from all spheres of our societies. The role as civil society organizations and journalists is of the utmost importance and the OSCE stands ready to support them in fulfilling this important task,” said Professor Anita Ramasastry, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption said.

Clarisse Pasztory, Acting Head of the OSCE presence in Albania emphasised: “I hope and believe that by gathering diverse speakers and participants such as yourselves, with representatives from civil society, media, international organizations and government, we will help to mend the gaps in open data and increase transparency. Transparency, which is crucial for trust and to counter misinformation or disinformation, and trust that is crucial for active citizenship.”

Around 40 participants representing international organizations, civil society organizations and media outlets from South Eastern Europe shared common challenges and good practices of their work through interactive discussions and a networking event.

The training was organized in the framework of the Presence in Albania’s unified budget and 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.

532007 Marina Živaljević

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro continued its cooperation with Parliament in providing specialized workshops to their staff on environmental protection and gender responsive budgeting.

On 22 and 23 November, Mission-engaged international experts from Finland, Portugal and Slovenia on sustainable development discussed with 12 parliamentary staff key challenges in Montenegro, focusing on restoration of the important areas, such as Tara River and Ulcinj Salina. They gave an overview of relevant framework, including sustainable development goals, European Green Deal and Western Balkan Agenda. They also discussed sustainable tourism and protection of nature through establishment of network of protected areas.

Opening the workshop, Dominique Waag, Head of the Mission, said that we are facing urgent challenges arising from climate change that includes our adaptation concerning reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and incorporating environmental norms into the rules of global trade, blue economy, and agriculture, in order to reach sustainability. “Taking into account the environmental dimension in all human activities, your role as parliamentary staff and your expertise in legislative drafting, will help Montenegro to fulfil its global and regional commitments and to face these new and concerning challenges,” said Ambassador Waag.

On 24 November, the Mission engaged experts to discuss with parliamentary staff how to ensure that the needs of women and men are equally taken into account in the budget process. Through practical examples and examining ongoing preparations of the new Law on Budget, the participants learnt how to incorporate the different needs of women and men into budget circulars.

The Mission will continue to support gender responsive budgeting at the Parliament and within ministries as a legal requirement, contributing to improving overall social justice and equality.

531986

Cryptocurrencies and virtual assets are gaining popularity around the world, and Moldova is no exception. The country actively works on tackling criminal use of cryptocurrencies and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) has offered their expertise to assist Moldovan authorities.

OCEEA, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is implementing an extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets, funded by the United States, Germany and Poland.

On 24 November 2022, OCEEA conducted a workshop for representatives of relevant agencies in Chisinau, Moldova, to discuss future prospects and best practices in implementation of the project on the national level.

The experts discussed the current situation in the national virtual assets market, the money laundering potential of cryptocurrencies, relevant regulations and legislation, and software tools for investigating illicit transactions conducted in cryptocurrencies. The participants also discussed measures to raise awareness of the money laundering risks of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies among the public.

Recent developments in virtual assets prove the relevance of the project and its activities, especially for the national authorities, lawmakers and other relevant agencies, in particular in Moldova.

“The ability of national authorities to counter the vulnerabilities that virtual assets present for money laundering is crucial, especially as cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular. The OSCE, in partnership with UNODC, will provide beneficiaries of the project with practical training on the money laundering and terrorism financing risks of cryptocurrencies, investigation, seizure and confiscation, regulation, and customer due diligence. We will also be assisting Moldovan law enforcement agencies in organizing awareness-raising activities and facilitating interagency and international co-operation in investigation of crimes conducted with the use of cryptocurrencies,” said Kurban Babayev, associate anti-corruption officer, OCEEA.

531995

On 24 November 2022, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, held a national workshop to update the national curriculum for law enforcement on gender-based violence (GBV) in North Macedonia.

The workshop gathered 21 participants (17 women and 4 men), including representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police Training Centre, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Office for Criminal Affairs in Prilep, Offices of Internal Affairs in Skopje, Shtip and Tetovo, Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Kumanovo, Public Security Bureau, National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

During the workshop, participants discussed the set of recommendations proposed by the OSCE to improve the curriculum and elaborated on the best way to institutionalize the changes. They also stressed the relevance of the project and their continued interest in its activities. 

