Central Europe

559803 Andrii Dziubenko Donors to the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine

Ukrainian journalists, editors, media managers, communication experts from governmental and public sectors spent four days in a Carpathian resort to withdraw from day-to-day work hassle and war-related trials in order to take a critical look at the state of affairs in country’s media sphere at a seminar organized by Aspen Institute Kyiv and the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU). The event "Media and Reality: Dimensions of Responsibility," that took place in Polyana, Zakarpathia oblast on 29 November – 3 December 2023, involved 24 media community leaders selected through an open call for applications.

Aspen methodology organizes the process of dialogue around the reading of classical works in philosophy, political science and communications, thus enabling the participants to look at their professional life and problems through the lens of values and moral dilemmas raised by modern and past thinkers. So, the discussions about the notions of freedom and democracy were closely intertwined with participants’ sharing of own experiences and challenges, also related to the ongoing war.

“I recognise and salute the unwavering courage of Ukrainian journalists, media workers and all other media professionals. Their efforts to maintain a flow of journalistic information are the foundation upon which transparency and accountability are built, and which sustain the social fabric in times of adversity,” said Teresa Ribeiro, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media, at a pre-recorded video address to the participants of the seminar.

“You are all high-level professionals who have so much experience, it is not up to us to give you advice on how to do your job, but we are glad to have provided to you a space and time for reflection on what you do and how do it. It is important, because in times of war, more than ever, people need accurate and balanced reporting about what is happening,” - said Pierre Baussand, OSCE Support Programme Manager, at the event.

The seminar enabled participants to network and exchange ideas on media freedom, impact of war and propaganda on journalistic community, effects of media on sustaining international support for Ukraine, as well as media ethics and self-regulation tools.     

“From the governmental perspective, in a democracy it is always better if journalists themselves set the plank of standards and keep it high, so that no other regulations are needed in the name of public interest. Such meetings as this are a good tool for media community to slow down, cast a critical look at yourself and your work, assess it through the prism of values of your profession, and in the end you have a chance to lead by your own example other members of journalists’ community to more ethical and quality reporting of current affairs,” said Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, who joined the event’s discussions.

This effort is part of the project the SPU implements on request of Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Information Policy and non-governmental Commission on Journalistic Ethics to promote self-regulation among media and enhance media-literacy of the audience. This work is being done with contributions from OSCE participating States and partners, full list of which is available here.

559698 Chyngyz Zhanybekov Aida Almazbekova

Bishkek, 21 November 2023 - The Anti-Terrorism Centre of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (ATC SCNS KR), in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, organized a roundtable on implementing the Programme of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on countering extremism and terrorism for 2023-2027 and its Action Plan. The event brought together high-level representatives of the Kyrgyz government.

The participants discussed the outcomes of the 2017-2022 Programme for countering extremism and terrorism and were introduced to the objectives of the new 2023-2027 Programme, along with its Action Plan. The focus was on implementation mechanisms, anticipated results, collaboration among implementing agencies, and matters related to monitoring and evaluation.

Both the Programme and the Action Plan aim to effectively implement the national policy on countering terrorism, and violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism by enhancing co-operation and co-ordination mechanisms among state and non-state institutions.

“In recent years, extremism and terrorism have emerged as predominant threats to every country worldwide. Therefore, in the fight against such threats, all government agencies need to work coherently, decisively, continuously, and proactively, with the active involvement of representatives of civil society,” noted Aibek Shamenov, Director of the ATC SCNS.

“Substantial milestones have been achieved at every stage, from evaluating the previous Programme to developing and approving the current Programme and the Action Plan. These efforts once again demonstrate Kyrgyz Republic’s commitment to fulfilling its international obligations in the fight against terrorism and ensuring the safety of its citizens,” shared Ambassador Alexey Rogov, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek strengthens the security of the Kyrgyz Republic by actively supporting state institutions, including the development of strategic documents such as the Programme of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on countering extremism and terrorism for 2023-2027 and its Action Plan.

SKOPJE, 1 December 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, announced the selection of Malta for the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship and the extension of senior officials at the closing of the 30th Ministerial Council in Skopje today.

Chairman Osmani welcomed the participating States’ adoption, by consensus, of decisions on the selection of Malta as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for 2024, the extension of OSCE Secretary General Schmid, Representative on Freedom of the Media Ribeiro and High Commissioner on National Minorities Abdrakhmanov, and the appointment of Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Mecacci, until 3 September 2024.

