Democracy and Human Rights in the OSCE. The ODIHR Annual Report 2024

PART I

Creating strong democratic institutions based on rule of law to increase public trust With widespread challenges to democracy and rule of law, backsliding on gender equality and inclusion, and the continued decline of public trust in democratic institutions in many parts of the OSCE region, ODIHR supports participating States in ensuring ethical and effective parliaments, an independent judiciary and genuinely democratic elections.

The following impact stories illustrate the wide variety of ways in which ODIHR helps to strengthen democratic institutions and make them more representative, accessible and trustworthy.  1.1 20 years of ODIHR legislative assistance

F or two decades, ODIHR has played a pivotal role in advancing Key areas of legislative assistance Geographical coverage of requests for legislative assistance human rights-compliant legislation and in strengthening democratic Judicial independence Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, lawmaking processes across the and the rule of law Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, OSCE region. Since the establishment Poland, Spain, Ukraine and Uzbekistan of its Legislative Support Unit in Electoral and political Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and 2004, ODIHR has provided legislative party reform Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, assistance upon the request of Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, nearly 40 countries in over 500 legal Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, reviews and 14 legislative process North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Spain, assessments. The number of new Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan requests each year remains high Violence against women Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and and they come from a growing range and anti-trafficking Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Finland, Georgia, Germany, of participating States from across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, the OSCE region. This work has Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine strengthened the rule of law, worked against the trend towards democratic Restrictions to the right to Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and backsliding and improved legislative freedom of association Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, practices to help countries meet Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Russian human rights standards, and rule of Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and law and democratic principles. Uzbekistan

Restrictions to the right Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Through its nine sets of legislative to freedom of peaceful Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, guidelines and legal reviews, ODIHR assembly Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine and has addressed critical issues across Uzbekistan the OSCE space. ODIHR legal reviews look not only at the content Restrictions to the right Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, of laws, but also at the drafting to freedom of religion or Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and consultation process, which belief Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, directly impacts the quality of the Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan legislation. Twenty years ago, ODIHR National Human Rights Armenia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, also started assessing lawmaking Institutions legislation Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, systems and processes to identify Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine and entry points for improving elements Uzbekistan of legislative processes, eventually Anti-corruption and public Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, to adopt better laws. By treating the integrity North Macedonia, Slovenia, Ukraine and legislative process as a cycle, from Uzbekistan policy setting through to monitoring and evaluation, ODIHR’s methodology promotes openness, transparency and inclusivity at every stage. Building on this experience, ODIHR’s 2024 Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws serve

10  Piotr Dziubak Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, speaking at an ODIHR side event at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, 4 October 2024

2024 ODIHR Legislative Assistance

• Received 33 requests for assistance Adam Bodnar • Finalized 26 legal reviews and assessments for 10 Polish Minister of Justice participating States (6 urgent) including: • Five reviews for Poland, including an urgent ODIHR’s legal reviews are of immense Opinion on the reform of the National Council significance, particularly in the context of the Judiciary and an analysis of the proposed of ongoing efforts to uphold the rule reform of the Constitutional Tribunal of law and ensure the integrity of the • Urgent Opinions connected to respect for fundamental freedoms, including: Draft Law on judicial system in Poland. Their thorough Transparency of Foreign Influence in Georgia; analysis and recommendations play a Public Security Bill in Italy; amendments to the crucial role in informing policy decisions Criminal Code in Cyprus aiming to re-criminalize and legal reforms aimed at preserving defamation; and proposed amendments to the impartiality and effectiveness of restrict the exercise of the right to freedom of our judiciary. ODIHR’s commitment to peaceful assembly in Slovakia • An Opinion advising against the removal of promoting judicial independence and gender quotas in Georgia integrity is evident in the quality and • Support to structural reform in Moldova depth of their work and we are grateful (parliamentary reform and integrity/ethics of MPs) for ODIHR’s expert guidance on such and in Montenegro (electoral reform/political party critical issues.” legislation and regulatory reform)

11  20 Years of ODIHR legislative assistance

Since 2004, ODIHR has carried out more than 500 legal reviews at the request of 38 OSCE participating States

What topics did we cover? Who requested our legal reviews? % of requests overall % of requests overall

Elections and political parties Government

Fundamental freedoms* OSCE Field Operations

Criminal reform Parliament

Judiciary and fair trial rights National Human RIghts Institutions

Anti-trafficking Judiciary

Lawmaking Other

Gender equality 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

National human rights institutions

Anti-discrimination

Other 0 5 10 15 20 25

*Fundamental freedoms such as religion or belief, assembly, association and expression.

12 as a practical toolkit for lawmakers, The establishment of ODIHR’s grounded in OSCE human dimension Legislative Support Unit 20 years commitments and international ago was a milestone in the Office’s human rights and rule of law development, enabling ODIHR standards. to provide coherent, sustainable support to participating States. This assistance has led to better- Today, ODIHR’s legislative informed decision-making and assistance is trusted by improved legislative and policy governments, parliaments, NHRIs options, and enhanced lawmaking and civil society across the region, overall. It has also often raised the with requests rising substantially level of public debate on complex in recent years. ODIHR’s legal human rights, democratic governance reviews and legislative guidelines and rule of law issues. By focusing on are regularly cited in international the compliance of key legal reforms and national forums, including in with OSCE commitments and human the caselaw of the European Court rights standards, ODIHR’s reviews and of Human Rights, the European assessments can foster enhanced Commission’s Rule of Law Reports dialogue between society, human and the UN Special Rapporteurs’ rights defenders and legislative publications, further demonstrating authorities. the lasting influence of its work.

OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nadiya Sirenko, ODIHR Legislative Support Officer, presenting the ODIHR Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws (2024) at the “Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Citizens: Towards a successful partnership” event organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 5 December 2024

13  1.2 Listening to survivors

O DIHR’s Ukraine Monitoring Initiative (UMI) has collected or members of vulnerable groups. Operating in a two-person team, testimonies from witnesses of with a lead interviewer and second violations of international human rights interviewer/note taker, together with law and international humanitarian an interpreter, they conduct two law since the very early stages of the interviews per day, using a trauma- invasion by the Russian Federation in informed approach. In the course Ukraine and, by the end of 2024, had of approximately nine consecutive conducted 491 interviews. Throughout days, monitors conduct more than this time, the UMI team continued 30 interviews, each lasting anywhere to refine its interviewing and data- between one and seven hours. Antonio Polimeni collection methodology. Adapting to Monitoring Team Leader the ever-shifting conditions on the All monitors aim to make witnesses ground, while ensuring respect for feel safe, build trust, ensure they Our colleagues on the ground fundamental monitoring principles have ongoing informed consent, play a crucial role: it is no at all times, makes interviewing and to empower the witness. At the easy task to prepare a witness witnesses a complex endeavour. same time, the experience they have to come for interview with had is only one of the innumerable Each monitoring mission is based ways in which witnesses differ: people they do not know, in on the principle of ‘do no harm’. This their age and gender, background, a place they are not familiar principle is of paramount importance psychological readiness and state of with, and to speak about and is the point of departure for all health, motivation and narrative skills, traumatic experiences. And it the mission’s activities, beginning far for example, all influence how an certainly takes an incredible ahead of a deployment. For example, interview is conducted. The skill of the amount of courage on the side ahead of missions UMI team members monitor lies in their ability to account look for interview venues that ensure for these differences. of the witnesses to provide witnesses will come to a space that is testimony. Due to the limited private and guarantees confidentiality, The interviews give witnesses the time we have on the ground, is easily accessible, is comfortable and opportunity to be listened to. Often, I am often asked, by the has an air raid shelter. witnesses have not had a chance to local team responsible for tell their stories, even at a personal identifying potential witnesses Next, the team contacts potential level with family or acquaintances. witnesses to verify their suitability for They often express their gratitude for us, who to prioritize for interview. As this is the first contact openly for having been given such an interview. Personally, I dread witnesses will have with a UMI opportunity, with some commenting this moment every time — it representative, the team has a great on how the interview has lifted a is not possible to say that one responsibility to respect the ‘do no weight off their shoulders. One of story matters more or less harm’ principle. They need to develop the most satisfying developments than another.” a rapport and trust with the witnesses is when a referral comes to the swiftly, often over the telephone and UMI team as a result of one person hundreds of kilometres away. being interviewed and relaying that experience to others. While UMI monitors come from different ODIHR’s UMI has conducted nearly backgrounds, often multi-disciplinary, 500 interviews, it is not possible but all have experience in interviewing to interview all those who want to displaced people, victims of crimes provide their testimony.

14  OSCE/Marine Constant ODIHR’s Trauma-informed interviewing e-Learning course

ODIHR’s Trauma-Informed Interviewing: Skills and Techniques for Monitors e-Learning course, available on FreedomLab, in English, Russian and Ukrainian languages, has seen a steady rise in user engagement. Since its launch in mid- 2023, 238 feedback forms have been submitted by registered users, while a far higher number of people have used the course without registering, demonstrating the ongoing impact of this course for human rights defenders

OSCE/Marine Constant working across the region.

TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVIEWING Skills and Techniques for Monitors

online course

Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian For monitors, investigators, researchers and other human rights workers conducting interviews on human rights violations

Join now at FreedomLab.io

Borodyanka, Ukraine, July 2022 Feedback from registered course user in 2024 Ukraine Monitoring Initiative My understanding of trauma- The Ukraine Monitoring Initiative (UMI) was set up in 2022 to informed interviewing has monitor reported violations of international humanitarian law and improved significantly as a international human rights law in the context of the war in Ukraine, result of this training. It has and focuses on the most pressing issues impacting the lives of deepened my ability to create civilians and prisoners of war. During 2024, ODIHR conducted a safe space for individuals to seven separate monitoring deployments to interview Ukrainian witnesses and survivors. During these deployments, fourteen share their experiences and monitoring teams interviewed 181 people about the violations provided me with practical they experienced or witnessed. Information collected through tools to navigate sensitive in-person interviews was complemented by remote monitoring, conversations with empathy including verification of digital evidence. and precision. This training has not only enhanced my ODIHR published the UMI’s Fifth and Sixth Interim Reports in July and December respectively, providing OSCE participating professional skills but also States and the wider public with up-to-date and well-documented reinforced the importance of evidence of violations. The reports centred on specific issues approaching each interview focused on by witnesses and survivors during their interviews, with respect and awareness giving prominence to their voices. They also contained updated of the unique challenges faced recommendations aimed at preventing further violations. by those who have experienced trauma.”

15  1.3 Observing the 2024 European Parliament elections

O DIHR deployed a special election assessment mission (SEAM) • Practical implementation of European and national legal frameworks • Controls on party and campaign to the 2024 European Parliament elections, following an invitation by all finance the European Union Member States to • Monitoring social networks observe. • Voter and candidate registration • Participation of under-represented The observation of these elections groups: women, youth, national presented ODIHR with a number of minorities, persons with disabilities unique challenges, as there were • Participation of citizen observers and Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir effectively 27 different national international observers Head of the Special Election elections to a supra-national body. Assessment Mission They were administered nationally and conducted on the basis of 27 different The observation mission’s findings and The European Parliament sets of election rules, with only a few conclusions aim to help participating EU-wide rules that all Member States States and EU institutions improve plays an important role in are obliged to follow. The format their electoral processes for the the EU’s legislative process chosen for this mission was tailored benefit of their citizens. Constructive and its decisions affect close to its specific scale and nature, and recommendations are made in the to 450 million EU citizens, enabled the Office to meaningfully spirit of working towards the fulfilment making up almost half of the follow these elections while taking of shared OSCE commitments. OSCE participating States. into account the Office’s resource constraints. To maintain productive dialogue Our mission provided a with the authorities and discuss meaningful and systematic The mission observed the entirety of ways in which the Office can assist assessment of the diverse ways the European Parliament elections and in implementing recommendations, individual EU Member States assessed the conduct of the elections ODIHR presented its final report on conduct the elections to the for their compliance with OSCE the elections at the meeting of the European Parliament and commitments and other international European Co-Operation Network obligations and standards for on Elections, a network that brings also contributed to ODIHR’s democratic elections, as well as with together election administration efforts to follow electoral national legislation across all 27 EU officials for a concrete and practical developments across the entire Member States. Expert teams visited exchange. Key recommendations OSCE area, including in those 20 of the EU Member States in the can be found in the final report. countries with a long tradition run-up to election day. ODIHR stands ready to support all of holding democratic EU Member States in their efforts to The mission was headed by Ingibjörg improve their electoral processes elections.” Sólrún Gísladóttir and consisted of and to follow up on ODIHR’s seven international experts based recommendations, by reviewing in Brussels, as well as ten regional election-related legislation, providing analysts deployed in teams of two technical expertise and supporting the across the EU. The team focused on a activities of citizen observer groups. number of specific electoral issues:

16  Marie-Helene Boulanger Head of Unit, Union Citizenship and Free Movement (Democracy), European Commission Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers

The observation of the 2024 elections to the European Parliament by ODIHR provided important information on the conduct of these elections. We look forward to continuing the very fruitful cooperation with ODIHR on elections- related topics, in view of fostering democratic values and in particular in view of supporting the integrity and transparency of democratic electoral processes.”

OSCE/Katya Andrusz

Monitoring the European Parliament Election monitoring in Brussels, Belgium, 6-9 June 2024

17  OSCE/Katya Andrusz ODIHR’s 2024 election journey

23 pre-election needs assessment visits to countries across the OSCE region, leading to…

15

OSCE/Katya Andrusz election observations with 22 press conferences conducted in...

32 OSCE states, including 20 EU countries for the European Parliamentary Elections

2,476 observers deployed from 50 participating States including...

Monitoring the European Parliament Election monitoring in Brussels, Belgium, 6-9 June 2024 1,159 women

In February, ODIHR published 59 the new edition of its Handbook election reports... for the Observation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Elections. With almost all OSCE participating 325 States using some form of ICT during recommendations and a... elections, the handbook can also be used as guidance to ensure ICT is introduced and used in the election process fully in line new with democratic standards and principles. handbook on observation of This edition of the handbook updates ICT in elections the ODIHR methodology for the observation

10 and assessment of ICT used during voting and counting processes and includes new aspects such as electronic registration, follow-up visits to assist verification of voters and candidates, and countries in implementing cybersecurity. ODIHR recommendations

18  1.4 Promoting inclusive leadership

O DIHR marked an historic milestone in 2024 when the Office Disabilities to Participate in Political and Public Life in the OSCE Region contracted Helga Stevens as the Head (Dublin Recommendations) and the of its Election Assessment Mission cutting-edge disability assessment to the United Kingdom parliamentary methodology for parliaments, ODIHR elections in July. Ms. Stevens, a has been at the forefront of breaking member of ODIHR’s Advisory Panel down barriers and ensuring that those on the Political Participation of with disabilities are not only included Persons with Disabilities and a former in decision-making processes but can Member of the European Parliament, lead them. Helga Stevens is deaf and is the first person with a Head of the ODIHR Election disability to lead an ODIHR election The success of this mission Assessment Mission to the United observation mission and brought her showcases the expertise and lived Kingdom parliamentary elections extensive experience as a politician experience of leaders like Ms. and advocate for accessibility and Stevens. It also demonstrates the inclusion to the mission. importance of sustained advocacy, It was a real honour to strategic partnerships and networks lead the ODIHR Election This appointment underlined ODIHR’s such as ODIHR’s Advisory Panel on Assessment Mission to the commitment to inclusive leadership the Political Participation of Persons UK in June 2024, and I believe and the Office’s broader efforts to with Disabilities. The appointment that my experience and views promote the political participation highlights that disability inclusion enriched the ODIHR report on of persons with disabilities across requires not just accessibility the OSCE region. Through initiatives measures but also targeted action the UK elections.” such as the eLearning course to remove systemic barriers and on disability-inclusive political ensure the meaningful participation of participation, the Recommendations persons with disabilities in all aspects on the Rights of Persons with of democratic governance. Helga Stevens

Helga Stevens

Election Assessment Mission to the United Kingdom, 19 June to 8 July 2024

19  1.5 Transforming national parliaments to deliver on gender equality

OSCE Mission to Serbia Participants of the gender audit in the National Assembly of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia, 30 September 2024

N ational parliaments are democratic institutions like no other, parliaments, ODIHR completed a gender equality assessment of how they can ensure the different needs and interests of society are with the potential to represent the full the National Assembly of Slovenia better reflected in legislation and in diversity of society. The composition and conducted a gender audit of the implementation of the law. of parliaments may reflect different the National Assembly of Serbia groups in society: women and men, (supported by the OSCE Mission ODIHR also partnered with the old and young, students, working to Serbia). Additionally, ODIHR OSCE Mission to Skopje in 2024 people and pensioners, people with worked with the Assembly of Albania to support the Assembly of North or without disabilities, and different (supported by the OSCE Presence Macedonia in developing its third ethnic groups. But parliaments should in Albania) and the Parliament of parliamentary gender equality not just be representative in their Latvia, launching gender audits of action plan for the period 2025- makeup. They should represent the these two parliaments. The focus of 2027. One of only a few parliaments diverse needs and interests that these gender equality assessments in the world to have such a plan, exist in society, which need to be is not just looking at whether the Assembly of North Macedonia reflected both in lawmaking and in representation in the parliament has set ambitious new goals. These parliamentary oversight. (including parliamentary committees, include the establishment of a gender delegations and leadership) is gender equality unit within the parliamentary In 2024, ODIHR continued to work balanced. Even more important is administration, a review of its Code with parliaments across the OSCE the work on reviewing the lawmaking of Conduct from a gender equality region, supporting them in advancing and parliamentary oversight perspective, and the drive to gender equality, both within processes from a gender equality increase the engagement of male parliament and in wider society. As perspective. The assessments include parliamentarians in gender equality part of its direct assistance to national recommendations to parliaments on initiatives.