Professor Stojanka Mircheva, an OSCE consultant, emphasized that "police officers need to address all forms of gender-based violence, as per the national legislation, not only domestic violence. They must have the appropriate skills and attitudes towards survivors and their needs, therefore fully implementing a victim-centred approach while holding perpetrators accountable."

Participants analysed and proposed improvements to the current curriculum, namely further aligning it with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention and with a state-of-the-art curriculum piloted at the regional level. The main findings from the OSCE WIN project mapping of police and judicial training curricula on GBV were also taken into account.

This is the fifth workshop organized within the project “Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South Eastern Europe”. It will be followed by a specialized training for police officers, planned to take place in 2023. The course will be organized together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Training Centre, and will ensure local ownership and a full customization to the national needs.

THE HAGUE, 24 November 2022 - “Georgia’s policies for ethnic minorities are evidence of the authorities’ efforts to shoulder their responsibilities and improve legislative and institutional frameworks. Thanks to these efforts, Georgia has been acclaimed as a forerunner among the post-Soviet countries. However, regions with predominantly ethnic minority populations continue to suffer from the lack of basic social infrastructure,” said Tamta Mikeladze, Director of Equality Policy Programme at the Social Justice Center.

Addressing representatives from governments, civil society and international organizations who attended the award ceremony, Kamran Mammadli, Researcher at the Social Justice Center, said, “We, the Georgian people, are in a unique moment of history where we can find our strength in solidarity. We are a diverse country that can make diversity work by cultivating inter-ethnic and inter-religious solidarity among various groups.”

They received the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award on behalf of the Social Justice Center at a ceremony at the Peace Palace in The Hague today.

“To make this happen,” Mammadli continued, “we need support for underrepresented, marginalised and oppressed groups. At the same time, we should work on raising the awareness of the dominant group about minorities. We, as an organization, and I, as a researcher, as a community organizer, as an ordinary citizen, do our best to build a better Georgia, where every person shares the idea that strength is in solidarity.”

Mikeladze added, “Activists with ethnic minority backgrounds, working tirelessly to build community centres, form self-organized groups, demanding respect for their dignity, rights and citizenship, give us hope. They have also proven their unwavering solidarity towards their fellow citizens regardless of ethnicity or disadvantaged groups faced by injustice, and by doing so, create the invaluable experience of active citizenship and political participation.”

Presenting the award, the Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said, “Civil society organizations persistently advocate for social change and minority rights. They advance public debate and spur governments to action. They fight to make sure that people are not left behind, and that important social issues are not forgotten. By doing all these things, NGOs form an essential bridge between the ideal of human rights, and the political act of making them a lived reality. Therefore, it is often the existence and liveliness of civil society that demonstrates the health and vitality of democracies. This is the immense value of groups like the Social Justice Center, which we honour today.”

Speaking on behalf of the jury, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov explained: “Since its foundation in 2012, the Social Justice Center has been working towards long-term political and socio-economic transformation in Georgia by giving a voice to minority ethnic and religious groups and supporting their interests. It does so with a particular emphasis on youth and women, and through programmes such as the Social Policy Programme, the Equality Policy Programme and the Justice and Democracy Programme. This has resulted in community organizations and campaigns to promote minority rights.”

Abdrakhmanov added: “I think it is important to come together not only to recognise the work of, but also see the value in, working together with entities and individuals that celebrate diversity and inclusion to build cohesive and resilient societies for peace and security of everyone, including national minorities.”

Georgia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands David Solomonia said, “Full-fledged integration of ethnic minorities, supporting cultural diversity, and ensuring a safe and tolerant environment are the main pillars of the government’s policy. In this important journey, we also count on the contribution and engagement of civil society and NGOs, as we have created a vibrant environment and various platforms for this endeavour.”

The Max van der Stoel Award –  a prize of €50,000 – has been organized by the HCNM and sponsored by the Dutch Foreign Ministry every two years since 2003. It is presented to a person, group or institution, in recognition of their extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities across the OSCE countries.

Max van der Stoel was appointed as the first OSCE HCNM in 1992 and served eight and a half years in the post. He was twice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and held seats in both the upper and lower houses of the Dutch Parliament. He served as Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations and was awarded the honorary title of Minister of State by the then Queen Beatrix.

Event material can be found here.