“Our ability to come together now and forge consensus among all 57 participating States reveals, once more, the importance and efficacy of building agreement through negotiation and compromise on behalf of our common goals and objectives. Despite our differences and disagreements, we have shown the strategic vision required to continue our constructive efforts toward implementing and applying the OSCE’s competitive advantages through the work of its executive structures to the benefit of all our people,” said Osmani.

Discussions also focused on addressing the security challenges caused by the ongoing war against Ukraine.

“As I stated on many occasions in the past, the OSCE can do a lot during war, but it can do even more to prevent conflicts and mitigate the fallout of armed conflict. For these reasons, we need this Organization to foster multilateralism and facilitate cooperation, so people can live freely and enjoy normal lives,” said the Chairman. “Let us answer this call together, because it comes not from me as Chairman-in-Office, but from the people of the OSCE region – the people and citizens of our countries,” concluded Osmani.

Throughout the Ministerial Council, Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid emphasized the impact and relevance of the OSCE’s work across the region.

“Over the past three years I have seen how very much this organization has to offer. All that we do – whether working to tackle corruption and organized crime or monitoring elections, enhancing the safety of women journalists or training border guards on human rights standards – is in support of people across our region and beyond. The OSCE has been and remains a quietly powerful force for change,” said Secretary General Schmid. “In the current circumstances, finding common ground on any topic is a challenge. The decisions made by participating States here in Skopje will enable this work by and for the people of the OSCE region to continue to support stability, security, and human rights.”

Malta will begin its term as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on 1 January 2024. In his remarks, the Maltese Minister of Foreign Affairs and upcoming Chairperson-in-Office, Ian Borg, emphasized the country’s willingness to assume the mantle of leadership.

“The unanimous vote by all 57 countries is a testament to our joint commitment to continue strengthening our organization and, despite all the challenges we are currently facing, ensure that this organization remains robust. The OSCE was created upon shared principles and values. It is an inclusive platform for effective dialogue and we will make sure to keep strengthening it,” said Minister Borg.

559644 Therese Abrahamsen Edita Buçaj

Between 5 October and 30 November 2023, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, in co-operation with Kosovo Police, trained a total of 142 police officers from different communities on individual needs assessment for victims of hate crimes.

The training followed a specialized practical training of trainers’ course delivered to 12 police officers in May 2023, in co-operation with the Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (ODIHR), on individual needs assessment techniques, solely focusing on victims of hate crime cases. As a result, the group of newly trained officers, with the assistance of the OSCE Mission staff, cascaded the training to all eight police regions Kosovo-wide, targeting police officers entrusted with handling hate crime cases alongside their other operational duties.

Anita Pasha, OSCE Mission in Kosovo Programme Officer, emphasized the distinct nature of hate crimes and their significant impact on victims. She highlighted the importance of law enforcement officers being equipped with the skills to understand and address the unique needs of victims of bias-motivated crimes.

Trainers elaborated on the concept of hate crimes, legal framework and special techniques of individual needs assessment in hate crime cases, as well as on the sensitive and respectful treatment of victims to avoid secondary victimization. Participants were also introduced to essential elements of assessment process and discussed the practical application of a questionnaire stemming from the OSCE Model Guidance on Individual Needs Assessments of Hate Crime Victims, focusing on the types of information that can be collected by the law enforcement officers on victims’ needs. In addition, through case scenarios employed during the training, they discussed relevant bias indicators and map service providers for the victims of hate crimes.

Dzenita Ujkanović from Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North said that the knowledge she gained during the training would help her to better assess and properly identify specific needs of victims of hate crimes, while Avdyl Krasniqi from Rahovec/Orahovac police station stated that the training had furthered his skills, specifically in identifying evidence related to bias motivated crimes at crime scenes.

For Lulëzim Borovci, one of Kosovo Police trainers, these eight training sessions had been a great experience for him as a trainer, and an opportunity to also receive a lot of information from police officers on their real experiences while working on hate crime cases and with victims of such crimes.   

The OSCE Mission remains committed to supporting Kosovo Police in furthering their capacities to safeguard and ensure that victims of hate crimes receive respectful treatment throughout police procedures.

559485 Željka Šulc

TUZLA, 1 December 2023 - The OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in co-operation with the Center against Trafficking in Works of Art (CPKU), hosted the exhibition “Missing Works of Art”, which was followed by a panel discussion on combatting illicit trafficking in cultural property in BiH.

The exhibition was an opportunity for the public to view reproductions of missing artworks from galleries, museums and private collections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The exhibition also presented information on the destruction and theft at archaeological sites, confiscations, illegal sale of artifacts through social networks, use of metal detectors for illegal research and robberies, as well as on the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Red List of potentially endangered cultural heritage of Southeast Europe.