20  ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also completed a research project on parliamentary bodies for gender equality. Forty-eight national parliaments from the OSCE region took part, enabling the project to understand and learn from the work, mandate and results of both formal bodies (such as parliamentary committees) and informal bodies (such as women’s caucuses). The results Aleksandar Marković of this comprehensive, two-year research were Chair, Committee for Human and Minority published in December, in Parliamentary bodies for Rights and Gender Equality, National Assembly gender equality – Overview and recommendations. of the Republic of Serbia This is the third tool in ODIHR’s new series, the Gender-responsive Governance toolkit.. Advancing women’s representation has been an important aim for our parliament over the last decade. ODIHR’s support in conducting a gender audit of the National Assembly has helped us to identify the biggest challenges, especially on how we can improve our lawmaking and oversight activities.”

Alongside ODIHR’s direct support to parliaments on gender equality, the Office continued its work on addressing violence against women in politics with the Russian translation of the Addressing Violence against Women in Politics in the OSCE Region: Toolkit. Additionally, ODIHR created a training course from the Toolkit, which was piloted with Zhaklina Peshevska members of North Macedonia’s parliament and Chair, Committee for Equal Opportunities of Women parliamentary staff in October, under the auspices and Men, Member of Parliament, Assembly of of ODIHR’s ‘CHANGE’ project. MPs and staff North Macedonia learned about practical measures and tools that can be used, at individual and institutional levels, Making our parliament deliver for all women to prevent and address violence against women in and men is a long-term goal. Our third action politics and, specifically, in parliament. plan will guide the Sobranie in advancing women’s representation and making laws for the benefit of all.” OSCE Mission to Serbia

Participants of the gender audit in the National Assembly of Serbia, including (2nd from right) Tatjana Macura, Serbian Government Minister for Gender Equality, Belgrade, Serbia, 30 September 2024

21  1.6 Building resilience in the election observation community to meet new challenges

I n November, ODIHR hosted organizations from across the globe impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on elections. While harmful need to first ensure that their own practices meet high standards, ODIHR to discuss emerging challenges in instances of the use of AI in elections examined the accessibility of its international election observation, have been sporadic so far, rapidly election observation activities over the exchange good practices and explore advancing generative AI technologies past five years. This covered issues new tools. could amplify disinformation and such as observer recruitment policies, manipulate the information space in procurement processes and the The Declaration of Principles (DoP) for the coming years, affecting election availability of information and training International Election Observation was campaigns and eroding public trust. in accessible formats. Among those created in 2005 to establish a set of By sharing research, information and presenting was Helga Stevens, the common principles and ethics to build methodologies, DoP organizations can first head of an international election the confidence of governments, media learn from the experiences of others, mission with a disability, who led the and the wider public in the credibility including in regions outside their own. Election Assessment Mission to the of election observers’ assessments. 2024 United Kingdom Parliamentary ODIHR was among the first organiza- Another issue on the agenda was the Elections. tions to endorse the DoP and has been effort to make observation missions an active member ever since in what more inclusive of people with The DoP celebrates its 20th has become a vibrant community. disabilities, where ODIHR was able to anniversary in New York in 2025. Since share its own progress. Recognizing inception, it has grown from about One key concern raised at this that in order to be serious about 20 to more than 50 of the leading year’s meeting was the potential observing inclusion, organizations organizations from five continents.

Michał Algebra

2024 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation conference, Gdańsk, Poland, 20-22 November 2024

22  Michał Algebra Democratic echoes in Gdańsk

As organizers of this year’s DoP meeting, ODIHR choice of venue reflected ODIHR’s democratic values. It was held at the site of the Gdańsk shipyard in Poland, from where Lech Wałęsa put the Solidarity trade union movement in the 1980s on the path towards the first democratic elections in Poland after Communism, becoming president of Poland in 1990. Michał Algebra

Michał Algebra Former President Wałęsa opened the meeting, setting an inspirational tone for the rest of the event, while also warning of the current threats to democracy. In addition, the City of Gdansk hosted DoP participants in the city museum for a presentation by prizewinning British-Polish 2024 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation conference, photographer Chris Niedenthal, Gdańsk, Poland, 20-22 November 2024 who documented many key political moments in the region before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

As one participant put it It’s not every day that you get to meet both David Carroll Brizza Rosale a Nobel Peace Prize- Director of the Carter Center’s Executive Director, Asian winner and a World Elections Program and one of the Network for Free Elections Press Photo Prize-winner DoP’s founders (ANFREL) on the same day!” We are all working in Democratic backsliding is different places, regions and regrettably a growing trend, institutions, but we need so we need to hear also to communicate to ensure from the best practitioners we approach elections from across the globe on consistently. The challenges how international election to democracy are growing observation serves as a form stronger, and, as a community, of resilience building and we must meet them — ‘though an early warning system for it’s becoming more difficult.” potential backsliding.”

23  1.7 Enhancing criminal justice reform: Central Asia Criminal Justice Forum 2024

T he Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia is a biennial Organized in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner event that provides a platform for for Human Rights Regional Office for dialogue among criminal justice Central Asia (OHCHR), the United professionals and other stakeholders: Nations Office for Drugs and Crime judges, prosecutors, attorneys, in Central Asia (UNODC), the United representatives of penitentiary and Nations Development Programme probation institutions, civil society Hub for Regional for Europe and and international experts on good Central Asia (UNDP), the Legal Policy practices and human rights-compliant and Research Center (LPRC), and Madina Sarieva policies and reform initiatives in the Dignity Kazakhstan, and supported Head of the UNODC Regional Office field of criminal justice. This, the by the OSCE Programme Offices for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran ninth forum, took place in Astana, in Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe, and Pakistan Kazakhstan in November, bringing the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and together over 200 participants from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator Over the course of the Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, in Uzbekistan, the event enabled Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and an in-depth assessment of new Forum, we had the privilege Uzbekistan. developments in the criminal justice of engaging in meaningful system. discussions on a wide range Plenary sessions were held on the of issues, from legal reforms topic of women and justice as well The Ninth Forum underscored the and the promotion of fair trial as on digitalizing criminal justice importance of sustained dialogue and standards to the digitalization systems, which explored new aspects trust-building among stakeholders. and challenges such as the ethics One key takeaway was the need of criminal justice systems of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in for more inclusive participation, and the empowerment the criminal justice system, or the particularly from women and of female justice sector protection of human rights and data minority groups, whose voices are professionals. The Forum also protection when using AI in case often under-represented in justice gave us another opportunity management in criminal justice. reform processes. While experts to reflect on the benefits recognized the importance of merit- Participants focused on recent trends based recruitment in criminal justice of developing probation and ongoing reforms, changes to systems, they stressed the importance services and other non- criminal procedure in Central Asia, of continuing to implement measures custodial measures, as well and their impact specifically on the that ensure better gender balance and as to exchange experiences right to a fair trial and on criminal the representation of minorities. in developing programmes justice systems overall. Topics along for the rehabilitation and the entire criminal justice chain were The Criminal Justice Forum is an discussed, from arrest, through example of how collaborative action reintegration of offenders investigation and interrogation and can create lasting change, promoting into society.” the digitalization process in the justice systems that are fair, inclusive area of criminal justice, to court and accountable. This includes proceedings and alternatives to discussions on emergency situations, imprisonment. such as the COVID-19 pandemic or

24  the aftermath of the January 2022 protests, as well as the importance of clear legislation for such situations. While there have been a number of positive developments in the field of criminal justice in Central Asia in recent years, restrictions on fundamental rights have undermined reform efforts. The lack of guarantees Gulchehra Kholmatova Aslambek Mergaliyev to ensure the independence of the Defence lawyer and Director Chairman of the Supreme Court judiciary and fair trial rights remains of ‘The World of Law’, Tajikistan of Kazakhstan. among the main challenges to the effective functioning of criminal justice The Forum on Criminal Justice Kazakhstan strongly believes systems in the region. for Central Asian Countries in ensuring a balanced is a significant and necessary system, aimed at respecting ODIHR will continue to support Central platform for us human rights and protecting the rights Asian countries in implementing and defenders. At this Forum, we of everyone involved in the monitoring their commitments with learned about the reforms and process. In Kazakhstan, there regards to criminal justice reforms, with activities such as follow-up achievements in the criminal has been a steady decline over assessments, training sessions, justice system carried out by the last 30 years in the share roundtables and trial monitoring our neighbours. The exchange of those sentenced to actual activities. of contacts, study of successful imprisonment from 60 per experience and possible cent to 38 per cent, and the implementation of similar use of alternative measures to reforms in Tajikistan is one of imprisonment.” the important results of the Forum.” Valeriy Denisenko

Valeriy Denisenko Valeriy Denisenko

Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, Astana, Kazakhstan, 20–21 November 2024

25  1.8 Engaging male politicians on gender equality in politics

2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Conference parliamentarians (to 31.6 per cent) and many adopted ground-breaking of Women and the Beijing Platform gender equality laws. Some states set for Action, a foundational set of up stronger government ministries, international norms on women’s rights agencies and councils to lead on and gender equality. The Platform gender equality policy, and 26 OSCE for Action covers 12 critical areas participating States also introduced that are as relevant today as 30 years legally binding gender quotas, aimed ago: poverty; education and training; at reducing the over-representation of Miloš Đajić health; violence; armed conflict; men politicians and targeting gender- Academy of Women’s Leadership, economy; power and decision-making; balanced politics in the long run. In President of the Steering Board institutional mechanisms; human recent years, however, the OSCE rights; media; environment; and the region has witnessed stagnation in We have realized that we are girl child. For each area, there are progress on gender equality, together strategic objectives and a detailed list with backsliding in some cases and 95 years behind full equality of actions to be taken by governments, an emerging mobilization against between men and women. parliaments and other stakeholders, gender equality. Too often, political In order to ensure women at national, regional and international and elected offices are still seen as enjoy the same rights as men, level. positions for men, while advancing politics needs to be gender gender equality remains predominantly balanced.” Since 1995, the OSCE region has seen a ‘women’s issue’; left to women far-reaching developments towards the politicians to work on, often without full and equal participation of women any meaningful engagement by in politics and decision-making. For men. Male politicians remain in the example, OSCE States have tripled background, as silent sympathisers or the average number of female providing unseen support. OSCE/Zejd Kadric

OSCE/Zejd Kadric

Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

26  OSCE/Zejd Kadric Igor Jadrovski President of the National Equality Body, Skopje

The political education programmes for young male

OSCE/Zejd Kadric politicians have to be based on a human rights and gender equality approach. The lack of information about gender equality and related concepts, such as gender-responsive budgeting and gender- sensitive policies, results in misconceptions about gender equality in public discourse.”

Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

With the anniversary of the Beijing including ministers, deputy speakers Platform for Action, there is a strong of parliaments, chairs of parliamentary and growing sense that the world is committees for gender equality, other at a turning point for women’s rights; members of parliament, political party a recognition that achieving gender leaders, representatives of women equality, the empowerment of women and youth wings in political parties, and the protection of the human rights leaders of women’s movements and Sandra Pepera of women and girls should be an civil society, and representatives NDI Director for Gender, urgent and central task for all decision- of governmental bodies for gender Women and Democracy makers. To this end, ODIHR has begun equality. working with OSCE participating Engaging men in pushing States to engage male politicians in The event both facilitated a wide- for gender equality is key. gender equality. ODIHR’s assistance is ranging exchange of views and multi-layered and includes awareness practices and guided participants However, this must be done in raising and capacity building, as to commit to clearly defined full consultation with women’s well as strategic guidance to States follow-up action, demonstrating their movements. Gender equality is on concrete action and regional concrete support for the ‘Engaging not a zero-sum game; it is good exchanges. Men’ agenda and the need to make for all of us.” politics more gender-responsive. For example, ODIHR partnered with The event also inspired the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and representatives of the six OSCE Herzegovina to organize a two-day field operations in South-Eastern expert meeting on the role of male Europe to conduct further work politicians in promoting gender equal- on engaging male politicians. The ity in politics. Held in Sarajevo in discussions and conclusions of the June, it was the first event of its kind meeting will be published in 2025 and brought together 90 partici- as the ‘Sarajevo Tool’ and will be pants from South-Eastern Europe, the disseminated through workshops for United States, Türkiye and Denmark, OSCE participating States.

27  1.9 Strengthening NHRIs to address human rights challenges related to securitization

G

ODIHR/ENNHRI rowing securitization poses a major challenge to the protection of human rights across the OSCE region. Securitization is defined as a process by which the state categorizes certain developments or entities as a security problem, thus justifying the implementation of extraordinary measures nominally to protect the country and its citizens. This can have a significant negative impact on human rights, the rule of law and democracy, including reduced transparency and accountability, and excessive restrictions. In response, the focus of the annual NHRI Academy organized by ODIHR and the European Network of National Human Rights 2024 NHRI Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, 17-21 June 2024

Institutions (ENNHRI) in 2024 was rights mandates to counter security The National Human Rights strengthening the capacity of NHRIs measures that restrict human rights Institutions (NHRI) Academy to better address securitization issues and also how to address public is a flagship annual event with a direct impact on the promotion discourse that prioritizes security organized by ODIHR and the and protection of human rights. over rights. Participants also drafted European Network of National action plans for implementing different Human Rights Institutions The 2024 Academy brought together activities for their own NHRIs, in order (ENNHRI). It brings together staff members from 23 NHRIs across to put into practice what they had senior- and mid-level staff the OSCE region in Bratislava, learnt. from NHRIs across the Slovakia. They learnt about the theory OSCE region for tailored and of securitization, what it means in During an online follow-up meeting, practical training on how to the context of states of emergency, Academy participants reported back address particular challenges migration, use of technology, anti- on their plans and their progress that NHRIs face in their work. terrorism and policing, and the in implementation. Some NHRIs This week-long event for the resultant restrictions for human rights said they were actively challenging professional development of and civic space. securitization through legislation staff at NHRIs also supports in their countries. Others were the exchange of good During the five-day course, considering adding a discussion of practices and professional participants shared experiences, securitization to their annual reports, networking between NHRIs in case studies and best practices, and while others had started sharing their the OSCE region to improve discussed how to address the risks new knowledge of securitization synergies and cooperation. and challenges of securitization. They among their NHRI colleagues as well explored ways to use their human as schools and other audiences.