531959 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Forty students from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the International University for Humanities and Development completed an online course on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and its role in the Central Asian region that took place from 21 to 23 November 2022.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the three-day course to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Turkmenistan-OSCE co-operation.

Addressing the students, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, emphasized that “Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality is consistent with the comprehensive approach to security, which is the foundational core of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.”  

“In a near future, many of you will become diplomats and will represent the interests of neutral Turkmenistan in the international arena”, added MacGregor. "It is our firm belief that this course will help you better understand the role of our organization in international relations, during the different historical periods of its existence, and today.”

Ida Manton, an expert and a scholar in the field of negotiations and mediation, who delivered the course, introduced students to the history of the OSCE, its structure, principles of decision-making and commitments across three dimensions of security. Students learnt about the mediation and dialogue facilitation in the OSCE and discussed negotiation life cycle and negotiation styles. Special emphasis was placed on the role of gender equality and relevant OSCE commitments.

“The enthusiasm and curiosity I encountered among the students in Ashgabat tells me that these young people have a great potential to turn into engaged diplomats with problem-solving creativity and effective communication capacity,” said Ida Manton.

“It was a real pleasure to interact with them and to see how much the youth can learn from the OSCE, from its history and the negotiated commitments that were created from Helsinki onwards,” added Manton.

The course also featured a simulation exercise, which enabled future diplomats to practice multilateral negotiation skills.

BUCHAREST, 22 November 2022 – Enhancing efforts to implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda and assessing the situation of Ukrainian women refugees was at the centre of a two-day visit to Romania by Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Gender, Liliana Palihovici, and OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta. 

In Bucharest, they visited  the Support Center, where they met Ukrainian women refuges and held discussion with Cosmina Simiean Nicolescu the General Director of the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Marian Ursan, the President of the Carousel Association that is managing the Support Center.

“This Centre proves once more that through good communication we can enhance the society's receptiveness and solidarity with Ukrainians who fled the country because of the war. I appreciate the partnership of authorities of Bucharest municipality and Carousel Association in providing assistance and doing it with the full respect for human dignity of all 39 women and children that are housed in this Centre,” Special Representative Palihovici said. 

With the aim of sharing best practices in providing support for Ukrainian women refugees, Special Representative Palihovici and Senior Adviser Scarpitta also held meetings with the high-level officials, including the representatives of the Prime Minister Chancellery, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and the Romanian Border Police.

Gender-inclusive peace-making and gender equality were focus of discussion with representatives of the Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the Chamber of Deputies.

“This visit was an important opportunity to discuss the short- and long term strategies to address the needs of Ukrainian refugees, most of which are women, children and people with vulnerabilities. I commend the efforts of the national authorities in Romania to mainstream gender in border management, humanitarian responses and protect the survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings,” OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues Scarpitta said.

”I was impressed by the efforts of civil society to provide safe and dignified spaces for the most vulnerable. The joint work of state institutions and civil society is critical and deserves full support,” she stressed.  

Special Representative Palihovici and Senior Gender Adviser Scarpitta emphasized the significance of keeping gender equality high on the political agenda of OSCE participating States, as well as enhancing capacities, sharing recommendations for further action, and collecting the best practices for increasing women’s political participation.

531887

On 22 November 2022, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted a workshop on regulating virtual assets for more than 30 experts from relevant agencies in Tbilisi, Georgia. The experts discussed the current situation on the national virtual assets market, the money laundering potential of cryptocurrencies, relevant regulations and legislation, and software tools for investigating illicit transactions conducted in cryptocurrencies. The participants also discussed measures to raise awareness on the money laundering risks of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies among the general public.

Recent developments in the area of virtual assets prove the relevance of the project and its activities, especially for the national authorities, lawmakers and other relevant agencies, in particular in Georgia.

“The ability of national authorities to counter the vulnerabilities that virtual assets present for money laundering is crucial, especially as cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular. The OSCE, in partnership with UNODC will provide beneficiaries of the project with practical training on the money laundering and terrorism financing risks of cryptocurrencies, investigation, seizure and confiscation, regulation, and customer due diligence. We will also be assisting Georgian law enforcement agencies in organizing awareness-raising activities and facilitating interagency and international co-operation in investigation of crimes conducted with the use of cryptocurrencies,” said Kurban Babayev, associate anti-corruption officer,  OCEEA.