“The exhibition shall serve as a touching reminder that the fight against the illegal trafficking of art is not just a battle for the preservation of cultural artifacts; it is a battle for justice, a battle for the soul of collective heritage. So, let us all be inspired by works of art showcased here today, which have, time and again, triumphed over adversity and let us pledge to ensure that these missing pieces are not forgotten but become catalysts for change.” said Szabolcs Tuncsik, Senior Police Advisor at the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Exhibition’s opening.

After the exhibition, representatives of law enforcement agencies, ministries of culture, justice, representatives of the academic community, experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations discussed illegal art trade in BiH and abroad during a panel discussion. This resulted in the proposal of initiatives and conclusions aimed to address illegal trade in cultural goods organized crime and terrorism, as well as crimes that are financed from illegal art trade.

"For us, raising public awareness is an extremely important segment of activity. This exhibition is largely conceived as an educational one, with vast amount of information on the issue," said Dženan Jusufović, President of the Center against Trafficking in Works of Art. “There are three segments when it comes to the fight against theft and smuggling of cultural goods: research, repression and sensibility. In order to improve the situation in the country, it is important to continue raising public awareness and training professional staff, as this is the only way to protect cultural assets and prevent criminal groups from threatening security in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, he added. 

This exhibition and panel discussion were organized on the occasion of the International Day of Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property, first adopted by UNESCO in 2019 to commemorate the signing of the 1970 Paris Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, as the major international legal instrument for combating illicit trafficking of cultural property.

559443 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

During the 16 Days of Activism campaign, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Justice and Interior Ministries delivered a training course helping police officers and prosecutors from several Serbian municipalities effectively respond to cases of violence against women and girls while maintaining a victim-centred approach.

“Being a victim of gender-based violence presents specific challenges. For instance, when you report an incidence of domestic violence to the police, you may be filing a claim against a person that you have lived with for many years, a person that you may be financially dependent on, a person you have children with. It is not easy to go to the authorities and ask them to arrest this person,” said Bjorn Tore Saltvik, project manager and OSCE Adviser on Police Development and Reform.“Joint training courses offer a valuable opportunity for both police officers and prosecutors to comprehend the importance of a victim-centered approach when dealing with gender-based violence cases,” said Miroslav Rakić, national trainer and Chief Prosecutor at the Basic Public Prosecution Office in Ruma.

The course – held from 27 November to 1 December in Vrnjačka Banja – was delivered by national police officers and prosecutors who had previously benefited from OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s train-the-trainers course in Warsaw, conducted in August 2022, as well as by other OSCE experts.

This training is the fifth in a series of OSCE training courses on gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls, after the courses delivered in Albania, North Macedonia,  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. They are organized in the framework of the OSCE project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe,  funded by Germany, Norway, Finland, Austria, France and Italy.

The project contributes to the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

559398 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The last in a series of OSCE-supported three-day seminars on ethics and psychology of family relations, which focused on gender roles, gender relations and domestic violence, concluded on 1 December 2023.

Whereas the first seminar took place in October and targeted youth representatives, the second one was held in early November and brought together representatives of general public and the concluding event was attended by representatives of government bodies.

The series of seminars aimed to increase the participants' awareness in the field of preventing and combating domestic violence, as well as discuss practical cases, referral mechanisms available to potential victims and exchange practices.

Trainers from the public organization “Keyik Okara” exposed participants to the ongoing changes in gender roles and gender relations in society and presented the concepts of violence and gender-based violence, its forms, types and causes.

“Gender-based violence is a serious obstacle to progress towards equality, development and peace, as well as ensuring the rights of women and girls,” said Rune Castberg, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“It has become a good practice to hold such seminars for different audiences, including representatives of youth, female community and law-enforcement bodies, and it is symbolic that the concluding seminar took place during 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.”

The seminars addressed specific characteristics of domestic violence and its consequences for victims, members of their families and society. As part of practical exercises, participants conducted a gender analysis of cases of domestic violence and engaged in lively discussions on the factors contributing to the persistence of domestic violence in modern society.

The events also discussed legislative aspects of countering domestic violence and existing mechanisms for the protection of women's rights.

559386 Communication and Media Relations Section Boni Cvetanovska 30th OSCE Ministerial Council

On 1 December, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani and 45 OSCE participating States issued a joint statement at a Ministerial Council (MC) side event with OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro on the safety of women journalists.

