Central Europe

KYIV, 3 August 2022 - During their visit to Kyiv, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid have announced a new OSCE support programme for Ukraine.

“Supporting Ukraine – its Government, people, civil society and institutions – has been and remains the OSCE’s top priority. Even though we had no other option but to close our two field operations due to the position of the Russian Federation, the OSCE remains engaged and committed to assist Ukraine in these challenging times,” Chairman Rau stressed.

“The programme we are launching is ambitious and I believe it will help the country to address the multiple and unprecedented challenges it is facing due to the ongoing Russian military attack,” he underlined.

Secretary General Schmid emphasized that the new support programme will build upon the trusted partnership and diverse experience the OSCE gained over the last three decades in Ukraine.

“Prior to the outbreak of the war, the OSCE had the largest international presence in Ukraine. I thank our staff, our greatest asset. With this new programme, we will make every effort to preserve and use the invaluable experience and expertise we have built.” she underscored. 

The new support programme sets out the implementation of approximately 25 projects. 

Programme activities will focus both on addressing the immediate threats and risks posed by the war and on supporting Ukrainian institutions and civil society organizations in developing Ukraine’s long-term democratic and social resilience.

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The OSCE Transnational Threats Department's Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU) organized a regional training-of-trainer course on gender-sensitive policing of violence against women and girls (VAWG) from 25 to 29 July 2022 in Warsaw, Poland.

The training was conducted in partnership with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Gender Issues Programme’s Women and Men Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality (WIN) project.

A total of 30 police officers and prosecutors (21 women and 9 men) from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia were trained to effectively respond to cases of VAWG while maintaining a victim/survivor-centred approach.  

Maaike van Adrichem, manager of the WIN project said that “barriers for women to report are related to shame, stigma, and secondary victimization, and that innovative, transformative approaches should be applied when conducting training for law enforcement.”

“The police play a hugely important role in protecting the human rights of citizens, including by preventing and addressing violence against women and girls,” highlighted Andrea Huber, Head of ODIHR’s Human Rights Department.

This course aimed to prevent and fight gender-based violence and protect victims/survivors. The five-day initiative also covered topics such as causes and cycles of violence, violence prevention, harmful biases, attitudes and stereotypes, risk assessment, victim/survivor protection protocols, referral mechanisms and inter-agency co-operation.

Bjorn Tore Saltvik, project manager at the TNTD, stated that “by sharing their knowledge and skills with their peers, the trained trainers become agents of change.”

To support the criminal justice practitioners from South Eastern Europe in their fight against gender-based violence, the OSCE will organize national workshops, to adapt the curricula to the local frameworks, and national specialized training courses. These activities are planned for the second half of 2022 and will contribute to the full implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

These activities take place as part of the project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe (2021-2024).

523622 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

Eighteen specialists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan completed a three-week regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal course (EOD level 1) at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre (REHTC) of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence in Chimteppa, on 29 July 2022.

The course was hosted by Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence and facilitated by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in partnership with the United States Army Central (USARCENT). USARCENT and the REHTC’s instructors delivered the training course.

The main topics covered at the course were explosives and explosive theory; identification of explosive ordnances; EOD safeties; EOD recognition; EOD equipment; protective works and personal protective equipment; transportation, storage and disposal of explosive ordnances.

Tea Jaliashvili, Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe stressed the importance of joint endeavours in implementing the project. She said: “Only by means of all parties engaged - Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence; Tajikistan National Mine Action Centre; the US Department of State; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan’s Ministries of Defence and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe - it was possible to ensure the programme’s efficiency and effectiveness.”

Representing Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence, Major General Egamzod Sharaf, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Ministry said: “The Tajik Ministry of Defence highly appreciates the contribution of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in training regional specialists on EOD course since the level of the threat of terrorism and the threat posed by explosive hazards have not decreased in the region yet.”

The course will sustain the training capacity within the Ministries of Defence of Central Asia to train its staff on explosive hazards and operational management resources. It will allow the Ministries to continue internal capacity development and skills transfer in their respective departments in Central Asia and other OSCE participating States in accordance with national and international standards.

Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 29 July 2022 - The OSCE Mission to BiH supports the crucial role of political parties in creating an enabling environment for women in politics.

We find inappropriate the recent insults directed against women politicians based on their physical appearance. Sexism, attacks and harassment deter women from engaging in political life, expressing their opinions and actively contributing to decision-making.

The Mission calls on all political parties to ensure zero tolerance for gender-based harassment and sexism.

523515 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz Hungary, Parliamentary Elections and Referendum, 3 April 2022: Election Observation Mission Final Report

The parliamentary elections and referendum in Hungary were well run, but marred by the absence of a level playing field. While contestants were largely able to campaign freely, there was a pervasive overlap between ruling coalition and government messaging and activities. Candidate registration was inclusive, offering voters distinct alternatives, but biased news coverage limited voters’ opportunity to make an informed choice.

These are some of the main conclusions after the 2022 parliamentary elections and referendum, as detailed in the final report published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).The report offers 30 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and support efforts to bring them further in line with commitments made by all OSCE countries, as well as other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.

Key recommendations include:

• Revising the legal framework for elections and referendums to ensure better compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards;
• Reviewing the legal framework for combating the misuse of administrative resources, including the misuse of public office, to ensure a level playing field for all contestants;
• Revising the electoral dispute resolution framework to guarantee that all voters have effective means to appeal against administrative decisions;
• Providing for observation of all stages of the electoral process by citizen observers;
• Bringing the legal framework for defining constituency boundaries in line with international standards and good practice to guarantee the equality of the vote;
• Revising the law to require public and private broadcast media to cover the election campaign fairly and impartially, and ensuring the media have access to public information;
• Harmonizing voter registration and out-of-country voting procedures for all citizens abroad.

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the 3 April 2022 parliamentary elections and referendum took up its work on 24 February 2022 and remained in country until 15 April.

All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

523544 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

On 29 July 2022, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online seminar on the role of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in protecting women’s rights and promoting gender equality.

The event brought together representatives from the Office of the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan with the aim to explore and discuss functions of the Ombudsperson’s Offices in other OSCE participating States and exchange practical experiences.

The discussions were led by speakers from the Office of the People`s Advocate of Moldova (Office of the Ombudsperson of Moldova), who presented legal instruments and mechanisms for the protection of women’s rights and promotion of gender equality.

They also discussed the role of the Office of the People's Advocate in the protection and promotion of human rights in the Republic of Moldova and strengthening co-operation between NHRIs and national state bodies and civil society.

“Working for peace, security and prosperity requires that all the people in a society are included and their rights protected,” said Rune Castberg, officer in charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“OSCE participating States are therefore strongly committed to making gender equality a reality everywhere – at home and in public life, in politics and the military, in the economic and environmental spheres, in every realm of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” added Castberg.

523518 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized regional training workshop on countering illicit trafficking of cultural property took place from 26 to 28 July 2022. The three-day event, held in a blended format, aimed to strengthen further regional co-operation to combat all forms and aspects of trafficking in cultural property and related offences.

The event brought together, online and in-person, around 55 officials from relevant border security agencies and the Ministries of Culture of the five Central Asian countries, dealing with cultural heritage protection and security. The workshop provided both crime prevention and archaeological perspectives in terms of cultural heritage, facilitating the exchange of best practices in combating this serious crime.

The Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, the Head of Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, a representative from the UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office and the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan made opening speeches.

“The illicit trafficking of cultural property is a transnational threat and the threat is real,” said Rune Castberg, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “The illicit trade involves many actors and highly sophisticated networks, stretching across the entire OSCE area and beyond.”

“Given the transnational dimension of illicit trafficking of cultural property, the regional event will emphasize the importance of strengthening further international and regional co-operation to preserve the priceless human heritage for future generations,” added Castberg.

International experts stressed the global and regional importance of combating the illicit trade in cultural property and discussed the impact of such crimes on communities, their cultural diversity and self-expression. In addition, the international experts highlighted the contribution and support of UNESCO in combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property and talked about the latest trends in the illicit trafficking of cultural property. 

The workshop also addressed the methods and motivation of criminal networks engaged in the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The international experts underscored the need to raise awareness of this dangerous phenomenon within an individual organization and a larger public to enhance the effectiveness of efforts aimed at the protection of cultural heritage.