The event is part of the extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money laundering risks of virtual assets funded by the United States, Germany and Poland.

531857 Kunduz Rysbek

Some 64 representatives of financial investigation units and law enforcement agencies from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as experts from international organizations attended a seminar on “Current Issues in Countering the Financing of Terrorism” held in Bishkek on 11 November.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek organized the seminar in co-operation with the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terrorism Centre, and the International Training and Methodology Centre for Financial Monitoring.

The participants discussed modern methods of collecting and moving money and instruments for terrorist financing purposes. In addition, the experience of countries in identifying persons moving from areas of heightened terrorist activity involved in terrorist financing was presented, and the terrorist financing risks associated with the movement of refugees from Afghanistan was examined.

Notably, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards for dealing with Non-profit Organizations, the experience of EAG member states and other countries in the NPO sector, common shortcomings in implementing the FATF standards and best practices, including conducting a sectoral FATF risk assessment for NPOs were presented and discussed as well.  

The seminar aimed to foster regional co-operation in addressing such a serious challenge to security and exploring potential terrorist financing risks through discussions and exchange of good practices related to countering terrorist financing.

531821 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 21 November 2022, an OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group discussion was organized in Vienna by the Swedish Chair of the Group in co-operation with the Republic of Korea to exchange experiences with the OSCE relating to confidence and security building measures with focus on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

“The Cooperation with Asian partners is highly valuable. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has had a profound impact on security in the OSCE area and beyond. Sharing information and experiences from accountability mechanisms as well as confidence and security building measures is important,” said Ambassador Anna Olsson Vrang, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Cooperation Group during the opening session.

“The OSCE’s experience and opinion, especially with regard to Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBMs) cannot be treated as a silver bullet solution to the problems from outside their zone of application, nevertheless some lessons learned can be useful,” added Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council.

“As far as the CSBMs are concerned, the OSCE experience is both inspiring and grim. On the one hand, they contributed to an unprecedented period of stability in Europe after the Cold War. On the other, when one state – Russia – decided to question the security order based on the respect for the international law, they were unable to stop the military aggression,” he emphasized.

"The Korean government will work with the international community to respond firmly to any further provocation by North Korea, as peace on the Korean Peninsula is an important prerequisite for global peace and protects not only our freedom but also that of the international community. For sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia, and beyond, the denuclearization of North Korea is essential,” said Ambassador Ham Sangwook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the OSCE

“We will continue our unwavering diplomatic efforts to induce North Korea to cease the development of its nuclear program and embark on a genuine and substantive process for denuclearization. Strong and united support from the international community, including the OSCE, is indispensable for the peaceful resolution of North Korea's nuclear issue", he added.

“Confidence and security building measures can never be stronger than the collective will of the signatories, and their readiness to be bound and guided by agreed provisions”, underlined Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

The following thematic discussion focused more in-depth on the topic with panellists including; Ms. Liu Myoung Jin, Director for Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kim Youngjun, Professor at the National Security College, and Dr. Ulrich Kühn, Head of the Research Area Arms Control and Emerging Technologies at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg.

ASTANA, 21 November 2022 – The 20 November early presidential election in Kazakhstan took place in a political environment lacking competitiveness and, while efficiently prepared, the election underlined the need for further reforms to bring related legislation and its implementation in line with OSCE commitments to ensure genuine pluralism, observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement released today.

The incumbent stood as the joint candidate of all parliamentary parties and, in effect, was not meaningfully challenged in a low-key campaign. The ability of citizens to participate fully in political life remains significantly constrained, including by limitations on fundamental freedoms, the observers said.

The election administration provided extensive voter information in the media, but scarce campaign coverage by the media and the virtual absence of analytical reporting, including online, limited voters’ ability to make an informed choice. The Central Election Commission managed the electoral preparations efficiently and provided comprehensive training for lower-level commissions. While procedures were generally followed during voting on election day, important safeguards were often disregarded in the counting and tabulation process, undermining transparency.

“A lack of pluralism played a significant role in undermining competitiveness in this election, and limitations on free speech and a lack of opportunity to conduct peaceful assemblies narrowed the space for critical voices,” said Urszula Gacek, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission. “We encourage the authorities to continue the ongoing reforms, including with respect to election-related laws and their implementation.”