"Recognizing the essential role of media freedom, pluralism, and the diversity of voices in enabling and sustaining democracy and comprehensive security, it is imperative that States intensify their efforts to safeguard the rights and safety of journalists. With nearly three-quarters of women journalists experiencing online violence in their work, increased collaborative efforts are urgently needed to address the safety of women journalists, both online and offline,” the statement reads.

"Progress can only be achieved through inclusivity. Throughout our Chairpersonship, we reinforced this message by mainstreaming gender equality in all our activities and in particular during our Conference on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Tetovo in September,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office Osmani. "The precise purpose of today’s side-event, which we are organizing with RFoM’s support, is to spotlight this important topic which is increasingly prevalent and thus requires closer attention and joint action,” he added.

“Let us never forget that the safety of women journalists is not only a matter of individual well-being, but one of collective concern and of a collective responsibility. When they are targeted, it is not just an attack on them as individuals but on the very essence of media freedom and our democracy. Together, we stand united in our attempt to ensure that every voice is heard and respected in the pursuit of peace and security across the OSCE region,” said the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro.

With this joint statement, participating States reinforce their pledge to condemn acts of online violence against women journalists as one of the gravest modern threats to both their safety and the freedom of the media. Their goal is to comprehensively enhance journalists' safety by allocating the necessary human and financial resources to combat online violence targeting women in the field of journalism. The joint statement emphasizes the need for enhanced state collection, analysis, and reporting, and calls for strengthened mutual co-operation to foster an inclusive, gender-responsive, and whole-of-society approach.

The Chairman-in-Office and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media call on all participating States to increase efforts to champion both media freedom and gender equality across the OSCE region.

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.

559353 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Over forty young and future diplomats participated in OSCE-organized workshops on effective negotiation that took place from 29 November to 1 December 2023 in Ashgabat.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the workshops to promote OSCE best practices and mechanisms in conflict prevention and early warning among young and future diplomats in Turkmenistan and equip them with knowledge and skills necessary to maintain effective negotiation and advance their diplomacy proficiency.

“These training courses have become a hallmark of excellence, having been conducted successfully for several years running,” said William Leaf, Political Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“In a world that is increasingly interconnected, the ability to negotiate effectively is paramount, and this training course aims to equip the participants with the tools necessary to navigate the complexities of international diplomacy,” added Leaf.

Dr. Sami Faltas from the Netherlands introduced participants to diplomatic negotiation and facilitated discussions on the qualities of a professional negotiator. Special attention was paid to multilateral negotiations, their types and instruments. Participants also practiced diplomacy and negotiation skills and took part in simulation exercise on multilateral negotiation.

“The knowledge and expertise gained through this training will enable the young and future diplomats to contribute more effectively to the efforts of neutral Turkmenistan in strengthening regional security,” stressed William Leaf.

The workshop for young diplomats brought together 14 officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the workshop for future diplomats brought together 27 senior students majoring international relations and law at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and International University for Humanity and Development.

559239 Marina Živaljević

On 27 and 28 November, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, together with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, gathered 19 young athletes – nine boys and ten girls from eight sports disciplines at the workshop on engaging youth in countering violent extremism and radicalization.

Opening the workshop, Bernd Burwitz, Mission’s Democratization Programme Manager, emphasized that the OSCE strongly believes that every young person can make a change. “As successful athletes and leaders in your disciplines, you meet youth from different backgrounds and create strong connections through sports, focusing on similarities. This experience makes you role models and gives you an opportunity to gather peers around topics besides sports, such as tolerance and mutual understanding, and that is why we recognized you as a target group for this workshop,” said Burwitz.

Martin Lulgjuraj, Director of the Directorate for Youth in the Ministry of Sports and Youth, pointed out that violent extremism needs to be fought on local, national and regional level, and that prevention is a key solution to this problem. “Cooperation among young athletes in Montenegro is crucial in this regard, as their power to influence peers can foster diversity and prevent violent behaviors,” said Lulgjuraj. 

During the second day of the workshop, participants developed small projects on how to recognize and address radicalism and violent extremism that leads to terrorism within their communities and recommended the need for counselling and to develop strategies to engage youth in sports, using schools as platforms to share new approaches, and organizing exchanges between youth in Montenegro in order to tackle stereotypes, intolerance and inequality.

One of the participants, Rajmond Gjonaj, an athlete from the Students Sports Association, stated that the workshop has helped him understand the difference between radicalism, violent extremism and terrorism and plans to use this information to recognize factors in his community that may contribute to more radicalized attitudes that can grow into the violent extremism.