The regional training workshop is organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary multi-donor project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and supported financially by the Government of Japan.

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

Thirty-eight OSCE participating States invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 28 July 2022 in order “to establish a mission of experts to look into and report on the ongoing concerns […] identified as particularly serious threats to the fulfilment of the provisions of the OSCE human dimension by the Russian Federation, to assess Russia’s legal and administrative practice in light of its OSCE commitments, to establish the facts, and to provide recommendations and advice”.

The Moscow Mechanism was last invoked on 2 June 2022 to “consider, follow up and build upon the findings of the Moscow Mechanism report received by OSCE participating States on 12 April” addressing “the human rights and humanitarian impacts of the Russian Federation’s invasion and acts of war, supported by Belarus, on the people of Ukraine, within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and territorial waters”. It provides the opportunity for participating States to send missions of experts to assist in the resolution of a particular question or problem relating to the human dimension. Further information is available here.

Any information relevant to the work of the Moscow Mechanism can be sent to the following email address: moscowmechanism2022@odihr.pl. The information will then be forwarded to the expert mission, once established.

The 38 countries that have invoked the Moscow Mechanism in this case are: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

WARSAW, 2 August 2022 – Governments need to go beyond their responsibility to remember the Roma and Sinti genocide of 1944 to ensure that school curricula and other educational initiatives engage with young people to discuss the potentially dangerous consequences of racist ideologies, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s Roma Genocide Remembrance Day.

“It is unacceptable that Roma and Sinti communities are continuing to suffer so desperately from intolerance, systemic racism and discrimination wherever they live,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “Learning the essential lessons from the history of the Roma genocide means to redouble our efforts to combat prejudice, bias, and racism against Roma and Sinti in the here and now.”

2 August marks the anniversary of the massacre of 4,300 Sinti and Roma in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944. ODIHR continues to support countries across the OSCE in preserving the memory of the Roma and Sinti who lost their lives during the Second World War and in helping to ensure that this history is included in school curricula and public initiatives that raise awareness of the fatal consequences of racist ideologies based on intolerance and hatred.

ODIHR also seeks to stress the positive developments that take place across the OSCE region in the protection and promotion of Roma rights. One such development this year is the decision by the Czech authorities to demolish a pig farm built on the site of a Nazi-era concentration camp for Roma and turn it into a remembrance site, a move that Roma communities and activists have advocated for many years.

The joint Roma Genocide website set up by ODIHR and the Council of Europe is a source of knowledge and information for governments, public institutions, universities, schools, and civil society. ODIHR also cooperates with organizations including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) to help ensure greater effectiveness in strengthening Holocaust education, remembrance and research worldwide.

OSCE countries recognized more than three decades ago that “effective human rights education contributes to combating intolerance, religious, racial and ethnic prejudice and hatred, including against Roma” (Moscow 1991), and gave ODIHR responsibility for supporting national authorities in combating “acts of discrimination and violence against Roma and Sinti” (Athens 2009). 

ANDORRA LA VELLA, 28 July 2022 - OSCE Secretary Genera Helga Maria Schmid visited Andorra on 27 July to engage in policy discussions with Andorran youth representatives and attend the closing event of the “OSCE Debating Perspectives 20-30 Roadshow.” During a lecture at the Roadshow, the Secretary General focused on the OSCE’s vital role to promote comprehensive security including the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms. She highlighted the crucial role of youth in promoting democracy, and called for increased efforts to empower women and enable their equal participation, including in peace processes.

The Secretary General also gave a briefing on the OSCE’s efforts to address the devastating impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

“The OSCE and Andorra share common priorities: whether it is addressing the security-related impacts of climate change, empowering women and youth, or promoting quality education, Andorra’s support for the OSCE maximizes our collective impact. Andorra is leading by example and this can greatly contribute to shaping regional cooperation for lasting peace and security,” said Schmid. “My hope is that this event today will improve the understanding of the Organization among young generations and the benefits that the OSCE brings to Andorran citizens.”

The sentiment was echoed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Ubach Font who also recognized the importance of collaboration in a meeting with Schmid.