28  ODIHR/ENNHRI ODIHR/ENNHRI Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

2024 NHRI Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, 17-21 June 2024

A selection of the feedback An excellent opportunity Really thought-provoking and from representatives of the to learn from and with inspiring sessions, with great NHRIs of Bulgaria, Finland, peers, along with very well- trainers. The topic has a lot Northern Ireland and structured input from of crossovers with our work/ Portugal who participated in the 2024 NHRI Academy international experts.” mandate and will be useful going forward.”

The sessions were an excellent The Academy represents combination of theory, an excellent and unique exercises and discussions. The opportunity to discuss issues Academy as a whole managed of common interest to NHRIs, to create a wonderful arena in an environment of open for sharing and learning, debate, to learn more about during the lessons and also what each NHRI does, to share outside of them.” experiences and networking.”

29  1.10 Using gender audits to help political parties deliver on gender equality

D espite considerable progress in the last 30 years, the OSCE region parties assess their progress towards gender equality. is far from reaching gender parity (50/50), a target set by the United Gender audits are one of many tools Nations’ CEDAW committee, and that can help participating States data from the last five years clearly and their democratic institutions shows a slowdown in the growth of — including political parties — women’s representation. In fact, the implement their commitments representation of women in national on gender mainstreaming in Adnan Kadribašić parliaments in the OSCE region practice. As tools for institutional International Gender Audits Expert reached 31.6 per cent by the end of transformation, they assess and 2024, an increase of just 0.1 per cent evaluate how well gender equality on the year before. Men continue to is already institutionalized within Like many of us, I thought be significantly over-represented in an organization, including in their the solution to women’s all major legislative and executive policies, programmes, projects, under-representation lies bodies, especially in the position of structures, proceedings and budgets. in election laws and gender party leaders, parliamentary speakers, The goal of gender audits is to quotas, but we have hit the heads of governments, heads of state support change, helping institutions ceiling on increasing women’s and mayors. to move away from directly or indirectly discriminatory practices and participation. Despite this, Political parties are sometimes called rules and towards a framework and there is still an appetite the ‘secret gardens of politics’; what environment that supports genuine within political parties to happens within political parties can gender equality. work towards greater gender have a huge impact on women’s equality. Political parties want political participation. It is parties that ODIHR carried out gender audits for to become places where gender nominate candidates to be elected as five parliamentary political parties in representatives and decision-makers. 2024, finalizing projects with political equality policy is developed This is why political parties play such parties in Denmark and working in and further advocated. a vital role in ensuring that a country’s Montenegro, in cooperation with the Gender audits have helped in governance framework is gender OSCE mission there. The gender this transformation.” responsive and follows good practice. audits provided the political parties Recognizing this, OSCE participating with targeted recommendations, States have committed to encouraging specific to their ideological profile, political parties to promote the equal size, resources, internal structure participation of women and men as a and leadership commitment. They means to achieve gender balance in also enabled the parties to look elected office at all levels of decision- beyond established tools and aim making. ODIHR is specifically tasked at institutionalizing gender equality with assisting participating States in across party bodies, policies and promoting women’s participation in decision-making. Based on ODIHR’s political and public life, and provides audit, one political party established direct and targeted support to an internal gender equality committee, parliamentary political parties. This an expert body tasked to lead internal includes gender audits to help political gender equality reforms.

30  OSCE/Maria Kökce

Edita Miftari OSCE/Maria Kökce

ODIHR’s Intensive Course for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans, Warsaw, Poland, 27-29 February 2024

Transforming political parties from within — Gender audits and action plans

ODIHR’s revised gender audit methodology

In the last decade, ODIHR has supported more than 45 political parties in 11 OSCE participating States in conducting gender audits and developing party-specific gender equality action plans, as well as publishing numerous guides, manuals and toolkits on gender equality. Using the lessons learned from its work with political parties, ODIHR has constantly revised and refined its methodology and has published it for the first time as part of its Valentina Minić new Gender-responsive Governance Toolkit. President of the Women’s Forum, ‘Democrats’ party, Montenegro The revised gender audit methodology for political parties covers three assessment areas: We are grateful for the • Gender-balanced representation support provided, which has • Vision and policy not only made the Women’s • Organizational culture Forum the focus of attention but also pointed out the The new methodology was launched in December 2024, importance of some activities, with the participation of 119 members of parliament, party leaders and representatives of international and like the need to develop a civil society organizations who work with political parties Gender Equality Action Plan all around the world. ODIHR’s work on gender audits and Code of Conduct and set was also presented to the Council of Europe’s Gender up a gender equality Equality Commission and the Council of Europe’s advisory body.” Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and to members of parliament and representatives of governmental bodies for gender equality from 45 states that are also part of the OSCE.

31  Recognizing ODIHR’s role as a knowledge hub and the need to share that knowledge with others who can bring ODIHR’s gender audit methodology to a wider audience, the Office ran an intensive course for 20 future gender audit facilitators from a broad geographical spread of 15 OSCE states, from the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan. Over four months, participants were trained on how to prepare and carry out a gender audit of a political party, and on how to Laura Simonyan prepare recommendations for follow-up action Programme Manager for Women’s that balances ambitious goals with technical Empowerment, National Democratic Institute feasibility. The participants are already applying (NDI) Armenia Office their new skills, either within individual parties or to run gender audits for multiple parties as, ODIHR’s unique training on gender for example, the National Democratic Institute in audits was very hands-on, concrete and Ukraine is doing. practical. It will help me to contribute to the institutional transformation of political parties in Armenia, supporting them to improve women’s political participation.”

Edita Miftari

ODIHR’s Intensive Course for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans, Warsaw, Poland, 27-29 February 2024

32  1.11 Inspiring young professionals to advance political participation

E ngaging young people in politics is vital for strengthening young Polish parliamentarians. This encouraged participants to think democratic institutions, fostering beyond their immediate experiences good governance and ensuring and envision strategies to reshape inclusive, gender-sensitive policies. politics in their home countries. The However, across the OSCE region, course content prioritized inclusivity, young people face many barriers addressing key topics such as gender to meaningful participation. These mainstreaming. include limited access to decision- making processes, a lack of practical Participants developed four advocacy Victor Pruteanu skills, and insufficient opportunities to initiatives to address critical issues: a participant from Moldova. connect with their peers and mentors promoting digital literacy; raising ‘Unity through diversity’ is not in other countries. Addressing these awareness about political activism; challenges is essential to building labour rights for youth; and increasing just a slogan; it’s a belief we resilient, accountable democratic ability at local level to cooperate on all share. The advocacy and institutions that reflect the voices and initiatives related to EU accession. negotiation skills I learned needs of all members of society. were invaluable, helping me By creating a space for collaboration immediately in organizing the In response to these challenges, and learning, the school not only setting up of local structures ODIHR, in partnership with the strengthens the capacity of young Friedrich Ebert Foundation, organizes political activists, but also lays for my political party. The the School on Politics, Leadership and the foundation for more inclusive, people I met, and their Advocacy to equip young people with democratic governance across the commitment, strengthened the tools they need to lead change. OSCE region. At the same time, it my view that we can and The 2024 edition brought together 24 fostered lasting personal connections must create positive change young political party representatives, among participants from diverse together.” local election candidates and youth cultural and regional backgrounds. activists from the European Union’s Eastern Partnership and several EU Piotr Dziubak

countries — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania.

During the training, participants developed practical skills and collaborated to create ideas for enhancing youth political participation. Through a combination of expert-led lectures and workshops, participants learned about leadership, advocacy campaigning, negotiation and policy analysis.

A study visit to the Parliament of Poland (Sejm) gave participants the opportunity to engage directly with School on Politics, Leadership and Advocacy, Warsaw, Poland, 18-22 November 2024

33  1.12 Strengthening electoral reforms in the Western Balkans

Magdalena Starowieyska

Ivana Savic Social Media Coordinator at the Center for Research, Transparency Regional event in Warsaw, Poland, 21–22 February 2024 and Accountability, Serbia and participant of the regional conference Informing and Engaging Voters /

I A Regional Perspective on How to Increase Voter Turnout in Warsaw, 17–18 December 2024 n 2024, ODIHR continued to parliament, to the Central Election Regional exchanges in the support institutions and civil society Commissions of Albania and of in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing Western Balkans are essential North Macedonia, Montenegro by-laws, to the Republic Electoral for strengthening electoral and Serbia, as well as Kosovo* to Commission of Serbia in adopting integrity and fostering mutual implement election recommendations a voter education programme for learning. By sharing best through its Support to Electoral the period 2024-2026, and to the practices, lessons learned Reforms in the Western Balkans Kosovo Central Election Commission and innovative strategies, we project. While the 2020-2024 iteration on discussing the introduction of the project (initially funded by the of electronic voter lists, voter collectively fortify inclusive, EU and the Austrian Development identification systems and an electoral transparent and accountable Agency) has come to a close, ODIHR training centre. electoral processes. This was able to extend the project through collaboration amplifies our the support of Germany and Norway. The project supports local and impact and also ensures that international partners to strengthen elections credibly reflect Highlights of ODIHR’s work in 2024 the integrity and effectiveness of include support to the electoral legal electoral processes. Efforts focus on the people’s will, paving the reform committee in the Serbian enhancing the capacity of election way for stronger democratic institutions.” * There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

34  Filip Roganovic

Filip Roganovic Regional event in Podgorica, Montenegro, 14-15 May 2024

management bodies to administer also organized a number of topical elections with efficiency, impartiality workshops and regional events, with and transparency. Emphasis is also almost 500 participants in total. These placed on increasing the accuracy of platforms helped an exchange of best voter lists and registration processes practices across the region, supported through improved coordination by over 500 working days and 28 visits with population registers and by by external experts. enabling public scrutiny. Increasing the knowledge and capacity of Through collaboration with nearly media regulation bodies to oversee 150 institutions and civil society media conduct during elections is organizations, the project has made also a key area of support, fostering a significant impact, strengthening a pluralistic and fair campaign the capacity of election management environment. The initiative also bodies and other institutions and aims to improve campaign rules advancing much-needed electoral and practices, ensuring that parties reform across the Western Balkans and candidates can freely present region. By promoting transparency, their views without fear of state inclusivity and accountability, ODIHR interference, violence or intimidation, continues to build public trust in while promoting transparency through democratic institutions and the rule transparent campaign finance rules of law. and practices. Lastly, efforts are directed at improving the capacity and As part of the project, ODIHR has independence of electoral dispute conducted pioneering audits on the resolution bodies, including election electoral participation of persons management bodies and courts, to with disabilities and the election adjudicate disputes effectively, thereby administration in North Macedonia, reinforcing electoral integrity, public as well as gender audits of the confidence and the rule of law. election administration in Albania and Montenegro. This work led to So far, the project has produced the publication, this year, of ODIHR’s over 60 expert papers (comparative Election Administration Gender Audit analyses and legal comments) aimed — a Toolkit, providing guidance on particularly at parliamentary working assessing the gender-responsiveness groups, election management of election administrations across bodies, media and campaign finance OSCE participating States and regulators, as well as partners from beyond. all beneficiaries. In collaboration with local OSCE field offices, ODIHR has

35  1.13 Encouraging youth political participation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nezim Alagić Nezim Alagic Member of the Narod i Pravda (NiP) Youth Forum, Bosnia and Herzegovina

While there has been a decline in the proportion of youth holding politically critical positions, their activism remains the driving force Consultative Meeting on the Methodology for Conducting Youth Assessments within behind more than half of the Political Parties, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14–15 December 2024 party’s electoral successes.”

Y oung people face significant barriers to meaningful political assessments as a foundation to enhance youth participation and for assessing youth engagement, such as formal mechanisms and informal involvement across the OSCE region. address challenges effectively. practices that enable or hinder youth These include limited opportunities participation. The two-day event for structured participation, lack A consultative meeting in December included interactive discussions, of recognition within political in Sarajevo brought together the networking sessions and focus-group party frameworks and insufficient presidents of youth forums and work. Participants identified a number mechanisms to allow them to young politicians who had previously of critical challenges common to all influence policies. taken part in OSCE capacity-building youth representatives from across the programmes. The participants came political spectrum, such as the limited Recognizing these challenges, from ten different political parties space for youth in decision-making ODIHR and the OSCE Mission to operating within the Parliamentary roles. Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched an Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, initiative to develop a Methodology the Parliament of the Federation This initiative illustrates the for Conducting Youth Assessments of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), commitment of the OSCE and ODIHR within Political Parties. This is the National Assembly of Republika to foster youth-inclusive democratic designed to provide a structured Srpska (RS) and at the cantonal level. governance. By engaging young framework for assessing youth political actors as partners in this political participation within party The goal of the meeting was to process, ODIHR and the Mission are structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ensure that the direct experiences laying the foundations for sustainable and identify gaps and barriers and insights of young political actors and effective participation by young that hinder such engagement. fed into the methodology. The people in politics in Bosnia and Political parties can then use these participants explored areas essential Herzegovina and beyond.

36

PART II

Supporting civil society to strengthen democracy and guarantee human rights and security Civil society plays a critical role in ensuring that human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy are respected across all 57 participating States of the OSCE. ODIHR acts as a bridge between national authorities and civil society organizations to ensure increased respect for human rights and strengthen the security of the OSCE region. The stories below highlight ODIHR’s work on preventing and addressing human rights abuses, from innovative tools for human rights defenders to protecting the rights of people in detention.  2.1 Building solidarity among human rights defenders at international borders

Piotr Dziubak

Piotr Dziubak Exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities, a training course for human rights defenders working at international borders in the Northern Mediterranean region, Warsaw, Poland, 4-6 December 2024

H uman rights defenders play a vital role in protecting the countries. A series of regional training events strengthened their expertise rights of migrants and refugees in addressing the human rights crossing international borders. implications of emerging technologies Their work promotes the rule of law in migration and border management. and accountability in migration and For smaller grassroots organizations, border management. At a time when ODIHR training addressed critical gaps the protection of human rights is in knowledge and provided concrete Marc Tilley increasingly under strain, their efforts tools to strengthen their efforts. Mission Lifeline, Search and Rescue ensure that states uphold the dignified treatment of all individuals, as required The training courses also addressed ODIHR’s training captured the by national legal frameworks, OSCE the challenges posed by the growing need for greater awareness commitments and international law. trend towards criminalizing migrants, Partnerships between states and civil refugees and humanitarian actors and resilience amongst society organizations, which often protecting their rights. In addition, human rights defenders who serve as first responders, are essential ODIHR introduced tailored training on face criminalization. It was to safeguarding these principles and trial monitoring of migration-related a useful source of connections, supporting the fundamental right to cases, enabling them to document and standards and tools that I can seek asylum. challenge these practices effectively. take forward for my own In 2024, ODIHR provided targeted Beyond the technical skills, there was work as well as to support support to 156 human rights also a focus on personal security people on the move who face defenders working in more than 30 and well-being, recognizing that the criminalization.”

38 sustainability of defenders’ work hinges on their ability to remain safe and resilient. A key feature of each course was the emphasis on collaboration and solidarity. By fostering a growing sense of community among participating human rights defenders, ODIHR’s events help to create lasting Quitterie Pinton András Léderer connections that can be a vital extra Head of Advocacy, Hungarian Helsinki Human Rights Legal Project, Greece. line of support in an increasingly Committee and core trainer challenging environment. Human rights defenders We are a small grassroots The impact of these initiatives has been significant. ODIHR’s sustained working on complex issues legal aid organization, based engagement provided a space for such as migration often feel on the island of Samos. We them to share their experiences, alone. ODIHR’s training series defend the fundamental rights build mutual support networks not only provided important of people on the move and seek and adapt their responses to the skills and inspiration to carry accountability for human evolving challenges. Participants out this work more effectively rights violations at the border. reported increased confidence and effectiveness in their work, as well as and professionally, but also Thanks to the training on an enduring sense of solidarity. created a sense of belonging new technologies and human that remains with all of us, rights, we learned about trainers and participants new ways to gather evidence alike. Being a trainer for to strengthen our litigation these sessions has been a efforts.” highlight of my past two years, both professionally and personally.”