559236 Participants of the 11th Working Group Meeting on Environmental Protection under the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Chu-Talas Water Commission discuss work plan for 2024, Almaty, 21 November, 2023 For Media inquires

The 11th Working Group Meeting on Environmental Protection under the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Chu-Talas Water Commission (the Commission) took place on 21 November 2023 in Almaty city. The meeting was supported and co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana (POiA) and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB), in close co-operation with the Commission. The Commission has been conducting relevant work with support of the OSCE since 2006.

The meeting gathered 34 officials and water specialists from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to discuss a wide-range of topics, such as presenting results of hydrometeorological monitoring at agreed gauging stations in 2022, exchanging results of laboratory water quality assessments made in 2023, and seasonal co-ordinated water sampling in 2024.

Participants also had an opportunity to discuss a desk study of the impacts of climate change on transboundary river basins of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (for the Asmara/Aspara and Kurkuroo/Kurkureusu). Following the revision of the Water Code in Kazakhstan and important role of basin councils therein, a number of recommendations were presented on how small basin councils can contribute to improving transboundary co-operation. 

In early November, the POiA and POiB assisted the Commission in conducting a visit to the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir for completion of technical inspections of a set of cone valves, the working outlet tunnel of the dam, and the state of bank protection in its lower pool. This work and results were also presented at the 11th Working Group Meeting.

In conclusion to the Working Group Meeting, the Commission adopted a work plan for 2024, encompassing mutually agreed-upon seasonal water sampling and topics for the next (12th) Working Group Meeting to be held in Bishkek in 2024.

The work of the Commission has been supported by the POiA, in co-operation with the POiB, as a multi-year effort to raise awareness and enhance capacities of relevant state institutions in the area of water governance, transboundary dialogue on managing water resources, and strengthen confidence-building amongst neighbouring OSCE participating States.

As an example of its support – the POiA also provided support to the Commission through the development of a publication entitled “Needs assessment for the conservation of globally important wetlands in the Chu river basin (within Kazakhstan’s territory)”, describing the current state of ecosystems and biodiversity in the lower Chu river (Kazakhstan), as well as providing data on climate, flora and vegetation, hydrology, ichthyofauna, and fauna of terrestrial vertebrates, including birds, covering the last 30 years. The publication is available here (in Russian language): https://www.osce.org/programme-office-in-astana/548299

559224 Communication and Media Relations Section Boni Cvetanovska Little Green Book on Climate Change 30th OSCE Ministerial Council

The 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia hosted a side event on “Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Human Security in the OSCE Area” during the 30th Ministerial Council taking place in Skopje.

Addressing the impact of climate change has been a key priority of the Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, as demonstrated by the appointment of the first Special Representative on Climate Change, Naser Nuredini, by Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani. The side event was particularly valuable as a follow up to the comprehensive discussions held during all major second dimension events, as well as to discussions that took place during the High-Level Conference on Climate Change organized by the OSCE Secretary General in Vienna.

“All our countries are facing different challenges arising from extreme weather events, environmental degradation and overall rising temperatures. This demands a sound and comprehensive policy response. Ensuring the security and well-being of our citizens for generations to come must be our top priority. We must act now, not later, as we are running out of time,” said Osmani in his opening address. “I am confident of the OSCE’s value as a platform to foster exactly this exchange between officials from participating States aiming to find overarching and collaborative solutions to tackle common threats head-on,” he added. 

The event was attended by Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Climate Change Naser Nuredini, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Sodiq Imomi and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Aibek Moldogaziev.

At the end of the event, the “Little Green Book on Climate Change” was presented and handed out to participants and delegations.

558900

On November 30, 2023, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted a conference titled "Participation of citizens in decision-making at the local level in BiH: Towards a meaningful partnership”.

The conference’s goal was to provide a forum for representatives from municipal and cantonal authorities, NGOs, the media, and international organizations in BiH to discuss the practice of citizen participation in decision-making at the local level, identify facilitating and inhibiting factors, and suggest next steps.

Mathieu Lemoine, Chief of Policy and Planning Unit of the OSCE Mission to BiH, emphasized: "The importance of citizens’ participation in decision-making cannot be overstated. It is a crucial feature of democracy and good governance. Unfortunately, democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been suffering from a participation deficit for decades. This is especially true when it comes to democracy on the local level, as we find that the existing mechanisms for citizen participation have been both underused and ineffective.”

The participants had the chance to analyse existing mechanisms, including their strengths and weaknesses, as well as to outline lessons learned and best practices in the country and the region.

Bryony Rudkin, Chair of the Current Affairs Committee, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities said: “Our shared vision for inclusive, human-rights based local democracy requires ongoing efforts to amplify everyone’s voices, particularly of those unheard, continuous engagement with citizens in all stages of policymaking, and embracing innovative approaches in doing so.”