Independent candidates are not allowed to run for president, and the eligibility requirements, including those concerning education, residency and experience in the civil service or elected government office, are at odds with OSCE commitments and other international standards, the statement says.

Freedom of speech and access to information, guaranteed by the Constitution, are limited by the restrictive legal framework and its uneven implementation. Combined with cases of intimidation and attacks against journalists, this results in self-censorship and lack of scrutiny. All television stations monitored respected legal provisions for equal coverage in the news.

The Constitution, the Election Law and other election-related legislation have been revised several times. Of the latest reforms, only the change to a single, seven-year term in office for the president applied to this election, and previous ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed, and the legal framework is not fully consistent with international standards and OSCE commitments for democratic elections. Positively, recent digitalization initiatives in the justice sector have facilitated the procedure of complaint submission and increased the responsiveness of state bodies, and the disputes were transferred from civil to specialized administrative courts.

“With the anticipated parliamentary elections coming soon, there is an opportunity to address the issues identified in today’s statement, including with regard to counting and tabulation procedures to safeguard the transparency and integrity of the vote,” Gacek said.

VIENNA, 18 November 2022 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro payed an official visit to Hungary from 15 to 16 November 2022, during which she met with several government officials including Minister for Culture and Innovation János Csák, State Secretary for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Justice János Bóka, State Secretary for Security Policy and Political Director of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Bunford Zsol, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior Bence Rétvári, State Secretary for International Communications and Relations of  the Prime Minister’s Office Zoltán Kovács, as well as with Chair of the Cultural Committee of the Parliament László Pósán. The Representative also met with President András Koltay of the media regulator State Office of Media and Communications and with Director Dániel Papp of the Media Services and Support Trust Fund. During her visit, she had discussions with several journalists and representatives of civil society.

Ribeiro and her counterparts discussed the criticism by several international organization on media freedom in Hungary, including from the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the European Union. Ribeiro further raised specific concerns over the reported difficulties that independent media face accessing public information, including the fact that requests for public information are not dealt with in a timely manner by the respective authorities. Several government interlocutors mentioned recent legal changes that would shorten the period for responses to request for government information.

The Representative also pointed to shortcomings related to the independence of the public broadcaster, the governance of the media regulating bodies, and the current practice regarding the granting of broadcasting licenses, as well as to the need to increase transparency around the distribution of state advertising funds. Ribeiro also discussed the issue of surveillance (with spyware) of journalists – which has a profoundly chilling effect on journalists and their sources – including the fact that in some cases judicial oversight seems to be lacking.

“Taken together, all these issues result in a situation is not conducive to a vibrant and pluralistic media landscape.  When looking at the media freedom situation in Hungary, a picture arises of a systemic approach in which some voices do not enjoy the same basic conditions to be heard,” Ribeiro said. “I reminded the authorities of the government’s obligation to ensure a truly pluralistic media ecosystem that allows journalists to scrutinise the work of those in power. I expressed the hope that remedial media-freedom-related measures to strengthen media pluralism in the country will be initiated and expressed my willingness to co-operate with them in enhancing the situation.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

531743 Marina Živaljević

Parliament’s oversight role and principles of democratic law making were the topics of a two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in Podgorica on 17 and 18 November.

Around 20 parliamentary committees’ staff discussed principles of democratic law-making, exchanged opinions on the role of civil society, human rights institutions and judiciary in parliamentary oversight. They examined requirements of contemporary law making such as regulatory impact assessment in all its dimensions and gender-assessment of legislation. They also considered the introduction of technology into law making.

Representative of the OSCE Mission, Christine Brandauer, said that strengthening legislative and oversight functions of Parliament is an essential part of the Mission’s work in supporting democratic processes in Montenegro. “Parliamentary staff play a significant role in all stages of the complex process of law making,” said Brandauer.

Through organizing tailored workshops, the Mission responds to the identified needs for improving capacities of the parliamentary staff that provides support to the legislative function of the Parliament. The Mission will continue to support further strengthening of the legislative and oversight roles of parliamentary committees, enhancing the professional capacities of parliamentary staff.

THE HAGUE, 21 November 2022 − OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra will present the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award to the Social Justice Center from Georgia. The award ceremony will take place in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Thursday, 24 November.

The Social Justice Center was selected as the winner for its continued efforts to support and empower vulnerable groups, including national minorities, in Georgia. 