OSCE/Veronica Grazzi

Exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities, a training course for human rights defenders working at international borders in the Northern Mediterranean region, Warsaw, Poland, 4-6 December 2024

39  2.2 Starlight Stadium, innovative educational tool for human rights defenders

OSCE/Christina Kelly

OSCE/Christina Kelly Human Rights Monitoring training using Starlight Stadium as a Starlight Stadium testing session with students of the Masters training tool, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 22 May 2024 Programme in Human Rights and Sustainability in Central Asia (MAHRS), OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 7 December 2023

I n October 2024, ODIHR launched Starlight Stadium, an online rights monitoring principles and work to ensure that their actions are safe educational game for human rights and secure. defenders (HRDs). Developed as a gamification of ODIHR’s well- To ensure its accuracy and relevance, established Human Rights Monitoring, ODIHR developed the game in close Safety and Security curriculum, consultation with human rights and Starlight Stadium aims to make this educational experts working across monitoring methodology more widely the region through frequent in-depth accessible to defenders working consultations and workshops. across the region. Throughout development, the game and its content were tested with more Split into four episodes, players join than 250 human rights defenders, a fictional human rights monitoring students and professionals, and their organization and follow the steps feedback was incorporated to make Feedback from a game of the monitoring cycle through a the game more usable, entertaining tester, May 2024 fictional case study. In Episode 1, and faithful to the lived experiences of players learn to conduct an Initial the testers. My understanding of human Assessment of the Human Rights Problem, before moving on to As defenders working in Ukrainian – rights monitoring principles Information Gathering in Episode 2. and Russian-speaking communities has improved during the Episode 3 covers Verification, Analysis face increasing barriers to accessing game. Some activities that and Report Writing, before the findings in-person training or appropriate are part of our everyday and report are used in Episode 4 to online resources, ODIHR translated work were presented from a conduct an Advocacy campaign. and localized Starlight Stadium into different angle, giving us a Throughout each episode, players Ukrainian and Russian. This provides learn about the application of human defenders working in these languages new perspective.”

40 with online, remote, free, self-paced educational resources to enhance their human rights monitoring abilities. Feedback from a game Feedback from a game tester, May 2024 tester, October 2024 Beyond the direct relevance of the game to human rights defenders, The game offered a completely Starlight Stadium presents the consultations with students and educators have highlighted how the different approach to human a unique and valuable game can be valuable in educational rights training since it focused approach to human rights contexts, helping users learn about on practical learning, with education with several the important work that HRDs visual effects providing better strengths, particularly in undertake, to simulate what working and faster learning.” its interactivity, teamwork, as a HRD could entail, and to reinforce what they learn in theory by working interactive experience [and] through the case study in the game. educational value.” ODIHR’s increased connections with educators has led to the development of supplementary materials to facilitate Feedback from a game the use of the game in classroom/ tester, October 2024 training settings. I found this training approach Feedback from a Russian- Launched on FreedomLab, ODIHR’s engaging! Using interactive language game tester, online platform for human rights November 2024 techniques as a learning tool defenders, the game has already had really captures attention and over 2,000 page visits. This highlights As an educator, I am excited to keeps participants involved. the clear demand for such a resource, use the game in my activities. I think that incorporating and the powerful potential it has to I am sure it will contribute to build capacity and foster connections real-world scenarios and spark discussions we don’t within civil society. active participants makes it always cover. What a great easier to stay focused and way to learn!” absorb information more effectively.” Piotr Dziubak

Piotr Dziubak

Launch of Starlight Stadium educational tool for human rights defenders, Warsaw, Poland, 3 October 2024

41  2.3 Training human rights defenders on monitoring freedom of peaceful assembly

OSCE/Maria Kökce Ava ila Engl ble in ish Russ and ian

INDEPENDENT MONITORING OF FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

ONLINE COURSE

For human rights defenders, national human rights institutions and civil society activists.

Learn how to observe peaceful assemblies and assess if they are facilitated in a human rights- compliant way.

Available now at FreedomLab.io

Launch event of the e-learning course during the annual meeting of the ODIHR CSO freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring network, Warsaw, Poland, 22-23 March 2024

T he right to freedom of peaceful assembly protects the many ways States and has published six reports highlighting trends, challenges and human rights institutions and activists to enhance their skills in monitoring in which people gather together in positive practices related to the peaceful assemblies and to assess public. It has been recognized as one enjoyment of freedom of peaceful whether they are facilitated in a human of the foundations of a democratic, assembly. A key part of this work is to rights-compliant way. tolerant and pluralist society in which train human rights defenders, national individuals and groups with different human rights institutions, civil society The Independent Monitoring of backgrounds and beliefs can interact activists and OSCE staff on how to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly peacefully with one another. The right monitor assemblies using ODIHR’s course was launched in March and to freedom of peaceful assembly well-established methodology. is available on FreedomLab, ODIHR’s can also help give voice to minority online platform for human rights opinions and bring visibility to under- The growing demand for ODIHR’s defenders. Available in English and represented groups and is one of the assembly monitoring training Russian, the course fills a gap in online fundamental freedoms on which all highlighted a need for an innovative resources on peaceful assembly democracies are based. approach, particularly as opportunities monitoring. The course is used both for in-person training became severely by people who are already actively ODIHR has been monitoring the limited during the COVID 19 pandemic. engaged and wish to deepen their freedom of peaceful assembly In response, ODIHR developed a self- knowledge as well as by those who across the OSCE region since 2011. paced, e-learning course, providing are new to assembly monitoring. To date, ODIHR has observed 143 the first online platform that enables public assemblies in 35 participating human rights defenders, national

42 The course content is divided A selection of feedback from different users in 2024 into eight modules, with each module containing video lectures, additional resources and quizzes, to make the learning interactive. Eighteen trainers from across the OSCE region This well-structured course The course provides excellent contributed to the video content, helps even experienced examples from real, lived including experts on the right to monitors to refine their experience and not just freedom of peaceful assembly, approach and — perhaps more theory, so that is great! human rights-compliant policing of You can tell from who the importantly — to stand their assemblies and the use of force in line ground by reminding us that speakers are that they have with international standards. Monitors from different regions also shared their the monitoring of assemblies lots of different experiences in practical experiences through video is an internationally different countries.” testimonies. established practice and a civil right.” Since its launch, the e-course has been widely accessed, and many civil society organizations have included This e-learning course […] it as a mandatory element of their has been instrumental in own assembly monitoring training The course provides a deepening my understanding programmes. Users have praised the thorough understanding of of human rights advocacy. course for its depth, practicality and the principles, mechanisms Its immersive experience, with relevance. and challenges associated captivating video lectures, This positive response reflects the with monitoring the freedom a wealth of materials, growing demand for tech-enabled of peaceful assembly. It covers practical exercises and tools in human rights education, a wide range of topics such engaging quizzes, truly sets it as well as highlighting ODIHR’s as legal frameworks, data apart. A vital asset for human commitment to supporting human collection.” rights monitoring!” rights defenders with practical and innovative solutions.

OSCE/Maria Kökce

Labour day, Paris, France, 1 May 2022

43  2.4 Training detention monitors to protect human rights while preventing terrorist radicalization in prisons

P reventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization monitoring. The training draws on the practical tool, Protecting Human leading to terrorism (VERLT) in Rights in Prisons while Preventing prisons has gained attention at the Radicalization Leading to Terrorism international, regional and national or Violence: A Guide for Detention levels, with OSCE participating States Monitors, published jointly by ODIHR increasingly focusing on security and Penal Reform International measures to manage (suspected) (PRI), and aims to increase scrutiny violent extremist prisoners and of measures that states take to prevent the spread of violent manage (suspected) violent extremist extremism in prisons. At the same prisoners and to prevent and counter time, the management of these the spread of VERLT in prisons, Raoul Nolen prisoners, as well as the design thus strengthening human rights Director of Programme Development, and availability of rehabilitation and protection in prisons and reducing the Penal Reform International reintegration measures for them, risk of VERLT. has a significant impact on their It is great to see our joint human rights. Prisoners’ concerns Due to strong interest in this emerging guide come to life and and complaints about human rights topic, in 2024 ODIHR trained 53 violations and poor prison conditions detention monitors from 14 jurisdictions spark so many valuable can fuel violent radicalization and across the OSCE region, including discussions during this the spread of VERLT, a potential practitioners from National Human training. It is very important consequence recognized at the Rights Institutions, National Preventive to continue engaging civil international level and in the OSCE’s Mechanisms under the Optional society organizations, comprehensive concept of security. Protocol to the Convention against national torture prevention Torture, civil society organizations and While international and national actors lawyers. In order to reach a range of mechanisms, lawyers and have stepped up efforts on a range of countries and language groups, ODIHR other stakeholders in learning related issues and capacity-building organized two regional training courses and sharing practical, initiatives — primarily for prison in South Eastern Europe and a third for first-hand knowledge and authorities on how to identify and other selected European countries. A experience on monitoring tackle violent extremism in prisons similar course was held in Central Asia human rights in prisons while — ODIHR found that independent in 2023. scrutiny of human rights compliance preventing radicalization in preventing and combating VERLT in Using an interactive methodology and leading to terrorism and prisons is often still underdeveloped. case studies, participants learned violence.” about the relevance to their work of The Office therefore created a tailored terrorism and VERLT and the main training course for independent human rights risk areas in detention detention monitors based on its settings. The regional courses also mandate to provide technical facilitated the sharing of experiences assistance and advice on two core and good practices among detention areas of ODIHR’s human rights monitors from selected participating work: counter-terrorism and torture States on how to address human prevention/preventive detention rights challenges in their work.

44  OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian Erinda Bllaca Executive Director, Institute for Activism and Social Change

A better understanding of the specific human rights issues OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian

OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian enables detention monitors to raise key questions with prison authorities in the course of their work, and this is what ODIHR’s training helps us to achieve.”

Feedback from a course OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian

participant

The training was very useful, as these two days helped me realize what needs to be considered when monitoring a specific environment and population. The principles remain the same; only the specifics need to be identified.”

Detention monitor training in Skopje, North Macedonia, 26-27 March 2024, in Warsaw, Poland, 2-3 July 2024, and in Belgrade, Serbia, 4-5 December 2024

Participants of the three regional and combating VERLT in prisons. In courses reported that they had addition to the launch of the ODIHR/ substantially improved their PRI Guidance Tool (2021) and regional knowledge and skills on the subject. conferences in Central Asia (2022) They also noted that a deeper and South Eastern Europe (2023), understanding of possible human in 2024 ODIHR organized a webinar rights violations in this context to accompany the publication of the prompted them to pay more attention French translation of the tool. All to aspects they had not previously of these events aimed to promote considered. dialogue between policymakers, practitioners and detention monitors The training course is one element and to raise awareness about the of a multi-year project to increase importance of independent detention oversight, improving protection of monitoring in this field. Participants the rights of people deprived of their in these events requested additional liberty while effectively preventing training for detention monitors.

45  2.5 Ensuring respect for the human rights of Roma and Sinti

Delfin Łakatosz Alba Hernández Sánchez co-founder of the Romnja Feminist Library and co-founder of the Feminist Collective of Romani Gender Experts

R acism and discrimination against Roma and Sinti communities brought together Roma civil society organizations and human rights Revitalizing human rights monitoring and advocacy with Roma civil society continue across the OSCE area. They activists to validate the research organizations is essential take various forms: hate incidents findings, share best practices and for addressing the persistent and hate crimes; anti-Roma rhetoric; jointly develop actionable strategies. inequalities and injustices human rights violations; and racist faced by Roma communities. and discriminatory behaviour and The research highlighted the increasing practices. These marginalize Roma neglect of work to counter human We must incorporate an and Sinti people, preventing their rights violations against Roma and intersectional and gender- full participation in society. These Sinti communities and provided clear responsive lens in this work challenges are exacerbated by the recommendations to improve the to address overlapping forms shrinking space for civil society situation. Key takeaways included the of inequality and exclusion organizations, with many such need for greater use of international within Roma communities, organizations changing the scope human rights mechanisms, better of their work or ceasing to exist engagement with national human ensuring that diverse lived altogether over the last decade, rights institutions and national experiences and challenges leaving critical gaps in the ability to equality bodies, and the importance are not overlooked, paving address human rights violations. of including intersectional and gender the way for truly inclusive perspectives in human rights work for progress. However, these In response, in 2024 ODIHR carried Roma and Sinti. It is clear that Roma efforts require institutional out a comprehensive analysis of past civil society requires adequate funding and current trends in human rights and a holistic approach that addresses support and sustained funding work and considered ways in which structural barriers, fosters capacity to be effective. Without this, human rights work can be revitalized building and nurtures community the transformative potential for Roma and Sinti civil society. This leadership. Another valuable insight of Roma-led initiatives included extensive desk research, is the need for civil society to adapt remains limited, despite surveys of Roma and Sinti human to emerging challenges and trends, the critical role they play in rights organizations and interviews such as the rise of AI and digital with Roma and Sinti human rights technologies. The full results of this advancing justice and equality experts, culminating in an expert research project and recommendations in the OSCE area.” workshop in November. The workshop will be published in 2025.

46  2.6 Improving detention monitoring to effectively prevent and address sexual violence in places of detention

OSCE

Nataša Tanjević Deputy Protector of Citizens, Serbia

We used ODIHR’s guidance to create structured interview questions for the monitoring visits. During our visits Training course on Integrating the Issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention we now use the knowledge Monitoring, Belgrade, Serbia, 25-27 March 2024 we acquired during the

S training and pay special attention to the composition exual and gender-based risk factors, detect misconduct and of the monitoring teams and violence (SGBV) in places of make recommendations on how to preparation for conducting deprivation of liberty is an extreme tackle this form of violence. interviews with people form of discrimination and a serious deprived of liberty who are at human rights violation, which In March, ODIHR delivered a three- greater risk of SGBV.” continues to be under-reported, day training course in Belgrade on under-researched and largely preventing and addressing SGBV in neglected. Promoting gender equality places of detention for national human and protecting the human rights of rights bodies and civil society. As in Shutterstock/withGod

individuals in places of deprivation many other OSCE countries, SGBV of liberty is crucial to preventing remains under-reported in Serbia, due SGBV. Civil society organizations, to factors including social stigma, fear national human rights institutions, of retaliation, or inadequate support ombudsperson institutions and mechanisms for survivors. national preventive mechanisms — which all work to prevent the torture During the training, which was led by and other ill-treatment of people two international experts, participants deprived of their liberty — play a key deepened their understanding of role in detecting instances of SGBV. As SGBV and examined best practices independent external monitors they for detention monitoring and reporting visit places of detention and identify to effectively address the particular

47 risks and challenges associated with monitoring SGBV in places of ODIHR’s guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender detention. Participants ended the based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, available in English, training by creating their own action Russian, Polish, Tajik and Uzbek, is the first comprehensive policy plans for systematically including guidance at the international level on information and practices related SGBV in their detention monitoring to the prevention of SGBV in the OSCE region and beyond. work. Drawing on this publication, ODIHR published its Guidance Note for During a follow-up seminar in the Oversight Mechanisms on how to integrate this issue in their detention autumn, participants reported that monitoring work. This is available in English, Russian, Serbian, Bosnian their monitoring had significantly and Croatian. improved. Despite challenges, such as a shortage of specialists or medical At the request of penitentiary staff from Uzbekistan, this year ODIHR staff and high workload, the team produced its Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and of the Protector of Citizens (which Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, summarizing performs the tasks of the National the key issues and actions to be taken by penitentiary staff. This is Preventive Mechanism) succeeded currently available in English, Russian and Polish. in developing practical solutions to strengthen their detention monitoring. Through ODIHR’s training, monitors gained the confidence and skills to proactively identify and address SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty.