The President of the Centre for Environment Tihomir Dakić stressed: “When one exhausts all the options for public participation, starting from obtaining information, through the provision of proposals and suggestions, it then becomes necessary to raise awareness and inform the public about the need to also exercise the right to access to justice, in case of a violation of the right to public participation. Exactly as it was envisaged in the Aarhus Convention. We make choices every day, and not every four years."

This conference was a part of the OSCE Mission to BiH’s larger efforts to support endeavors and initiatives that aim to strengthen and facilitate citizen participation in decision-making processes across all levels of governance, ultimately reinforcing and promoting this fundamental democratic principle.

SKOPJE, 29 November 2023 — Putting a stop to the war against Ukraine and strengthening civil society across the OSCE were at the heart of recommendations put forward by civil society representatives from across the OSCE region. The recommendations were handed over at the annual OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference held in Skopje today.

The Civil Society Conference brought together more than 120 civil society representatives from across the OSCE region to discuss common recommendations from civil society to the OSCE leadership. One of the major outcomes of this year’s conference was the Skopje Declaration. The Declaration emphasised the need to end the war against Ukraine, strengthen civil society and hold participating States accountable for their human dimension commitments.

The Declaration was presented to the OSCE’s leadership, as well as to the organization’s 57 participating States on the eve of the 30th OSCE Ministerial Council.

“I am convinced that there is a clear and positive correlation between a strong, diverse and vibrant civil society on the one hand, and on the other the strength of democratic institutions, the rule of law and tolerant and inclusive communities,” emphasized the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.  

The Conference was also attended by OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, by Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM).

The Parallel Civil Society Conference is organized by the Civic Solidarity Platform. The Conference has taken place every year on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council since 2010, with the support of the OSCE Chairpersonship.

558750 Marina Živaljević

Digital and media literacy, gender equality and human rights of persons with disabilities were the main topics of the seminar “Informed, motivated and active youth”, organized in Budva from 22 to 24 November by the NGO Centre for Youth Education, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, for 20 young people aged 18 to 30 from across Montenegro.

Marija Đukanović, a participant, found the seminar was an opportunity to gain new insights into media literacy, gender equality and hate speech, and make new professional connections. “The information about legal regulations, but also statistical data in these fields, will help improve my and the work of my colleagues, with whom I will certainly share the knowledge I’ve gained. Of particular importance to me was the engaging discussion encouraged by the lecturers,” said Marija.

Opening the event, Dominique Waag, Head of OSCE Mission, said that the OSCE has adopted a number of commitments, explicitly recognizing the importance of the role of youth. She introduced the participants with the Mission’s activities and its work for the benefits of youth, who, as she said, are active citizens, committed to building a better country.

In thanking for the Mission’s continuous support, Jugoslav Radović, executive director of the NGO Centre for Youth Education, said that the fact that there were more than 170 applications for the seminar shows that these activities are necessary. “Together with our colleagues from the Ministry of Sports and Youth, we will continue to strive to create a way to represent the interests of young people,” said Radović.

Snežana Ivanović, from the Ministry of Sports and Youth noted that the youth Strategy 2023-2027 is adopted and includes an inter-ministerial coordinating body for youth policy. She also announced that a national youth council is in process of being formed and will serve as an expert and advisory body to monitor and make recommendations to improve youth policy.

The Mission will continue to support youth organizations and services in Montenegro, strengthening their capacities for successful work.

558648

On November 24, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), together with the Ombudsperson for Children and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan convened the round table on “Preventing the involvement of children and youth in criminal activities on Internet” in Tashkent. 

The overall goal of the round table was to support the work of the Government of Uzbekistan and strengthen national capacity to promote effective crime prevention practices through social inclusion and promoting legal literacy, gender sensitivity and the rights of children and youth.

Thirty-four participants (22 women and 12 men), including representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Internal affairs, Ministry of pre-school and school education, Law Enforcement Academy, discussed mechanisms for protecting the rights and interests of minors. 

In addition, participants discussed the OSCE PCUzmethodological recommendations to further strengthen the national system for preventing the involvement of childrenand adolescents in cybercrimes and shared their experiences of public-private partnership in preventing crime among children and youth. 

This roundtable was organised within the framework of the PCUz UB project “Promoting Rule of Law, Human Rights and Media Freedom”.

558630 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

As part of ongoing efforts by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to strengthen democratic institutions and respect for human rights in the OSCE region, ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci visited Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia on 7-17 November 2023.