“Andorra strongly supports multilateralism based on dialogue and cooperation,” said Minister Ubach Font. “We particularly look forward to feeling the cooperation between Andorra and the OSCE on issues related to education and effective responses for fighting climate change.”

Schmid also met the Head of Government of the Principality of Andorra; the Minister of Social Affairs, Youth and Equality; and Minister of Education and Higher Education, as well as the Andorran Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Schmid’s visit marked the first OSCE official visit to Andorra since the country became an OSCE participating State in 1996.

At the end of the Roadshow, the young participants presented recommendations for a safer future to Secretary General Schmid and Minister Maria Ubach Font, identifying gender equality, youth political participation, climate change and inclusive education as key priorities.

“These ideas are great examples of how youth can contribute to democracy and security. Amplifying youth voices is not just the right thing to do. Our collective efforts can be sustainable only if co-designed through a genuine dialogue with young generations. I will take with me these recommendations to Vienna to inform our work." 

VIENNA, 26 July 2022 - OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will visit Andorra on 27 July to meet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Ubach Font and other high-level officials and host the youth event “Debating Perspectives 20-30 Roadshow in Andorra”. She will also hold a press conference together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at 15:40.

The Secretary General is travelling to Andorra to engage in policy discussions with Andorran youth representatives attending the “OSCE Debating Perspectives 20-30 Roadshow”. The event is part of a series of national and regional consultations aimed at giving young women and men a voice in decision-making processes and in the promotion of international security. In 2020-2021, consultations were held with youth from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Liechtenstein and Central Asia, reaching more than 200 young women and men. Key recommendations will be published in a policy paper that will provide decision-makers with a youth perspective on how to address challenges to security in areas such as human rights, energy and the environment, rule of law, education, and new technologies.  

As part of the event, the Secretary General will give a public lecture on European security challenges and the role of the OSCE. The session will be moderated by H.E. Mr. Jaume Serra, Ambassador of Andorra to the OSCE. 

As part of the visit, Schmid will also meet the Head of Government of the Principality of Andorra, Xavier Espot Zamora; Minister of Social Affairs, Youth and Equality, Judith Pallarés Cortés; and Minister of Education and Higher Education, Ester Vilarrubla Escales, as well as the Andorran Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

For media inquiries, please contact perspectives2030@osce.org.

THE HAGUE, 26 July 2022 – The Social Justice Center (SJC) from Georgia has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award. The Award recognizes its work to support and empower vulnerable groups, including national minorities, in Georgia.

Since its foundation in 2012, the SJC (formerly Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre) has worked towards long-term political and socio-economic transformation in Georgia, thereby putting the principles of human rights, equality and solidarity into practice. The SJC gives a voice to minority ethnic and religious groups, and supports their interests, with an emphasis on youth and women.

Commenting on its decision, the international Jury, chaired by OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov, stated: “This non-governmental organization advances equality, solidarity, participation and democracy at the political, economic and social levels 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 the interests of national minorities. 

“Acknowledging its activism and courage as it tirelessly advocates for equality for all social groups in Georgia, the Jury took the unanimous decision to reward the SJC with the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award.”

The Award of 50,000 euros was established by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2001 in honour of the distinguished Dutch statesman and first OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Max van der Stoel. It is awarded biennially to recognize a person, group or institution for extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities in the OSCE participating States.

The Award ceremony will take place in The Hague on 17 November 2022.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

VIENNA, 25 July 2022 - OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) Acting Head of Mission Antje Grawe today denounced the persecution of SMM’s national Mission members, including those deprived of their liberty in non-government controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, refuted claims against them, and called for their immediate and unconditional release.

“I denounce in the strongest terms the unfounded claims and fabricated accusations brought against our national Mission members and demand the immediate release of our staff deprived of their liberty in non-government controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. They have performed their duties with dedication and the highest level of professionalism and impartiality, providing objective information critical to the security and humanitarian situation in Ukraine,” said Acting Head of Mission Grawe.

The OSCE has and will continue to take steps to pursue all available channels to secure the privileges and immunities of current and former OSCE officials.