Shutterstock/txking

48

PART III

Fostering accessible, equal and inclusive societies free from discrimination and marginalization ODIHR works tirelessly on promoting equal, inclusive societies, free from discrimination, in every part of the OSCE region. Working closely with national authorities, educators, young people and civil society organizations, ODIHR provides resources, tools and training to counter discrimination and foster inclusion at all levels of society. This year’s impact stories highlight the Office’s activities in this area, including hate crime prosecution, migrant integration and support for Roma civil society in Ukraine.  3.1 Strengthening social cohesion through migrant and refugee integration in Polish cities

P olish cities have been on the frontline of the Ukrainian refugee crisis initiative reflects OSCE commitments to the protection of human rights and since 2022, when the invasion by the the integration of migrants as part of Russian Federation forced millions to broader efforts to promote inclusive, flee. Local administrations have played cohesive societies. a crucial role in facilitating socio- economic inclusion while addressing Altogether, the Academy delivered persistent challenges. ten tailored training courses over 18 months to 146 participants from 13 Tomasz Fijołek A joint project to support the Polish cities and towns. The Academy Director of Legislation of the Union integration of migrants and refugees strengthened the skills of local of Polish Metropolises in Poland has demonstrated the practitioners in supporting migrants power of collaboration in addressing and refugees, while encouraging We are grateful to all our one of society’s most pressing collaboration and knowledge-sharing challenges. Coordinated by ODIHR, across Polish cities. The courses partners, and of course the the Academy on the Integration of covered a range of topics critical participants. The knowledge Migrants and Refugees in Polish to successful integration, including gained will be useful Cities brought the Office together with fostering intercultural competence, both professionally and the Council of Europe’s Intercultural countering misinformation, personally.” Cities Programme, the UN Refugee strengthening inclusive Agency (UNHCR), the Organisation communication, addressing gender- for Economic Co-operation and based violence and building effective Development (OECD) and the Union of multi-stakeholder partnerships. Polish Metropolises. This inter-agency OSCE/Maria Kökce

Magdalena Furdzik Municipality of Kraków

Polish cities have much to share: they have the potential and experience to create open and empathetic communities. At this seminar, we talked about what worked and what didn’t, and how to best continue working towards intercultural dialogue. Training on good practices in migrant integration for Polish cities, part II, Warsaw, We inspire each other.” Poland, 7 November 2023

50  Karolina Opechowska Closing event of the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish Cities, Warsaw, Poland, 27 November 2024

The Academy’s collaborative approach, combining the expertise of international partners with the Union of Polish Metropolises’ local coordination, proved highly effective. Inspired by its success, plans are underway to replicate the project in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania over the next two years, showcasing Albert Miściorak Klaudia Tomczak-Łątkowska good practices from Polish cities and Coordinator, Wrocław Centre for Municipality of Poznań adapting lessons learned to support Social Development, City of Wrocław migrant and refugee integration in the I’ve taken part in all three Baltic states. Migrant integration is a ODIHR training courses Through this initiative, Polish cities challenge for cities, that’s for to exchange experiences have been empowered to meet sure. One of my big takeaways with colleagues from other integration challenges head-on, from this training is the cities and learn about good ensuring that migrants and refugees different ways towns and practices elsewhere. One of can contribute meaningfully to their cities are greeting the new the ideas that inspired me new communities while fostering members of their community. was the welcome pack for social cohesion and mitigating tensions. The Academy stands as an This kind of symbolic gesture new arrivals, which we will example of the power of international is very important to make the certainly try to implement collaboration and local action in newcomers feel welcome.” in Poznań. I would also like building inclusive societies. to strengthen intercultural exchanges in our city and conduct new training for city officials about how to make the most of cultural diversity.”

51  3.2 Expert guidance and training for building a legal case against hate crime

Micky Kroell Launch of the ODIHR Prosecutor’s Guide, Vienna, Austria, 14 November 2024

S trong hate crime laws help protect our rights and address the In 2024, ODIHR collated its extensive expertise into a tool for prosecuting harm done when those rights are hate crimes, entitled Hate Crime violated. However, when concepts prosecution at the Intersection of Hate Kalliopi Theologitou such as hate crime, ‘hate speech’ Crime and Criminalized Hate Speech: Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Court or discrimination are confused or a Practical Guide. of Appeal of Athens, Greece. misunderstood, prosecutors may select the wrong charge, depriving victims Drawing on examples from across Congratulations on the and entire communities from receiving the OSCE region, the guide assists development of the guide for much-needed protection and support. prosecutors in selecting the correct prosecutors; I will share this charge by crystallizing the questions Over the past 20 years, ODIHR has they should ask themselves in the much-needed tool with all worked closely with prosecutors, form of a decision tree. The guide also prosecutors working on hate police, policymakers, legislators, presents strategies for effective hate crime in my country and will civil society actors and others to crime prosecution, from coordinating use it for training purposes.” strengthen hate crime laws, policies with police to collecting evidence of and practices across the OSCE bias motive, to working with courts region. In 2024, ODIHR contributed to ensure that tougher sentences are to guidance for prosecutors in passed. The guide can also be used Montenegro on responding to hate by decision-makers to assess the crime and ‘hate speech’, drafted by effectiveness of policies, practices and the country’s Supreme Prosecutor. legislation to address hate crime, as This work has given ODIHR experts well as by civil society in advocacy and unique insight into the difficulties of legal assistance work. addressing hate crime, revealing the real-life consequences for victims and Driven by the needs on the ground their communities when hate crimes and by an overwhelming interest in the are not prosecuted as such. guide, ODIHR is working to facilitate

52 its use across the OSCE region. These include: In May 2024, the Office brought together police and prosecutors in • Translating it into multiple Iceland for two, back-to-back, training workshops on addressing hate languages; crime. The aim was to ensure a consistent approach in how police • Presenting it at a regional event for and prosecutors apply recent amendments to Iceland’s hate crime prosecutors, judges, lawyers and legislation. ODIHR also trained police in France, Poland and Romania, policymakers; including follow-up visits to ensure the widest possible uptake of its • Organizing national workshops on hate crime training programmes. These sustained efforts have helped implementing recommendations to deepen cooperation between criminal justice agencies and establish made in the guide; and hate crime as a core part of national training programmes for police and • Setting up a network of prosecutors. prosecutors specializing in effective hate crime prosecution.

However, effective hate crime prosecution goes beyond the work of individual prosecutors. ODIHR supports OSCE states in providing a comprehensive and coordinated response to addressing hate crime, through its broad range of tailored technical assistance and capacity- Margrét Unnur building programmes organized at the Rögnvaldsdóttir request of states. Prosecutor at the Director of Joint statement by Public Prosecutions, Iceland Madalina Margineanu and Bogdan Bran ODIHR’s training workshop Hate Crimes Investigation Office, for prosecutors was General Inspectorate, Romanian both eye-opening and Police practical, and gave us an understanding of the ODIHR’s training nature and impact of such programme empowers crimes on the victims, Romanian police officers their communities and to recognize, understand Aleksandar Markoski our society as a whole. We and respond to hate crimes, PhD, Public Prosecutor and Lecturer learned how to recognize thereby fostering safer at the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, North Macedonia and present hate crimes communities.” in court, as well as how to Even in countries with solid share this knowledge with hate crime legislation, ‘hate our colleagues.” speech’ offences and hate crime cases can appear to overlap, resulting in less-than- precise indictments. ODIHR’s ODIHR’s hate crime training programmes new guide undoubtedly helps to untangle these concepts and The Training against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) contributes to the effective and programme is designed to improve police skills in recognizing, fair prosecution of hate crime. understanding and investigating hate crimes and providing The guide’s ‘Decision Tree’ effective support to victims. allows prosecutors like myself The Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training (PAHCT) programme to navigate these challenges is designed to improve responses to hate crimes by prosecutors with ease, while the examples and improve support to hate crime victims. provided keep the guidance grounded in real-life contexts.”

53  3.3 Advancing meaningful dialogue between Roma civil society, government and the international community in Ukraine

Piotr Markowski Ihor Lossovskyi Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience

Despite tough circumstances, Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment, Warsaw, the Ukrainian Government Poland, 6-7 March 2024 continues with its

T commitments towards the Roma population. The support provided by ODIHR he war in Ukraine has In March, in partnership with the State adds to the current efforts exacerbated the socio-economic Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs inequalities facing Roma, increasing and Freedom of Conscience, the and helps authorities find the risk of discrimination and abuse. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner efficient solutions for the Forcibly displaced Roma often for Human Rights and the Council difficulties experienced by this experience prejudice in accessing of Europe Office in Ukraine, ODIHR community.” shelter, protection, aid, labour organized a conference that and other services. Women are mapped out war-related challenges especially vulnerable to intersectional experienced by Ukrainian Roma and discrimination, exploitation and human discussed cooperation to ensure Piotr Markowski

trafficking. better protection. The event brought together 50 representatives of central These are complex challenges and local government, civil society requiring coordinated action, and and the international community, Roma civil society, the Ukrainian and the conference report details authorities and the international the key concerns and jointly agreed community work together on this proposals for overcoming the issue. ODIHR, with a specific mandate challenges. This meeting is an to support OSCE participating States excellent example of how constructive and civil society in addressing the dialogue can strengthen stakeholder concerns of Roma and Sinti, including collaboration to advance the rights in crisis situations, has helped to foster of Roma both in times of conflict this cooperation. and peace.

54  Under the auspices of the ‘Advancing the Human Dimension of Security in Ukraine’ project, ODIHR is conducting human rights monitoring of Roma in Ukraine. The Office also continued its training programmes for Roma and pro-Roma human rights advocates on human rights monitoring, digital safety and security, wellbeing, and gender mainstreaming and empowerment.

Piotr Markowski Vira Dranhoi representing the Roma Human Rights Centre, Odesa

Roma civil society plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the rights of Roma are protected and promoted, including during the ongoing war. Achieving this goal is possible through dialogue with state authorities and international partners for cooperation. ODIHR has been crucial in nourishing such Training on Digital Safety and Security for Ukrainian Roma and pro-Roma Human cooperation.” Rights Defenders, Warsaw, Poland, 10-12 October 2024

The subject was discussed again

Piotr Markowski in detail during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Representatives of OSCE participating States, Roma civil society and international partners for cooperation highlighted that Roma experience compounded inequalities that require both substantial efforts to counter and better coordination among the actors involved.

At the same time, ODIHR has invested significant resources in developing stronger and sustainable relationships with the state agencies dealing with the issues faced by the Roma community, such as the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs Piotr Markowski

and Freedom of Conscience and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. These relationships are critical to providing effective responses to the complex human rights challenges experienced by Roma, through the swift and continual exchange of information and ideas. It allows joint priorities to be set and Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and resources to be optimized to enable Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment, Warsaw, positive change. Poland, 6-7 March 2024

55  3.4 Making Roma voices heard in genocide remembrance and education

Łukasz Gągulski

Tea Jaliashvili, ODIHR First Deputy Director, addresses the 2024 European Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti, Oświęcim, Poland, 2 August 2024

T he general public still knows little about the genocide of the Roma The 2003 Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within On 2 August 2024, ODIHR joined international partners at the by the Nazis during the Second World the OSCE Area calls for the inclusion former Nazi extermination camp War. It is estimated that nearly half a of Roma history and culture, and in in Auschwitz-Birkenau to honour million Roma and Sinti men, women particular the genocide of Roma and the memory of all those who were and children became victims of Sinti, in educational materials. ODIHR murdered in the Roma genocide genocide by May 1945. Among young increases awareness of the Roma 80 years ago. As part of the people, awareness of the tragedy of genocide through a range of activities, commemorations, ODIHR organized a the Holocaust is falling, and they are ensuring that countries across the workshop to explore the experiences increasingly exposed to Holocaust OSCE region honour the Roma and of those who are affected by anti- denial and distortion, particularly Sinti who lost their lives during the Roma discrimination and discuss online. At the same time, there are Second World War. ODIHR also what policymakers and institutions ever-fewer Holocaust survivors still contributed to the recently adopted can do to ensure inclusive education alive to share their stories. This is Recommendations for Teaching and for Roma today, as well as continued why commemoration and education Learning about the Persecution and commemoration and preservation are vital to raise awareness about Genocide of the Roma during the Nazi of the memory of the Roma and Sinti the devastating consequences of Era developed by the International victims of the past prejudice and hate and counter Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. current forms of discrimination, racism and exclusion.

56 Olena Vaidalovych Satu Florin Senior Adviser on Legal Affairs and Board member of Ternype Roma Advocacy, ‘Foundation Towards Youth Network Dialogue’

Knowledge about the Roma genocide and the Being aware of the history of Roma has helped atrocities that the victims of the Nazi era went me to understand and strengthen my own through is essential. Both Roma and non-Roma identity, and anything that aims to increase the must understand that what happened during knowledge of Roma history and culture among the Holocaust was deeply wrong and that a broader audience is equally important. there can be no justification or excuse. This is Getting more educational materials helps local obviously an important message for non-Roma; organizations to educate society, locals and not least because, without that understanding, different actors.” the discrimination and abuse of Roma today cannot be addressed.”

Central Council of German Sinti and Roma/Jarosław Praszkiewicz

57  3.5 Fostering dialogue to improve support for hate crime victims

Dr Mark Brookes MBE Advocacy Lead, Dimensions UK and Churchill Fellow 2024

Disability hate crime continues to be normalized in society and remains drastically under-reported.

T It is vital that we raise awareness within disability communities and share our oo often, the people most and viewpoints of different victim affected by human rights violations groups. Participants took the lived experiences through are left out of conversations that affect opportunity to present innovative resources, training and them. By supporting states to include solutions, such as using virtual reality events, including ODIHR’s victims’ perspectives in policy and to increase awareness of victims’ webinar series, so that practice, ODIHR ensures that victims experiences, or the role of strategic disability rights — our human have the opportunity to contribute to litigation in building support for hate rights — are no longer ignored. policy that makes a positive difference crime victims. ODIHR’s network of to their lives. experts on hate crime victim support Working with ODIHR enables participated in the events, providing a us to work collaboratively In 2024, ODIHR applied this approach channel for experts and practitioners with the international in a series of nine webinars on to present their recommendations to community, finding solutions tackling specific areas of hate crime policymakers. to the barriers we face in our victim support. The webinars gave daily lives.” researchers, practitioners and those ODIHR’s regular, direct engagement directly affected by hate crime the with hate crime victim support opportunity to test their ideas and practitioners makes it well placed initiatives to improve the support to develop practical measures and currently available to victims. support effective partnerships at both the national and regional levels. One Covering a range of topics, from example of this is ODIHR’s continued the psychological consequences coordination of the Working group on of hate crime to specialist support hate crime victim support within the for victims with learning disabilities, European Commission’s High Level the webinars enabled some 475 Group on Combating Hate Crime and participants to consider the needs Hate Speech.

58  STARS: Comprehensive Support for Hate Crime Victims

ODIHR’s STARS initiative has three main aims: • Develop policy guidance on hate crime victim support; • Train first responders and support providers to assist hate crime victims; and • Build platforms for dialogue and facilitate the exchange of good practices.

STARS has published a practical guide, Including the voices of hate crime victims in policymaking and policy implementation, Prof. Dr. Eva Gross, Dr. Anabel Taefi which sets out 10 key principles for including hate crime and Prof. Dr. Ulrike Zähringer victims in policy initiatives. of the Hamburg Institute for Interdisciplinary Crime and Security Research Including hate crime victims in the policymaking process helps to By sensitizing police to the lived experiences ensure that systems, policies and of hate crime victims, virtual reality programmes are tailored to the technology can strengthen trust in needs of victims, helping them to recover from their experiences while police and boost reporting by victims. upholding their rights to redress The ODIHR webinar provided our team and support. with a valuable opportunity to examine both the challenges and benefits of using STARS is implemented in close immersive technologies in police training cooperation with the European while discussing our findings with Commission and is funded by the European Union, Bulgaria and Italy. a knowledgeable audience.”