This began with a visit to Turkmenistan on 7-10 November, the first by an ODIHR Director since 2010, which aimed to enhance support to the country in implementing its commitments to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

Meetings in Ashgabat focused on increasing cooperation both with the Turkmen authorities and civil society. Director Mecacci held discussions with Foreign Minister Meredov, Speaker Gulmanova, and Ombuds Gurbannazarova, as well as civil society representatives, which centred on support ODIHR can offer in the areas of elections, legislative support and human rights. He also met Justice Minister Taganov, Supreme Court Chair Hojamgulyyev and the Institute of Law and Democracy, with whom he discussed issues related to the rule of law, fair trials and democratic participation, including possible reforms, and means to develop cooperation with ODIHR in the future.

Director Mecacci’s visit to Uzbekistan took place on November 13-14, and aimed to further advance ODIHR’s collaboration with the authorities and civil society in Uzbekistan to improve implementation of the country’s commitments to democracy and human rights.

In Nukus, the Director met the Chairman of the Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karapakalstan Tleubaevich, the Prosecutor General, and civil society representatives, with whom he discussed issues connected to the events of July 2022. In Tashkent, the Director met Foreign Minister Saidov, Justice Minister Tashkulov, Ombuds Eshmatova, First Deputy Speaker of the Oliy Majlis Prof. Saidov, members of parliament, representatives of the National Center for Human Rights, Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Abdulkhakov, Deputy Prosecutor General Svetlana Artikova, and Deputy Chairperson of the Supreme Court Muslimov. Meetings with civil society representatives were also an important part of the visit.

The meetings highlighted new areas of engagement with ODIHR, aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and increasing the protection of human rights, including freedom of assembly, prevention of torture and supporting human rights defenders. The issues connected to the events of July 2022 were also discussed in Tashkent, and ODIHR will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Director Mecacci’s final visit in the region was to Mongolia on November 15-17. The main purpose of his discussions was to enhance the existing collaboration with Mongolia and identify new possible areas in which ODIHR can support the country in implementing its commitments to democracy and human rights.

In UlaanBaatar, the Director discussed rule of law, judicial reform, the promotion of human rights and implementation of OSCE electoral commitments with Justice Minister Battumur, National Human Rights Commissioner Jargalsaikhan, Head of the Mongolian Delegation to OSCE PA Damdin, Judge Dashdorj, Head of the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Mongolia, and General Elections Commission Chairman Purev as well as civil society representatives.

SKOPJE/VIENNA, 24 November 2023 - The 30th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place on 30 November and 1 December 2023 in Skopje, North Macedonia.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers and senior officials of the 57 OSCE participating States will be held at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event, which will be held at the Sport Center Boris Trajkovski, North Macedonia.

Accreditation for media representatives is open

The deadline for registration is 6 p.m., 26 November 2023 and late accreditations will not be accepted.

Media opportunities

The following media opportunities will be open for journalists accredited to the Ministerial Council. More media opportunities will become available in the days leading up and during the Ministerial Council and will be communicated to accredited journalists.

Thursday, 30 November 2023

• 08:30–09:30:  – Arrival of Heads of Delegations at the Sport Centre and doorstep opportunity
• 10:00–10:20:  – Opening Plenary Session, Opening Remarks – pool attendance only
• 15:00–15:30: – Side event: Signing of the Joint Statement on Combating Corruption in South-Eastern Europe through Asset Recovery and Use of Digitalization – pool attendance only
• 16:30–17:15: – Side event: Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Human Security in the OSCE Area – pool attendance only

Friday, 1 December 2023

• 10:00–10:45: – Side event: Youth and Civil Society – pool attendance only
• 10:00–11:00: – Side event: It’s about people - the impact of OSCE field operations in 2023 – pool attendance only
• 11:00–11:45: – Side event: Preserving Pluralism - Safety of Women Journalists – pool attendance only
• 13:30–14:00:  – Closing Plenary Session – pool attendance only
• 14:30: – Final press conference with Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, incoming Chairperson-in-Office 2024 (TBC), and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid – open attendance

Accredited media interest in participating in any pool opportunities should email: Media.OSCEMC@mfa.gov.mk

Further information on the media arrangements for the Ministerial Council can be found in the media handbook.

Follow the Ministerial Council online

The arrivals of Heads of Delegations, opening and closing plenary sessions and the final press conference will be available via livestream on the OSCE website at: www.osce.org/live

For the registered and accredited journalists who cannot attend the Ministerial Council in person, a Zoom link to attend remotely will be provided. More information will follow once the registration process is completed. Journalists must complete the media registration to receive the Zoom link and access to the Zoom webinar will be controlled.