All OSCE officials are bound by the OSCE Code of Conduct, which stipulates, inter alia, that they shall neither seek nor accept any instructions regarding the performance of their duties from any Government or from any authority external to the OSCE. 

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On 24 July, the 8-week online course of 2022 OSCE-UNODA Scholarship for Peace and Security training programme on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation was concluded with 123 graduates [88% female] from 51 OSCE participating States and 8 Partners for Co-operation.

Most of the participants indicated that the programme contributed to increasing their knowledge on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation; and inspired their personal views on gender-mainstreaming in security sector. The online training achieved contributed to increasing women’s equal opportunities in policy-making, planning and implementation processes in this field.

In words of 2022 graduates:

I would like to use this opportunity to thank the whole team for this absolutely game-changing experience. As a student and young professional, I have taken multiple online certificate courses, but never have I experienced such an engaging program. Despite being in the (mostly) disarmament field for multiple years now, I have still learned so much - from the lessons, speakers but also from the peers in our weekly breakout sessions. It truly was such an honor to be a part of this.

This Scholarship is a great opportunity for young professionals to reveal the importance of peacekeeping and peace-building measures, where everyone should be engaged. I am really grateful for being a part of it, appreciate the support of our mentors and very thankful for the knowledge I gained!

The training very much broadened my horizons and I am grateful for having the possibility to learn about topics I did not necessarily know that much about before. I know that one of your goals is to form the next generation of (female) disarmament advocates - and judging based on my case, you have definitely achieved that.

The in-person course for female graduates is envisaged from 7-11 November 2022 in Vienna.

523386 Kunduz Rysbek

Model OSCE is an engaging workshop where young people simulate the work of the Permanent Council by representing the OSCE participating States, and learn more about the Organization’s comprehensive model of security and its consensus-based decision-making processes.

Twenty-three young professionals and students from Central Asian countries took part in the Sixth Model OSCE from 18-23 July 2022 in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan.

The participants stepped into the shoes of diplomats representing different OSCE participating States and learned how multilateral institutions function and how countries make decisions by consensus. They simulated the adoption of the OSCE Gender Action Plan and learned how people can influence the negotiation processes in conflict resolution.

In addition, the participants took part in a series of briefings and exercises on negotiations and diplomacy conducted by international and local experts, as well as speakers from the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic and diplomatic missions in Kyrgyzstan. “In these five days we empower young people with a negotiation toolbox in hope they will use these skills in creating inclusive communities," – shared Ida Manton, an expert in international negotiations.

“The OSCE’s commitment to promote the role and inclusion of youth in its peace and security agenda dates back to the Organization’s founding document, the Helsinki Final Act, in which participating States committed to furthering the development of contacts and exchanges between young people,” – said Alexander Eliseev, Head of the Politico-Military Department, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The Model OSCE is organised within the framework of the Programme Office’s efforts to empower youth’s role in enhancing peace and security in Central Asian region, strengthening democratic governance, and in close co-operation with the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the OSCE Academy in Bishkek.

523580 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Thematic Recommendations and Guidelines Central Asia Regional School on Multilingual and Multicultural Education organized by OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities opens in Almaty Multilingual education: Creating equal chances for everyone

During his official visit to Kyrgyzstan from 24 to 27 July 2022, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov discussed the country’s inter-ethnic policy and the importance of multilingual education with representatives of the government and civil society, including national minorities.

Abdrakhmanov met with President Sadyr Japarov; Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Edil Baisalov; Minister of Internal Affairs Ulan Niazbekov; Minister of Culture, Information, Sport and Youth Policy, Azamat Jamankulov; First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nuran Niyazaliev; Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Nadira Djusupbekova and representatives of the People’s Assembly of Kyrgyzstan.

The High Commissioner agreed with the authorities to advance their long-standing constructive co-operation with his office. He underscored the progress of Kyrgyzstan in multilingual education and encouraged continued efforts within the HCNM Central Asia Education Program, including the exchange of good practices with other OSCE participating States. Abdrakhmanov also emphasized the role of effective participation of national minorities in social, economic and public life for cohesion and integration of the multi-ethnic and multi-confessional society of Kyrgyzstan.