Anna Chmiel, Mateusz Barski, Kra Kra Films

Illustrations from ODIHR’s Hate Crime Training videos

59  3.6 Empowering communities to address anti-Muslim intolerance

I ntolerance and hate crimes targeting religious communities have The roundtable gave voice to Muslim women’s experiences regrettably intensified in many parts of discrimination, providing an of the OSCE region. In the United opportunity to engage with community Kingdom, widespread riots in summer activists and representatives as well 2024 were fuelled by racism and anti- as policymakers. The discussions Muslim hatred. In response to this resulted in actionable initiatives such and other crises, ODIHR stepped up as designing hate crime reporting Shahien Taj OBE its support to states and communities mechanisms and advocating for Hon. DUniv, Trustee of the Forum for affected by anti-religious prejudice, research into the psychological needs Peace UK and Founder and Former using its numerous resources and of hate crime victims, with a focus on Executive Director of the Henna wide-ranging convening powers Muslim women victims. Foundation, United Kingdom to develop and deliver actionable solutions. ODIHR will follow up on this event in This event served as a 2025 by giving young Muslim women vital platform for Muslim The Office organized roundtables and space to discuss the intolerance they women from across the consultative meetings to learn more face while contributing to sustainable United Kingdom to explore about communities’ experiences solutions. meaningful solutions to of anti-religious intolerance and assist with the use of its practical All participants acknowledged that counter anti-Muslim hatred resources. ODIHR also participated under-reporting remains a pervasive in a collaborative and in a number of events organized by obstacle to addressing anti-Muslim inclusive environment. The partners to share feedback from hatred, and they welcomed ODIHR’s invaluable insights and these communities, discuss examples many resources on the subject, resources shared by ODIHR of good practices, and strengthen including the practical guide to provided a foundation for institutional frameworks to counter address the security needs of Muslim intolerance and hate crime. communities, and its annual hate understanding how inherent crime report and victim support work. traits like negativity bias Findings from ODIHR’s Hate Crime are perpetuated by modern Report indicate that Muslim women mechanisms, such as are particularly vulnerable to hate social media and artificial crime and intolerance. In November intelligence.” 2024, ODIHR partnered with the Forum for Peace UK and the All- Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims to organize a roundtable at ODIHR’s resources on Anti-Muslim the House of Commons in London. hate crime include practical guides to The event brought together senior address the security needs of Muslim policymakers, parliamentarians, communities targeted by hate crime. Muslim women activists, community They provide guidance on how to organizers and academics to examine support communities and prevent women’s experiences of anti-Muslim their hate crime victimization, and are hatred and empower them to take designed for use by communities, action against intolerance. police, policymakers, legislators and others.

60

ANNEXES  MEETINGS AND EVENTS Organized in 2024

HUMAN DIMENSION MEETINGS Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Human Dimension Induction Course I Warsaw, Poland 9-12 April 2024 17 (9 women, 8 men)

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting I on The Role of Civil Vienna, Austria 22-23 April 2024 180 (108 women, 71 men, Society in the Promotion and Protection of International Human 1 undeclared) Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting II on Media Literacy Vienna, Austria 27-28 May 2024 153 (91 women, 61 men, and Democracy 1 undeclared)

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting III on Tolerance and Vienna, Austria 24-25 June 2024 157 (105 women, 51 men, Non-Discrimination and Gender Equality 1 undeclared)

Human Dimension Induction Course II Warsaw, Poland 16-19 July 2024 19 (13 women, 6 men)

PART 1: CREATING STRONG DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS BASED ON RULE OF LAW TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Training for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Warsaw, Poland 10 January to 30 April 21 women Plans, Phase I and online 2024

ODIHR/OSCE PA Informal Gender Network meeting: Advancing Online 23 January 2024 37 (29 women, 8 men) Gender Balance in National Parliaments in the OSCE Space

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Sarajevo, Bosnia 24 January 2024 17 (10 women, 7 men) workshop to support the review of Central Election Commission and Herzegovina regulation on media coverage of contestants during elections

ODIHR Core Group of Experts on Political Parties annual meeting Warsaw, Poland 26 January 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men)

14th Gender Matters! webinar: Mobilization Against Gender Online 1 February 2024 50 (39 women, 11 men) Equality

Women Lead Conference: Transforming Women’s Selection London, United 19-21 February 2024 approx. 70 Processes in Political Parties, and follow-up meetings with the UK Kingdom (no sex-disaggregated data Parliament available)

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Warsaw, Poland 21-22 February 2024 52 (24 women, 28 men) Regional Exchange on Strengthening Campaign Finance Systems and Practices conference

Workshop on Public Integrity and Young Parliamentarians’ Impact Skopje, North 27 February 2024 25 (19 women, 6 men) on Parliamentary Integrity Practices and Anti-Corruption in North Macedonia Macedonia

Training for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Warsaw, Poland 27-29 February 2024 21 (21 women) Plans, Phase II

3rd Spotlight on Disability webinar: Access for All: Recognizing Online 6 March 2024 23 (no sex-disaggregated Barriers in the Built Environment and Developing Solutions data available)

Presentation of Participatory Gender Audit report Online 7 March 2024 20 (5 women, 15 men) recommendations to the Democratic Party’s Presidency in Serbia

62 Working Group meeting on the Draft Law on the High Judicial and Mostar, Bosnia 11-13 March 2024 N/A Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herzegovina

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Tirana, Albania 13-14 March 2024 11 (3 women, 8 men) national workshop with the legal experts of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform

138th Venice Commission Plenary Session Venice, Italy 15-16 March 2024 N/A

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Belgrade, Serbia 19 March 2024 11 (6 women, 5 men) national workshop to support the Republic Electoral Commission in developing a voter education programme

Presentation to the 96th plenary meeting of the Group of States Strasbourg, 19-22 March 2024 no data available against Corruption (GRECO), Council of Europe France

ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association Warsaw, Poland 20-21 March 2024 26 (14 women, 12 men) annual meeting

15th Gender Matters! webinar: Institutional Mechanisms as Critical Online 25 March 2024 48 (39 women, 9 men) Actors for Gender Equality: A Review from the OSCE Region

Expert Meeting on Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in Warsaw, Poland 26 March 2024 41 (18 women, 23 men) Poland

Presentation on the 2023 Youth Progress Index and the state of Warsaw, Poland 27 March 2024 12 (7 women, 5 men) young people in Poland, with the European Youth Forum

Presentation and workshop on ODIHR Opinion on Certain Chisinau, 28-30 March 2024 31 (16 women, 15 men) Provisions of the Draft Law “On the Status, Conduct and Ethics of Moldova the Members of Parliament” of the Republic of Moldova

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Tirana, Albania 11 April 2024 34 (19 women, 15 men) presentation of the Assessment of the Gender Dimension of the Activities of the Election Administration in Albania

Presentation of Institutional Mechanisms as Critical Actors for Strasbourg, 16-18 April 2024 56 (47 women, 9 men) Gender Equality: A Review from the OSCE Region to the Council of France Europe’s Gender Equality Commission

Expert Review meeting on the Handbook on Observing and Warsaw, Poland 17 April 2024 19 (14 women, 5 men) Promoting Youth Electoral Participation

Webinar on The UK Parliamentary Integrity system: How does the Online 22 April 2024 80 (56 women, 24 men) House of Commons parliamentary integrity system function and what are some lessons learned?

SHDM I side event: Challenges in Ensuring Justice in Ukraine for Vienna, Austria 23 April 2024 30 (20 women, 10 men) War Crimes Victims and Motivating Them on the National Level

Workshop with Venstre, the Danish Liberal Party, as part of the Copenhagen, 25-27 April 2024 15 (10 women, 5 men) participatory gender audit Denmark

16th Gender Matters! webinar: Gender Equality Laws across the Online 8 May 2024 26 (21 women, 5 men) OSCE region; presentation of the ODIHR Comparative Note on Gender Equality Laws across the OSCE Region

8th meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Strasbourg, 13-15 May 2024 33 (13 women, 20 men) Protection of Lawyers (CJ-AV): presentation of ODIHR’s non-public France contribution to the drafting of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Podgorica, 14-15 May 2024 64 (36 women, 28 men) regional conference on Promoting Conditions for Free and Fair Montenegro Election Campaigns in the Western Balkans

Ukraine Working Group meeting 1: Development of a Judicial Online 17 May 2024 11 (6 women, 5 men) Drafting Tool for War Crimes Cases

Presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking Podgorica, 27-30 May 2024 50 (23 women, 27 men) for Better Laws and launch of the ODIHR Preliminary Opinion Montenegro on the Legal Framework Governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro; meetings/interviews in preparation for the Comprehensive Assessment of the Legislative Process in Montenegro

63 Expert meeting on Transforming Politics: Male Politicians as Critical Sarajevo, Bosnia 5-6 June 2024 74 (28 women, 46 men) Actors for Gender Equality, with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and and Herzegovina Herzegovina and the OSCE missions in South-Eastern Europe

Women’s Leadership Academy training course, with the OSCE Bishkek, 5-6 June 2024 approx. 60-100 per session Programme Office in Bishkek and the Social Technologies Agency Kyrgyzstan and (17 sessions), NGO online (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Declaration of Principles Convening Committee annual preparatory Warsaw, Poland 13-14 June 2024 20 (8 women, 12 men) meeting

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Podgorica, 14 June 2024 11 (8 women, 3 men) presentation of the Gender Audit of the Election Administration of Montenegro Montenegro

Follow-up to participatory gender audits of parties; participation Copenhagen, 18 June 2024 117 (92 women, 25 men) in a conference on Global Experiences, Means and Methods to Denmark Strengthen Women’s Representation and Influence in Local Politics

Participation in 2024 International Anti-corruption Conference Vilnius, Lithuania 18-21 June 2024 >2000 (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Transparency International Lithuania’s International School on Vilnius, Lithuania 18-21 June 2024 105 (72 women, 33 men) Integrity and support for the participation of officials from Eastern Partnership countries

Making the Law Count: Interactive Workshop on Democratic Warsaw, Poland 24-25 June 2024 27 (19 women, 8 men) Lawmaking for Lawmakers from Ukraine; launch of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws in Ukrainian

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association webinar on Pathways to Online 27 June 2024 36 (no sex-disaggregated Politics — Barriers to Women’s Participation and Representation data available)

Presentation of ODIHR Comments on the Criminalization of Chisinau, 28 June 2024 30 (20 women, 10 men) “Separatism” and Related Offences in Moldova (2023) to the Moldova and Parliament of Moldova online

Conference on Administrative Justice in Ukraine: Issue of Theory Kyiv and Ostroh, 29 June to 6 July 2024 N/A and Practice, organized by the OSCE’s Support Programme for Ukraine Ukraine and Ukraine’s Supreme Court

Presentation on parliamentary integrity during the parliamentary Šabac, Belgrade, 30 June to 31 July 2024 65 (38 women, 27 men) induction course for members of the National Assembly of the Serbia Republic of Serbia

4th Spotlight on Disability webinar: Inclusive Participation — Good Online 1 August 2024 14 (no sex-disaggregated Practices in Accessibility from the Austrian Parliament data available)

17th Gender Matters! webinar: Parliaments Advancing Gender Online 3 September 2024 35 (28 women, 7 men) Equality Reforms, the Case of the Welsh Parliament

Webinar on Select Topics in International Criminal Law, Online 4 September 2024 30 (17 women, 13 men) International Humanitarian Law, and International Human Rights Law

Presentation of ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Podgorica, 4-6 September 2024 N/A Montenegro on Financing of Political Parties and Electoral Montenegro Campaigns; meetings/interviews in preparation for the Final Opinion

9th meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Strasbourg, 9-11 September 2024 34 (17 women, 17 men) Protection of Lawyers France

Webinar on Practical Procedural and Fair Trial Concerns in the Online 11 September 2024 30 (15 women, 15 men) Domestic Adjudication of War Crimes Cases

Presentation and exchange on gender equality in politics with Paris, France 12 September 2024 26 (19 women, 7 men) PACE Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination

Webinar on Lessons Learned from Defence Attorneys in War Online 18 September 2024 30 (14 women, 16 men) Crimes Cases from OSCE Participating States

ODIHR Advisory Panel on the Political Participation of Persons with Warsaw, Poland 18 September 2024 22 (17 women, 5 men) Disabilities annual meeting

64 Ukraine Working Group meeting 2: Development of a Judicial Online 19 September 2024 11 (4 women, 7 men) Drafting Tool for War Crimes Case in Ukraine

Webinar on Women in Politics: Is Democracy Delivering?, with UN Online 19-20 September 2024 151 (no sex-disaggregated Women data available)

Women’s Leadership Academy, with OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, 25-27 September 2024 50 (50 women) Bishkek Kyrgyzstan

Participatory gender audit of the National Assembly of Serbia Belgrade, Serbia 30 September 68 (38 women, 30 men) to 4 October 2024

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: presentation Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 38 (no sex-disaggregated of the Handbook for the Observation of Information and data available) Communication Technologies (ICT) in Elections

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Reflecting on Warsaw, Poland 4 October 2024 78 (46 women, 32 men) 20 years of ODIHR’s Legislative Assistance: Highlights, Trends and Challenges; presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Women’s Warsaw, Poland 10 October 2024 82 (60 women, 22 men) Power Breakfast: Advancing Women’s Representation in Politics, Promoting Gender-responsive Governance

140th Venice Commission Plenary Session Venice, Italy 11-12 October 2024 N/A

Beijing +30 Regional Review Meeting: Reviewing 30 Years of Beijing Geneva, 21-22 October 2024 46 (40 women, 6 men) Commitments to Accelerate Gender Equality in the UNECE Region Switzerland

Participatory gender audits of the Democrats and NOVA political Podgorica, 21-25 October 2024 51 (32 women, 19 men) parties, with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Montenegro

Political Party Peers Network annual meeting Berlin, Germany 22-23 October 2024 87 (43 women, 44 men)

ODIHR Gender and Politics webinar series: Making Gender Equality Online 23 October 2024 102 (no sex-disaggregated in Politics a National Policy Priority data available)

Seminar on The Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly in Italy; Rome, Italy 24 October 2024 40 (18 women, 22 men) presentation of the ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Bill no. 1660 Relating to Countering Terrorism, Public Security, Protection of Personnel in Service and Prison Regulations in Italy

6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp: Integrity of Political Berlin, Germany 24-25 October 2024 48 (27 women, 21 men) Finance — overview of ODIHR legal reviews on political party financing and legislative guidelines

Participatory gender audit of the Assembly of Albania, with the Tirana, Albania 28-30 October 2024 31 (27 women, 4 men) OSCE Presence in Albania

Training on Addressing Violence Against Women in Politics for the Tirana Albania 29-30 October 2024 49 (39 women, 10 men) Assembly of North Macedonia, with the OSCE Mission to Skopje

Training on Gender Equality in Politics for OSCE staff Warsaw, Poland 6-8 November 2024 21 (18 women, 3 men) and online

Expert Meeting on Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in Warsaw, Poland 7 November 2024 49 (26 women, 23 men) Poland; presentation of the ODIHR Note on the Effects of Decisions of Judges Appointed in a Deficient Manner and the ODIHR Opinion on Two Bills of the Republic of Poland on the Constitutional Tribunal (as of 24 July 2024)

European Youth Capital 2027 jury meeting Brussels, Belgium 11 November 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men)

Advancing the Gender Sensitivity of the Assembly: Review and Ohrid, North 13-15 November 2024 29 (24 women, 5 men) Strategic Planning workshop, with the OSCE Mission to Skopje Macedonia

18th Gender Matters! webinar: Gender Parity as the New Standard: Online 14 November 2024 32 (28 women, 4 men) CEDAW General Recommendation 40 and how it matters for OSCE’s work on gender equality in politics