Interview requests

Interview requests throughout the Ministerial Council should be sent to: Media.OSCEMC@mfa.gov.mk

Detailed information about media facilities, instructions for accreditation, booking of hotels and the visa application procedure is available in the media handbook. 

Follow for updates about the Ministerial Council on X (formerly Twitter) at @OSCE, @OSCECiO and #OSCEMC2023 or the MC event page. 

558621 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final reports on Kazakhstan’s 2023 early parliamentary elections, 2022 early presidential election and 2022 referendum during a visit to Astana and Almaty that took place from 20 to 24 November 2023.

“We very much appreciate the co-operation with the Kazakhstani authorities and the opportunity to discuss our latest election reports and recommendations, in particular those related to fundamental rights and freedoms,” said Eoghan Murphy, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 2023 early parliamentary elections. “The recommendations need to be addressed in an open and inclusive manner, and to take place well ahead of the next elections.”

The reports’ key findings and recommendations were discussed with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Central Election Commission, both chambers of the Parliament, and the Commissioner for Human Rights. A roundtable discussion with civil society organizations also took place in Almaty.

Discussions centered on both the positive measures introduced ahead of the elections as well as recommendations that have not yet been implemented. The outstanding recommendations include removing existing restrictions to the fundamental rights of expression, peaceful assembly and association, ensuring pluralism, creating more favorable conditions for the registration of political parties and unimpeded work of citizen observers, enhancing the transparency and integrity of the electoral process and guaranteeing effective adjudication of election disputes.

ODIHR experts also outlined potential areas for ODIHR’s engagement with national institutions and offered assistance to bring the electoral process closer in line with OSCE commitments and international standards, including legal reviews and thematic workshops. The authorities expressed an interest in engaging in further discussions.

ODIHR’s election observation methodology includes an assessment of countries’ efforts to implement previous recommendations through changes in legislation, procedures and practices.  For Kazakhstan, the last ODIHR observation mission evaluated the follow-up to recommendations from the 2019 presidential election, the 2021 parliamentary elections and the 2022 referendum, and concluded that three recommendations had been fully implemented, another three mostly implemented, and 24 partially addressed, while others remain to be carried out.

In the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Document, all OSCE participating States committed themselves to “follow up promptly the ODIHR’s election assessment and recommendations”.

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On 24 November, OSCE participating States met in Vienna at an event hosted by the Secretary General to seek an end to the scourge of femicide and to develop a roadmap to end the killing of women, merely for being women.

The meeting took place ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and opened the OSCE’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Last year alone, more than 89,000 women around the world were murdered – and most of these murders were gender-based. Moreover, according to the UNODC, more than half of these murders were committed by partners and family members.

However, the figures suggest that this is only the tip of the iceberg. Not all countries collect gender-disaggregated data on homicides, and even fewer collect data on the context that would allow gender-related killings to be identified (such as the relationship between victim and perpetrator, motive, etc). Moreover, comprehensive and coherent legal definitions of femicide and gender-based violence simply do not exist throughout the OSCE region.

“Despite all efforts, around the world, violence against women remains a serious problem. This violence is not just a violation of women’s rights. It is a violation of the most basic human rights: the right to feel safe,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

“The numbers on femicide are shocking. But these crimes are preventable. Investing in protection and prevention is therefore essential,” she stressed.

OSCE Survey on Violence against Women revealed that embedded cultural and societal bias perpetuates attitudes and behaviours that are at the root cause of violence against women and girls. As a result, whole societies are not even discussing femicide.

It’s the lack of a serious conversation on femicide that most concerns former UN Special Rapporteur for Women, Dr Dubravka Šimonović.

“We need to accelerate ending this silent war on women and the most extreme form of violence against women by applying a roadmap against femicide,” she said.

Dr. Šimonović strongly echoes Secretary General  Schmid’s ambition: “This roadmap has the following steps: First: to name it femicide. Second: to pull out femicide data from homicide data. Third: to establish a femicide Watch/observatory and to develop meaningful victim-centred prevention strategies,” she explained.

The conference also presented OSCE participating States with a forum to discuss the current state of affairs, listen to what different actors are doing, share experiences, and examine consciences. “It is my sincere wish that this instigates further engagement on this issue across OSCE participating States,” said the OSCE Secretary General.

The conference is the keynote moment in an OSCE-wide social media campaign to raise awareness, organised under the slogan: ‘Act for prevention. Act for protection. Act now to end gender-based violence.’

For more information on OSCE’s campaign during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, follow us on social media.