The High Commissioner also met with representatives of the regional authorities, education professionals, and members of civil society and national minority communities in Osh.

523748 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities discusses inter-ethnic policy and multilingual education with government of Kyrgyzstan Thematic Recommendations and Guidelines In Uzbekistan, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities welcomes recent steps to strengthen regional co-operation and inter-ethnic relations in Central Asia Central Asia Regional School on Multilingual and Multicultural Education organized by OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities opens in Almaty Multilingual education: Creating equal chances for everyone

On his official visit to Uzbekistan from 28 July to 2 August 2022, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov met representatives of the national and regional authorities and civil society in the Tashkent and Fergana regions to discuss inter-ethnic relations and regional cooperation.

In Tashkent, the High Commissioner met President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and other high-level officials. They discussed the participation of national minorities in cultural, social, economic, and public life and the best ways to accommodate the rich ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of society in Uzbekistan.

High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov reaffirmed his availability to assist with the HCNM thematic Recommendations and Guidelines and underscored the importance of regional cooperation and sharing best practices in diversity management among OSCE participating States in Central Asia to promote regional stability, security, sustainable development, and economic growth.

“Effective consultations with national communities on matters that concern them at national and local levels are key to ensuring that ongoing reforms in different fields of life reflect national minorities’ aspirations and bring the best results,” Abdrakhmanov said.  He also encouraged both the authorities and representatives of national minorities to continue their efforts in this direction.

The High Commissioner also met with Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Olij Mazhlis Nurdinzhon Ismoilov, Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education Abdukodir Toshkulov, Minister of Public Education Bakhtiyor Saidov, Acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Olij Mazhlis and Director of National Human Rights Centre Akmal Saidov, and Chairman of the Committee for Interethnic Relations and Friendly Cooperation with Foreign Countries Rustambek Kurbanov.  

Abdrakhmanov congratulated the authorities on the Week of Friendship of Peoples, which Uzbekistan has celebrated since 2011. He also commended ongoing reforms, including education reform aimed at increasing inclusivity and access to education for vulnerable groups, in particular girls, including those with minority backgrounds. He welcomed the government’s intention to engage in the HCNM Central Asia Education Program, which aims to develop bilateral and multilateral co‑operation in the region as well as to improve the education of national minorities and the integration of diverse societies through multilingual and multicultural education.

In the Fergana region, Abdrakhmanov met with local authorities and representatives of national cultural centres.

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On 22 July 2022, an OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group discussion was held in Vienna on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of co-operation between the OSCE and Japan. Japan was the first Asian country to be invited to a CSCE meeting in 1992.

Currently, co-operation is taking place against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is putting the spotlight on the importance of strengthened partnership, active co-operation and engagement between Europe and Asia. Participants explored opportunities for co-operation among OSCE participating States and Asian Partners for Co-operation in the context of human security as approach to peacebuilding.

The meeting was organized by the Swedish Chair of the Group in co-operation with Japan and included a video message by State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Takako Suzuki. “We will continue to make every effort to realize peacebuilding in the international community also through this solidarity,” she said.

“The OSCE Asian Partnership is more important than ever, including the need to strengthen security for all and by all, across our two regions. As Chair of the OSCE Asian partnership this year, Sweden appreciates Japan’s long-standing commitment and support to our security cooperation,” said Permanent Representative of Sweden to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group, Ulrika Funered in the opening session.

Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, Adam Hałaciński highlighted that through its active contributions to the OSCE Asian Partnership, Japan has continuously shown its attachment to, and observance of, high standards in such spheres as human rights and international law. “In the face of the unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine the values of humanity and multilateralism are as important as ever,” he added.

“Since participation as a Partner, Japan has actively contributed to OSCE discussions at Hofburg and in activities of field operations. I am glad to look back at what we have achieved so far and look forward to further co-operation in future,” said Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the OSCE, Akira Mizutani.

OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid highlighted, how valuable it is to work together: “Japan has been a committed Partner for Co-operation from the start and has set an example on the role that a Partner state can play in contributing to various OSCE projects and activities,” she said.