98th plenary meeting of the Group of States against Corruption Strasbourg, 18-20 November 2024 N/A (GRECO), Council of Europe France

ODIHR/FES School on Politics, Leadership and Advocacy, partially Warsaw, Poland 18-22 November 2024 24 (16 women, 8 men) organized under the auspices of ODIHR’s Building Stronger Democratic Institutions in Eastern Partnership Countries, supported and financed by the EU

65 9th Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, with funding Astana, 20-21 November 2024 approx. 220 (95 women, from the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan 115 men) Kazakhstan

Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation Gdansk, Poland 20-22 November 2024 83 (38 women, 45 men) annual meeting

OSCE Regional meeting of Parliamentary Support Programmes in Belgrade, Serbia 26-27 November 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men) SEE

Expert meeting on Public Ethics and Integrity Toolkit: Guidelines for Warsaw, Poland 2 December 2024 27 (women 14, men 13) Political Parties

ODIHR Gender and Politics webinar series: Transforming Political Warsaw, Poland 3 December 2024 119 (no sex-disaggregated Parties from Within – Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans and online data available)

Presentation of Disability Assessment Report and eLearning Belgrade, Serbia 3 December 2024 103 (71 women, 32 men) Course on Disability Inclusion at the Serbian Parliament

Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Citizens: Towards Sajarevo, Bosnia 5 December 2024 N/A a Successful Partnership; presentation of the Guidelines on and Herzegovina Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

OSCE International Anti-Corruption Day Conference: Looking Back Vienna, Austria 9 December 2024 87 (49 women, 38 men) and Looking Ahead on the Fight against Corruption

Anti-Corruption Focal Point meeting Vienna, Austria 9 December 2024 N/A

XV Warsaw Human Rights Seminar: The Role of the European Warsaw, Poland 10 December 2024 N/A Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights in Strengthening Democratic Institutions; presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

Consultative meeting on the methodology for conducting youth Sarajevo, Bosnia 14-15 December 2024 21 (8 women, 13 men) assessments within political parties and Herzegovina

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Warsaw, Poland 17-18 December 2024 59 (36 women, 23 men) regional conference on Informing and Engaging Voters, A Regional Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Voter Turnout

Participatory gender audit of the Europe Now! political party Podgorica, 19-20 December 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men) Montenegro

PART 2: SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY AND GUARANTEE HUMAN RIGHTS AND SECURITY

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

International Panel of Parliamentarians on Freedom of Religion or Sarajevo, Bosnia 18-20 January 2024 29 (19 women, 10 men) Belief launch of the Southeast Europe Network and signing of the and Herzegovina Declaration of Sarajevo

Human Rights Education Lab No. 1 for Belarusian human rights Warsaw, Poland 22-24 January 2024 16 (11 women, 5 men) defenders in exile

Making the Nelson Mandela Rules Actionable for Prison Staff: Online 31 January 2024 29 (20 women, 9 men) Launch of the ODIHR/Penal Reform Introduction to the Nelson Mandela Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual in Russian

Conference meeting of Parliamentarians and Religious Leaders for Sarajevo, Bosnia 12-13 February 2024 460 (120 women, 340 men) Coexistence and Peace and Herzegovina

European Religious Liberty Forum (ERLF) Online 16 February 2024 40 (15 women, 25 men)

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training for the Canton of Sarajevo, Bosnia 20-21 February 2024 19 (16 women, 3 men) Sarajevo and Herzegovina

Training for Uzbek law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Samarkand, 22-23 February 2024 11 (1 women, 10 men) while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with OSCE PCUz Uzbekistan

Training for Uzbek law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Tashkent, 26-27 February 2024 13 (1 women, 12 men) while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with OSCE PCUz Uzbekistan

66 Inspire Inclusion: Empowering Women’s Freedom of Religion or Brussels, Belgium 5 March 2024 49 (31 women, 18 men) Belief

Final conference of ODIHR training for human rights defenders on Warsaw, Poland 7-8 March 2024 43 (24 women, 19 men) human rights monitoring at international borders

Regional Gender and Security Conference (organized with the Skopje, North 7-8 March 2024 N/A OSCE Mission to Skopje) Macedonia

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for NGO French Ligue des Paris, France 9-10 March 2024 21 ( 6 women, 15 men) Droits de l’Homme

Remote Working Accelerator Initiative for Belarusian human rights Online 11 March 2024 14 (10 women, 4 men) defenders in exile

Panel discussion on Law Enforcement and Digital Technologies: Geneva, 11 March 2024 25 (no sex-disaggregated Strengthening Human Rights Safeguards for Facilitation of Switzerland data available) Peaceful protests, during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council

Starlight Stadium Episode 3 testing and workshop Warsaw, Poland 18 March 2024 15 (12 women, 3 men)

Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPM of Paris, France 18 March 2024 17 (14 women, 3 men) France

CSOs Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Monitoring Network meeting Warsaw, Poland 22-23 March 2024 21 (10 women, 11 men) and launch of ODIHR’s assembly monitoring e-Learning course and online

Training for national human rights institutions and civil society Belgrade, Serbia 25-27 March 2024 21 (15 women, 6 men) of Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring

Training for Albanian- and Macedonian-speaking detention Skopje, North 26-27 March 2024 19 (13 women, 6 men) monitors on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Macedonia Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPM of Bratislava, 27 March 2024 17 (13 women, 4 men) Slovakia Slovakia

Training on Safeguarding Human Rights at International Borders for Warsaw, Poland 2 April 2024 20 (13 women, 7 men) students from the College of Europe (Natolin)

Global workshop on Preserving the Gains on Freedom of Peaceful Kampala, Uganda 8-9 April 2024 approx. 40 Assembly and Association Rights: supporting climate justice and and online (no sex-disaggregated data social movements, convened by the UN Special Rapporteur on available) freedom of peaceful assembly and association

Human Rights Education Lab No. 2 for Belarusian human rights Warsaw, Poland 8-10 April 2024 16 (12 women, 4 men) defenders in exile: Focusing on a Trauma-Informed Approach to Education

Freedom of Religion or Belief: A Luxury Right? for students of the Warsaw, Poland 17 April 2024 N/A College of Europe (Natolin)

Webinar on Cultural Sensitivity in Action: Trauma-informed Online 18 April 2024 N/A interviewing, with the OSCE Border Management Staff College and UNHCR

Austrian ministry’s meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and FoRB Vienna, Austria 19 April 2024 29 (9 women, 20 men)

ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief meeting Online 22 April 2024 16 (8 women, 8 men)

Participation in expert group meeting to review a draft Handbook Vienna, Austria 23-25 April 2024 27 (7 women, 20 men) for Law Enforcement Officials on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests, convened by UNODC, OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association

Training on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Dushanbe, 24 April 2024 21 (5 women, 16 men) Border Management for the Border Management Staff College of Tajikistan the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring mission Chisinau, 7-10 May 2024 N/A Moldova

Pilot training on human rights and gender assessment for the Vienna, Austria 14-17 May 2024 6 (3 women, 3 men) armed forces

67 Human Rights Monitoring Training using Starlight Stadium Sarajevo, Bosnia 20-23 May 2024 21 (14 women, 7 men) and Herzegovina

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training Chisinau, 22-23 May 2024 24 (16 women, 8 men) Moldova

Presentation of the NRM Handbook (second edition) to anti- Online 23-24 May 2024 28 (no sex disaggregated trafficking stakeholders in Uzbekistan at a national roundtable on data available) strengthening the Uzbek NRM

Training-of-Trainers on policing and human rights in the framework Warsaw, Poland 27-30 May 2024 8 (6 women, 2 men) of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for law enforcement of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

Training course for law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Kosovo* 29-30 May 2024 14 (8 women, 5 men, while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with the OSCE Mission in 1 undeclared) Kosovo*

Freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring mission Tallinn, Estonia 31 May 2024 N/A to 2 June 2024

Youth Focal Points meeting: Youth, Peace and Security training Online 3-6 June 2024 15 (12 women, 3 men)

Presentation of ODIHR report: Security for People and Borders: Sarajevo, Bosnia 5 June 2024 50 (26 women, 24 men) Effective Border Management and Human Rights Protection on the and Herzegovina Western Balkan Route and online

PACE Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination Hearing Tirana, Albania 5-6 June 2024 approx. 34 (23 women, 11 men)

Webinar on The Role of Independent Detention Monitoring: Online 11 June 2024 92 (no sex disaggregated Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing and data available) Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) for French-speaking OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation

UN NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief June Meeting Online 13 June 2024 N/A

2024 NHRI Academy: Securitization and Human Rights Bratislava, 17-21 June 2024 23 (15 women, 8 men) Slovakia

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for staff of the OSCE Chisinau, 24-25 June 2024 17 (10 women, 7 men) Mission to Moldova Moldova

Workshop on Engaging the Ukrainian Diaspora in Reconstruction Warsaw, Poland 26-28 June 2024 34 (24 women, 10 men) and Development: Democracy and Human Rights Dimensions

1st annual meeting of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Warsaw, Poland 27-28 June 2024 14 (7 women, 7 men) Advisory Council (ISTAC)

Regional training course for detention monitors from selected Warsaw, Poland 2-3 July 2024 19 (14 women, 5 men) European Union and other countries on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

Platform for Security and Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Astana, 2-4 July 2024 N/A Central Asia, trauma-informed interviewing training Kazakstan

1st regional training course for human rights defenders on New Warsaw, Poland 8-10 July 2024 24 (18 women, 6 men) Technologies at Borders

Consultations on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Gender Equality Warsaw, Poland, 16-31 July 2024 70 (49 women, 21 men) and online

Exchange of good practices and challenges in developing and Online 17 July 2024 24 (11 women, 13 men) implementing migrant and refugee integration strategies

Training on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Vienna, Austria 23 July 2024 21 (3 women, 18 men) Border Management for the Border Management Staff College of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Launch of the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Online 30 July 2024 54 (no sex disaggregated Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs) on the World data available) Day Against Trafficking in Persons

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

68 Conference on Religious Freedom and Security: Balancing Astana, 27 August 2024 N/A Acceptable Restrictions in Countering Radicalization and Violent Kazakhstan Extremism, organized by the Association of Religious Organizations of Kazakhstan (AROK)

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on AI and Human Rights Online 28 August 2024 8 (3 women, 5 men) Education

Consultations with representatives of the Civic Solidarity Platform Online 29 August 2024 10 (8 women, 2 men) Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on AI and Human Rights Online 2 September 2024 12 (3 women, 9 men) Education

Training for civil society and community activists in Armenia and Yerevan, Armenia 2-6 September 2024 18 (13 women, 5 men) Georgia on Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Freedom of Movement and Social Cohesion, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Workshop on Strengthening the Watchdog Capacities of Kosovo* 10 September 2024 21 (15 women, 6 men) Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Consultation meeting on Opening Doors for Children: Good Online 11 September 2024 10 (5 women, 5 men) Practices to Prevent Childhood Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and HCNM

Launch of ODIHR and OSR/CTHB publication, Out of the Shadows: Vienna, Austria 11 September 2024 40 (no sex disaggregated Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to data available) Minorities, including National Minorities

Workshop on Civic Space Monitoring and Protection, organized by Vienna, Austria 16-18 September 2024 69 (45 women, 24 men) the EU Fundamental Rights Agency

Follow-up meeting to Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Online 20 September 2024 18 (14 women, 4 men) Freedom of Movement and Social Cohesion training course, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Training for Uzbek police commanders on human rights-compliant Tashkent, 23-27 September 2024 12 (2 women, 10 men) policing of assemblies Uzbekistan

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on Basics of GDPR for Online 25 September 2024 6 (4 women, 2 men) Human Rights Education Activities

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training for the authorities in Bihac, Bosnia and 25-26 September 2024 23 (10 women, 13 men) the Una-Sana Canton Herzegovina

ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief meeting online 26 September 2024 10 (5 women, 5 men)

SHDM I side event:The Role of Civil Society and International Actors Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 25 (15 women, 10 men) in Supporting Adjudication of War Crimes by National Courts

Stakeholder meeting on independent border monitoring in Poland Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men)

2nd annual meeting of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 14 (7 women, 7 men) Advisory Council (ISTAC)

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Presentation of Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 35 (no sex disaggregated the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of data available) Trafficking Advisory Council (NSTACS)

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Enhancing Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 35 (no sex disaggregated a Human Rights-based and Victim-centred Approach to the data available) Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking, with the OSR/CTHB

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Situation Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 31 (18 women, 13 men) of ISIS-affiliated Individuals in the Camps and Prisons in North East Syria and the Responsibility of OSCE participating States for the Repatriation of their Nationals

Evaluation workshop for the Starlight Stadium development Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 13 (7 women, 6 men) process

Starlight Stadium launch event Warsaw, Poland 3 October 2024 110 (48 women, 62 men)

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

69 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Addressing Warsaw, Poland 3 October 2024 39 (no sex disaggregated Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National data available) Minorities, with the OSR/CTHB

Ukraine-specific consultations for the second edition of the ODIHR Warsaw, Poland 3-4 October 2024 10 (8 women, 2 men) Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Right to Warsaw, Poland 7 October 2024 approx. 40 Monitor Assemblies in the OSCE Region: Experiences from the field

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: launch of Belief, Warsaw, Poland 7 October 2024 67 (38 women, 29 men) Dialogue and Security — Fostering dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Ending Warsaw, Poland 8 October 2024 50 (25 women, 25 men) Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and HCNM

Trainer at FoRB diplomatic training event, co-hosted by the US Berlin, Germany 9 October 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men) State Department and German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, on the margins of the Berlin Freedom of Religion or Belief Ministerial

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Promoting Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 38 (no sex disaggregated Human Rights-compliant and Gender-responsive Armed Forces data available)

Article 18 Alliance Ministerial conference on Freedom of Religion or Berlin, Germany 10-11 October 2024 approx. 150 ( 60 women, Belief and Artificial Intelligence, hosted by the German Ministry for 90 men) Economic Cooperation and Development

Training on digital safety and security for Ukrainian Roma and pro- Warsaw, Poland 10-12 October 2024 20 (14 women, 6 men) Roma human rights defenders

Plenary session of the UNHCR Executive Committee side event on Geneva, 14-15 October 2024 >70 Harnessing Regional Collaboration to End Statelessness Switzerland

Meeting of NHRIs’ Resilience Focal Points: Follow up to NHRI Online 15 October 2024 11 (8 women, 3 men) resilience assessment and introduction to resilience-building plans

Training course for law enforcement on Protecting human rights Brussels, Belgium 16-17 October 2024 16 (6 women, 10 men) while countering terrorism effectively

Exploratory session with human rights defenders on conducting Online 17 October 2024 20 (16 women, 4 men) trial monitoring of migration-related cases

Follow-up discussion on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit Sarajevo, Bosnia 17 October 2024 17 (4 women, 17 men) and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations in The and Herzegovina Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Good Practices and Protection Gaps

First Ulaanbaatar Interfaith Dialogue: Promoting Unity, Mutual Ulaanbaatar, 21-24 October 2024 144 participants Understanding and Religious Freedom, organized by the Mongolian Mongolia (41 women, 103 men) Academy of Sciences, et al.

Follow-up webinar to the training for national human rights Online 23 October 2024 13 (9 women, 4 men) institutions and civil society of Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring

Human Rights Education Lab No. 3 for Belarusian human rights Otwock, Poland 23-25 October 2024 13 (9 women, 4 men) defenders in exile on Experiential Learning

Needs Assessment visit on Freedom of Religion or Belief, non- various locations 28 October 38 (20 women, 18 men) violent communication and dialogue in Kosovo*, with the OSCE in Kosovo* to 1 November 2024 Mission in Kosovo*

2nd regional training course for Human Rights Defenders: New Belgrade, Serbia 29-31 October 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men) Technologies at Borders

International conference on the Recovery of Ukraine and the Online 30 October 2024 >60 Prospects of Ukrainian Roma civil society, during the Forum of Roma on Ukraine

Expert consultation workshop: Exploring achievements and Warsaw, Poland 7-8 November 2024 11 (4 women, 7 men) challenges of the past and present: What lies ahead for the future of Roma and Sinti human rights in the OSCE area?