According to the Jury, the Social Justice Center works towards long-term political and socio-economic transformation in Georgia, putting the principles of human rights, equality and solidarity into practice. It gives a voice to minority ethnic and religious groups, and supports their interests, with an emphasis on youth and women. It advances equality, solidarity, participation and democracy at the political, economic and social levels through programmes such as its Social Policy Programme, the Equality Policy Programme and the Justice and Democracy Programme. This has resulted in community organizations and campaigns to promote the interests of national minorities.

The Max van der Stoel Award − a prize of €50,000 − has been organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and sponsored by the Dutch Foreign Ministry every two years since 2003. It is presented to a person, group or institution in recognition of their extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities across the OSCE region.

Event material can be found here.

Social Justice Center Equality Policy Programme Director Tamta Mikeladze, Social Justice Center Researcher Kamran Mammadli, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra, and Ambassador of Georgia to the Netherlands David Solomonia will address the event.

The full event programme is available here.

The event is by invitation only. Media representatives who wish to attend the in-person event at the Peace Palace in The Hague on 24 November 2022 starting at 15:30 should send their name, contact details and the name of the media organization they represent to Michelle Pirotta, michelle.pirotta@osce.org, before 15:30 on 23 November.

It will also be possible to follow the ceremony livestream, here:

Follow the discussion on Twitter #MvdSAward.

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 18 November, a four-day course aimed at further strengthening national capacity to counter the financing of terrorism concluded in Gevgelija, North Macedonia. The course was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department, with the support of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

Twenty-seven officials, including twelve women, actively participated in the course. They represented eight national agencies involved in countering terrorist financing, including the Republic of North Macedonia’s Ministries of Internal Affairs and Defense, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption, the Customs Administration, Financial Police, Intelligence Agency, Financial Intelligence Office, and the Agency for National Security.

The participants learned to assess and disrupt terrorism by examining the “business model” of related groups. A team of local trainers presented techniques such as functional and vulnerabilities analysis, and auditing. By applying these on a localized scenario, inter-agency teams considered which financial disruption option would achieve maximum impact.

Organized with the financial support of the United States, the course is part of a comprehensive multi-annual training programme on countering the financing of terrorism, jointly implemented by the OSCE and UNODC in North Macedonia since 2021.

The programme is designed to support North Macedonia in building its counter terrorist financing framework and in complying with international commitments and standards, in particular UN Security Council Resolution 2462 (2019), and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.

ASTANA, 18 November 2022 – The election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference to present their preliminary conclusions following the early presidential election in Kazakhstan on Monday, 21 November.

What:

• A press conference of the ODIHR election observation mission for the early presidential election in Kazakhstan
• The press conference can be attended in person or via Zoom (details below)
• You can also follow the livestream on www.facebook.com/osce.odihr

Who:

• Urszula Gacek, Head of the election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

When:

• 15:00 local time  (GMT +6) on 21 November 2022

Where:

• Saryaka III, ground floor, Radisson Hotel Astana, Saryarka Ave. 4, Astana

Registration:

• No registration is necessary if you are attending the press conference in person, but questions will only be taken from journalists

To take part via Zoom, please register with Thomas Rymer, ODIHR limited election observation mission press adviser, thomas.rymer@odihr.kz, and mission media analyst Ružica Jovanović, ruzica.jovanovic@odihr.kz, by 11:00 local time on 21 November.

Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje https://www.osce.org/mission-to-skopje/531194

To help address issues of gender inequality in the justice system, the OSCE Mission to Skopje recently published a baseline study on Gender and Diversity in the Judiciary.

“Only a transparent and inclusive judiciary can enjoy the trust and support of the citizens, which will enable it to perform fully its function of safeguarding justice and human rights. The judicial system should reflect the community it serves, including women, minorities and persons with disabilities,” said Deputy Head of Mission, Jeffrey Goldstein at today’s event to promote the study.

“The participation and equal representation of women in the judiciary increases the quality of judicial work, the reasoning of judicial decisions, the protection of women’s human rights, and better justice sector outcomes for all.”

Speaking at the event, the President of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia, Pavlina Crvenkovska, said: “The Judicial Council aims to promote gender equality during new employments in the judiciary, particularly focusing on ethnic communities. At the same time, we must ensure realization of human rights for all citizens, who are part of court proceedings in order to eliminate discriminatory practices.”    