The following thematic discussion focused on human security as approach to peacebuilding. It featured OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, Alena Kupchyna, Representative of the Secretary-General at the United Nations Office in Belgrade, Mari Yamashita, and Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe, Richard C. Niebusch as panellists.

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Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) and Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat Tuula Yrjölä concluded her two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan where she held bilateral meetings with host country officials, and discussed, inter alia, OSCE-Kyrgyzstan co-operation, especially in light of the 30year anniversary of Kyrgyzstan’s participation in the Organization, regional co-operation, and current security challenges.  

During the meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinara Kemelova, the sides discussed co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, led by Ambassador Alexey Rogov, and the Office’s activities aimed at assisting Kyrgyzstan in implementing OSCE commitments and supporting host country’s priorities. The discussion was also focused on the socio-economic situation in the country, border security, and implications of developments in Afghanistan for Kyrgyzstan. Special attention was paid to President Sadyr Japarov’s initiative to better protect mountain ecosystems and build climate resilience as well as possible contribution the OSCE could make to support these efforts, in light of the 2021 OSCE Ministerial Council decision No. 3/21 on Strengthening Co-operation to Address the Challenges Caused by Climate Change.

Director Yrjölä’s meeting with the Deputy Chairperson of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic Taalatbek Masadykov was an opportunity to discuss the implications of the developments in Afghanistan for Central Asia, and Kyrgyzstan’s coordination with the OSCE to counter transnational threats.  Masadykov also highlighted the important role the OSCE Academy plays in providing  higher education and connecting the youth from across Central Asia, Mongolia, Afghanistan and beyond.

Promoting respect for fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, electoral reform, freedom of speech, gender equality, combating domestic violence and rights of the child were among the topics discussed at the meeting with the the Ombudsperson of the Kyrgyz Republic Atyr Abdrakhmatova. The parties agreed to continue working actively on priority areas of the host country.

Director Yrjölä also met civil society representatives to discuss current challenges and activities. She visited the Programme Office to meet staff and the OSCE Academy where she was updated by its Director, Dr. Alexander Wolters, on the recent efforts to expand the Academy’s educational offers and academic partnerships. She  engaged with students on their experiences at the Academy, as well as shared about the work of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.  The OSCE Academy remains a flagship project for the Organization, and a unique educational institution that brings together talented youth from Central Asia, Mongolia and Afghanistan to promote regional exchange and co-operation.  

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

In the year of the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM, current Representative Teresa Ribeiro has published today reports on three of the building blocks she uses to advance media freedom.

The first report analyses the series of so-called “Joint Declarations on freedom of expression” that the RFoM has published annually since 1999 with the three other international media freedom rapporteurs. The report identifies the factors that contribute to the Joint Declaration’s value with a specific focus on the collaborative process leading up to their adoption, their progressive content and their demonstrated influence upon courts and other actors, particularly in the OSCE region. In critically reviewing the texts to date, the independent researcher concludes that the Joint Declarations constitute the most significant body of non-binding standards on freedom of expression at the global level, one whose relevance to policy debates deserves broader recognition. It concludes with a set of recommendations for how the Joint Declarations can be advanced and implemented across the OSCE region by states, non-state actors, and the OSCE institutions themselves.

The second report analyses the 20 communiqués the RFoM has issued since 2014 on a range of different themes relating to freedom of expression and information; media and internet freedom; and the safety and freedoms of journalists and other (media) actors. The study provides an analysis of this corpus of communiqués, which were introduced as a new form of output that would have more depth and impact than regular press releases or statements. The independent researcher concludes that the communiqués are a useful instrument with complementary focuses and consistent approaches, while offering a few modest recommendations.

The third report focuses on the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Safety of Journalists, a dedicated and comprehensive document, focusing on numerous inter-related aspects of the safety of journalists. In his report, the independent researcher concludes that the strength of this Decision derives from the fact that it achieved the necessary consensus among OSCE participating States. The study recommends that OSCE participating States use the Decision as a starting point for inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders geared towards ensuring a safe and enabling environment for journalists, and as an envisaged review and revision of national laws, policy and practice, to ensure their full compliance with international human rights law and OSCE Commitments. Finally, it recommends that participating States make good use of the guidance offered by the Decision for the development of national action plans to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists in practice.