The Mission has long been involved in the fields of gender, non-discrimination, and judicial reform. It contributed to setting up North Macedonia’s legislative and institutional infrastructure in this area, and assisted the government to draft the Law for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men.

531698 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 16 to 18 November, over 55 experts from Central Asia and Mongolia gathered in Tashkent to discuss how to better protect vulnerable targets, such as critical infrastructure and soft targets, from terrorist attacks. The event was an opportunity to enhance the preparedness of participating States and provide a platform for dialogue on cross-border infrastructure protection.

The workshop was organised by the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit of the Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) and INTERPOL. It also included contributions from all OSCE field operations in Central Asia and the participation of a delegation from Mongolia.

“This workshop reflects the OSCE’s unique strengths in convening multi-level partners, offering a space for experts to share their experience and good practices, and advancing our common anti-terrorism priorities in a human rights-compliant manner,” said Hans-Ullrich Ihm, Acting Head of Mission for the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

Event participants contributed to important discussions related to national approaches from across the OSCE area, international legal framework for vulnerable targets protection, public-private partnerships, the role of civil security and the public, and the importance of human-rights complaint approaches to countering terrorist attacks of this nature.

“States are right to take action to protect vulnerable targets from terrorist attacks – indeed, their obligation to do so is grounded in international human rights law, including obligations with respect to the right to life. Any such action – whether preventative or responsive – must itself be consistent with international human rights law, and gender sensitive,” explained the Mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

Representing the global policing community, INTERPOL noted, “Law enforcement plays a crucial role in the identification of threats, physical protection, response, investigation, and long-term resilience to terrorist attacks against vulnerable targets. Together, let us continue to foster our collaborative efforts to address current and future terrorist threats.”

The workshop follows a similar event for South East European participating States in 2019 and an “OSCE-wide Expert Seminar on Promoting Resilience of “Soft” Targets against Terrorist Attacks through Public-Private Partnerships” that was held in December 2019. Additional engagements by OSCE field operations include the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat’s Regional Online Training Workshop on Countering Terrorism with a focus on protecting critical infrastructure in June 2022.

531725 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department launched an E-learning Course on the ‘Fundamentals of Preventing Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (VERLT)’ on 22 November 2022.

The self-paced e-learning course targets people with leadership potential, who are well connected in their communities, actively contribute to positive change, and are motivated to make an impact against violent extremism. It strengthens participants’ skills and knowledge in human rights-based prevention efforts so they can further contribute to building the resilience of local communities.

The course is based on the ‘Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE)’ capacity-building initiative, which draws both from the OSCE Ministerial Council Declaration 4/15 and the elements of the United Nations Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.  The LIVE initiative highlights that inclusion of civil society is imperative to effectively address all aspects of violent extremism and it aims at building related capacity to voluntarily, safely and efficiently speak up and take action against VERLT.

The course is currently available in English, with a Russian language version upcoming. Itis divided into four sessions: Understanding violent extremism; Addressing violent extremism; Media and Information literacy, and; Human rights in the context of counter-terrorism and addressing violent extremism.

This resource can be accessed free of charge on the OSCE E-learning platform.

The course was developed under an extra-budgetary programme funded by Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and the United States of America.

531689 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 14 to 18 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, organized a course on handling digital evidence by first responders at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Today, digital evidence is important in investigating any type of crime. However, unlike physical evidence, data is very volatile and can be easily hampered, changed or deleted. Therefore, it is increasingly important that every police officer has at least basic understanding about handling digital evidence,” stressed Alexander Eliseev, Head of Politico-Military Department at the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, during the course’s opening.

Around 20 representatives from the operational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as well as the Academy’s staff took part in the training. The participants learned how to identify, seize and secure potential sources of digital evidence at a crime scene, to use open-source forensic tools for first responders, and to conduct basic live data forensics and deal with volatile data. They were also introduced to basics of computer networking as well as online open-source investigations and anonymity on the Internet. Two expert trainers from Estonia and Moldova delivered the course.

“This week’s training is another manifestation of the excellent and long-term partnership that our Academy enjoys with the OSCE. We are pleased to host this course in a new computer classroom donated by the OSCE last year,” said Tariel Abitov, the Head of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

This training was delivered within the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany, and the Republic of Korea.