There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

70 Roundtable meeting with assembly monitors from the ‘Viasna’ Warsaw, Poland 11 November 2024 6 (5 women, 1 man) Human Rights Centre (Belarus)

Follow-up discussion on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit Banja Luka, 19 November 2024 19 (10 women, 9 men) and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations in The Bosnia and Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Herzegovina Good Practices and Protection Gaps

Human Rights Education Lab No. 3 for Belarusian human rights Online 21 November 2024 8 (3 men, 5 women) defenders in exile: Experiential Learning follow-up

Closing event of the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Warsaw, Poland 27 November 2024 24 (13 women, 11 men) Refugees in Polish Cities

Workshop on Strategic Human Rights Communication and Sarajevo, Bosnia 28 November 17 (14 women, 3 men) Coalition-building on Freedom of Religion or Belief, with the OSCE and Herzegovina to 1 December 2024) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Training-of-Trainers workshop for Ukrainian law enforcement on Warsaw, Poland 2-6 December 2024 17 (3 women, 14 men) human rights-compliant policing of assemblies

Follow-up meeting on the 2024 NHRI Academy Online 3 December 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men)

Regional training course for detention monitors from Bosnia Belgrade, Serbia 4-5 December 2024 14 (9 women, 5 men) and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

3rd regional training course for human rights defenders: New Warsaw, Poland 4-6 December 2024 25 (15 women, 10 men) Technologies at Borders

Training on multidisciplinary approaches to the identification and Valletta, Malta 5-6 December 2024 21 (14 women, 7 men) referral of victims of human trafficking within the National Referral Mechanism in Malta

Speaker at the meeting of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Online 6 December 2024 13 (6 women, 7 men) Religion and Diplomacy

Training for human rights defenders on conducting trial monitoring Warsaw, Poland 9-10 December 2024 18 (9 women, 9 men) on migration-related cases

European Roundtable on Freedom of Religion or Belief Online 11 December 2024 105 (61 women, 44 men)

Roundtable discussion on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Warsaw, Poland 11 December 2024 8 (6 women, 2 men) Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty

Consultation with representatives of the Civic Solidarity Platform Warsaw, Poland 12 December 2024 N/A Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region

Training course for OSCE and UNHCR staff members on forced Chisinau, 12-13 December 2024 21 (11 women, 10 men) displacement and protection issues, with UNHCR and the OSCE Moldova Conflict Prevention Centre

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for Amnesty International Rome, Italy 13-14 December 2024 27 (14 women, 13 men) volunteers

Meeting of NHRIs’ Resilience Focal Points: follow-up on NHRI Online 16 December 2024 7 (6 women, 1 men) resilience building

Closing event of Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Freedom Online 16 December 2024 13 (11 women, 2 men) of Movement and Social Cohesion training course, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Pilot Training-of-Trainers workshop on Freedom of Religion or Belief Warsaw, Poland 19-20 December 2024 26 (12 women, 14 men) and Security

Conference on Religion, Geopolitics and Human Rights: The Thessaloniki, 20-22 December 2024 approx. 100 (no sex protection and security of places of worship conference, organized Greece and disaggregated data by the ‘Religion Geopolitics and Global Security’ Masters online available) programme of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Theology

71 PART 3: FOSTERING ACCESSIBLE, EQUAL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION AND MARGINALIZATION

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Consultation meeting with representatives of civil society Yerevan, Armenia 30 January 12 (6 women, 6 men) and Christian communities for the forthcoming publication, to 3 February 2024 Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities

2nd meeting of Roma Coordination Group Online 1 February 2024 16 (10 women, 6 men)

TAHCLE Training-of-Trainers for Romanian Police Sibiu, Romania 6-8 February 2024 19 (7 women, 12 men)

Under the Spotlight 1: event on hate crime victim support Online 13 February 2024 60 (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Meeting of the EU Victims’ Rights Platform on victims of hate crime Online 13 February 2024 40 (40 other)

Effective and human rights-compliant policing in Roma and Sinti Sibiu, Romania 20-23 February 2024 15 (3 women, 12 men) Communities — Training-of-Trainers

Consultative workshop on guidance to address the interrelation Warsaw, Poland 23 February 2024 8 (4 women, 4 men) between hate crime and criminalized hate speech provisions in prosecution

EU high-level group of experts on combating anti-Muslim hatred Brussels, Belgium 26-27 February 2024 35 (15 women, 20 men) and discrimination

Roma Women’s conference on The Protection of the Rights of Online 27 February 2024 >70 (no sex disaggregated Roma Women in Times of War in Ukraine data available)

Workshop and conference on Mapping the Challenges faced Warsaw, Poland 6 March 2024 25 (17 women, 8 men) by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment

Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Warsaw, Poland 7 March 2024 50 (26 women, 24 men) Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment

Police Hate Crime conference Bern, Switzerland 8 March 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated data available)

Coordination meeting for combating anti-Muslim hatred Strasbourg, 14-15 March 2024 45 (25 women, 20 men) France

Final conference of the project Establishing a Victim-centered and Vilnius, Lithuania 15-16 March 2024 50 (no sex disaggregated Intersectional Approach in Tackling Hate Crime data available)

Under the Spotlight 2: event on hate crime victim support Online 26 March 2024 46 (29 women, 13 men, 4 non-binary/other)

Regional consultation on CEDAW General Recommendation Istanbul, Turkey 26-27 March 2024 29 (26 women, 3 men) No. 40 on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems for Eastern European states and Western European and other states

Romani Week 2024: Reveal Our Past to Reclaim Our Future Brussels, Belgium 9-12 April 2024 >100

Regional dialogue on the protection and inclusion of ethnic Roma Online 11 April 2024 >60 refugees and host communities

Training on self-advocacy for Roma women and feminist activists Warsaw, Poland 15-18 April 2024 15 women from Ukraine

Under the Spotlight 3: event on hate crime victim support Online 17 April 2024 26 (20 women, 6 men)

Briefing for OSCE Field Operations, UNHCR Field Offices and Online 17 April 2024 32 (no sex-disaggregated Implementing Partners and IOM on ODIHR’s Hate Crime Reporting data available)

Ensuring Remembrance: Advocating for Education and London, United 22 April 2024 >70 Commemoration of Roma Holocaust in the United Kingdom Kingdom

Conference on Hate Crimes at CEPOL and Joint Meeting of EC Budapest, 25-26 April 2024 approx. 80 Working Groups on Hate Crime and Hate Speech Hungary (no sex-disaggregated data available)

38th meeting of the Co-ordination Group Between the Council of Strasbourg, 26 April 2024 22 (12 women, 10 men) Europe and the OSCE France

72 Consultation meeting with representatives of civil society and Ottawa, Canada 14 May 2024 13 (5 women, 8 men) Christian communities in the North American context for the forthcoming publication Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities

TAHCLE Training-of-Trainers for Icelandic Police Reykjavik, Iceland 14-16 May 2024 11 (6 women,5 men)

9th meeting of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Online 15-16 May 2024 78 (45 women, 33 men) Issues (ADI-ROM): Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI)

Study trip to Poland by Dutch Police Legionowo, 21 May 2024 60 (no sex-disaggregated Poland data available)

PAHCT Training-of-Trainers for prosecutors in Iceland Reykjavik, Iceland 21-23 May 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men)

Under the Spotlight 4: event on hate crime victim support Online 23 May 2024 43 (21 women, 7 men, 1 non-binary, 14 other)

Consultation meeting on technology-facilitated gender-based Online 27 May 2024 8 (8 women) violence research

Central Asia regional workshop on the protection of soft targets Astana, 27-29 May 2024 45 (20 women, 25 men) from terrorist attacks Kazakhstan

Training-of-Trainers on OSCE Gender Equality and Comprehensive Tirana, Albania 28-31 May 2024 25 (20 women, 5 men) Security Modules

National consultation meeting with Roma civil society organizations Warsaw, Poland 4 June 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men)

Training for Polish Police on preventing and addressing hate crimes Legionowo, 4 June 2024 18 (6 women, 12 men) Poland

Consultative meeting on Prosecution Practice and Challenges at Warsaw, Poland 4 June 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men) the Intersection of Hate Crime and Criminalised ‘Hate Speech’

17th meeting of the Council of Europe Dialogue with Roma and Strasbourg, 11-12 June 2024 34 (16 women, 18 men) Traveller Civil Society: Teaching Roma and Traveller history, Roma France holocaust remembrance, recognition and education

12th meeting of the High-level group on Combating Hate Speech Brussels, Belgium 12-13 June 2024 100 (no sex-disaggregated and Hate Crime data available)

Taking a Closer Look at Racism: Preventing and combating anti- Brussels, Belgium 13 June 2024 35 (25 women, 10 men) Muslim hate crimes in the EU, organized by the EU’s Belgian Presidency and the European Commission

Webinar on Addressing the psychological needs of hate crime Online 17 June 2024 93 (69 women, 20 men, victims through a trauma-informed approach, with the support of 3 non-binary, 1 N/A) the European Commission

Focus groups: Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Online 17-19 June 2024 35 (18 women, 17 men) Sinti and Travellers: towards effective and non-discriminatory policing in the Czech Republic

Meeting on Roma and Sinti with National and Ethnic Minorities Warsaw, Poland 18-19 June 2024 2 (14 women, 8 men) Unit, Department of Religious Denominations and National and Ethnic Minorities, Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration, the Polish Ministry of National Education and the Polish Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights

Under the Spotlight 5: event on hate crime victim support Online 20 June 2024 28 (13 women, 15 men)

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary Glasgow, United 25-27 June 2024 >150 Meeting Kingdom

European Roma Rights and Policies: CIVICA Honour Seminar of Vienna, Austria 26 June 2024 21 (16 women, 6 men) Central European University

Seminar on addressing hate speech and hate crime: the role of Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024 N/A equality bodies to counter the spiral of violence and discrimination, France organized by the Council of Europe

ECRI 95th plenary meeting: Exchange of views on training law Strasbourg, 3-4 July 2024 N/A enforcement and other criminal justice actors on hate crimes France

Meeting with Polish Ministry of Equality Warsaw, Poland 4 July 2024 7 (5 women, 2 men)

73 Meeting with Polish International Police Cooperation Bureau Warsaw, Poland 4 July 2024 6 (3 women, 3 men)

19th meeting of the Focal Points on Roma in OSCE Field Operations Online 23 July 2024 11 (7 women, 4 men)

Conference on strengthening opportunities and protecting the Online 30 July 2024 >40 rights of Roma women through effective policy implementation

Workshop: Roma Voices — IHRA recommendations for teaching Kraków, Poland 31 July 2024 14 (10 women, 4 men) guidelines about the persecution and genocide of the Roma during the Nazi era

International conference: My testimony is for young people — Kraków, Poland 31 July to 1 August 2024 >300 Passing on memory for the future of holocaust remembrance and education

80th anniversary of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Oświęcim, Poland 2 August 2024 >700 Roma and Sinti

Consultation workshop on forthcoming publication: Guidelines for Online 5 August 2024 16 (11 women, 8 men) National Human Rights Institutions and National Equality Bodies for Better Addressing Roma and Sinti Issues

Participant at ECCAR General Conference 2024: Don’t Let Europe Heidelberg, 23-25 September 2024 N/A Go Backwards Germany

6th Working Group Meeting on EU Strategy Combating Budapest, 24-25 September 2024 N/A Antisemitism Hungary

Under the Spotlight 6: event on hate crime victim support Online 25 September 2024 31 (21 women, 8 men, 1 non-binary, 1 N/A)

Specialist course on hate crimes, organized by the Hellenic Police Online 2 October 2024 29 (12 women, 17 men) Academy, in cooperation with the Hellenic Police State Security Directorate and CEPOL

2nd consultative meeting for Multi-country Survey on the Socio- Online 3 October 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men) Economic Vulnerabilities of Roma in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Ending Warsaw, Poland 8 October 2024 50 (25 women, 25 men) Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and OSCE HCNM

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Needs, Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 66 (41 women, 25 men) Capacity and Potential of Roma and Sinti Women’s Organizations and Activists in the OSCE Region

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Addressing Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 70 (41 women, 29 men) Roma Human Rights Concerns in Ukraine Through Dialogue Between Government, Civil Society and the International Community

4th meeting of Roma Coordination Group Online 22 October 2024 12 (7 women, 5 men)

Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Sinti and Kutna Hora, 28 October to 1 21 (9 women, 12 men) Travellers: Towards effective and non-discriminatory policing, joint Czech Republic November 2024 ODIHR and Council of Europe Training-of-Trainers

10th meeting of the CoE Committee of Experts on Roma and Strasbourg, 29-30 October 2024 >30 Traveller Issues – ADI-ROM France

Conference on Holocaust Distortion and Education: Current and Bucharest, 28-29 October 2024 88 (46 women, 42 men) Emerging Challenges and National Measures in Place Romania

VII Seminar on Hate Crime: The relationship between religious Madrid, Spain 29-30 October 2024 1000 (no sex denominations and law enforcement agencies disaggregated data available)

Diagnostic Workshop for Assessing National Structures and Prague, Czech 31 October 22 (13 women, 8 men, services for Hate Crime Victim Support in the Czech Republic Republic to 1 November 2024 1 non-binary)

Seminar on Addressing Anti-Semitism in and through Education in Brussels, Belgium 4-5 November 2024 >100 (no sex disaggregated Belgium data available)

Training-of-Trainers on hate crimes for the Gendarmerie Nationale Paris, France 6-7 November 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated in France data available)

Meeting of the FoRB Roundtable, Brussels-EU Brussels, Belgium 11 November 2024 12 (1 women, 11 men)

74 Inaugural meeting of EU network of law enforcement contact points Vienna, Austria 13 November 2024 28 (no sex disaggregated on hate crime and hate speech data available)

Conference on anti-Muslim hatred and interfaith dialogue, Prague, Czech 14 November 2024 N/A organized by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute Republic for International Relations

Annual Meeting of the ODIHR National Points of Contact on Hate Vienna, Austria 14-15 November 2024 71 (42 women, 29 men) Crimes (NPCs) and joint meeting of the EC Working Group on hate crime recording, reporting and data collection and ad hoc Human Dimension Committee Meeting

TAHCLE hate crime training for Polish Police Legionowo, 15 November 2024 16 (5 women, 11 men) Poland

Under the Spotlight 7: event on hate crime victim support Online 18 November 2024 88 (38 women, 34 men, 2 non-binary, 14 other)

Presentation of ODIHR’s Hate Crime Report data for 2023 for civil Online 19 November 2024 59 (no sex disaggregated society organizations data available)

UNODC Conference on Legal Aid in Criminal Justice System Vienna, Austria 19-21 November 2024 N/A

Roundtable on Tackling anti-Muslim prejudice: lessons learned London, United 20-27 November 2024 26 (16 women, 13 men) from the OSCE region Kingdom

Conference on Combating Hate Crime and Hate Speech in Digital Online 21 November 2024 22 (no sex disaggregated and Physical Spheres in South East Europe, organized by the OSCE data available) Mission to Serbia

Training for civil society organizations from Croatia, Finland and Online 22 November 2024 45 (32 women, 9 men, Ireland on supporting hate crime victims, organized with Finland’s 2 non-binary, 2 other) Ministry of Justice

Tech for SHRINEs’ Hackathon and meetings related to the Rome, Italy 25-28 November 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated forthcoming Christian Security Guide data available)

Moving Beyond Victimhood: Roundtable with policymakers and London, United 26 November 2024 41 (32 women, 9 men) civil society Kingdom

Lecture for the MA course on Current Minority Issues: Roma Budapest, 2 December 2024 20 (15 women, 5 men) Inclusion in Europe, offered by the Eötvös Loránd University Hungary and online

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary London, United 2-5 December 2024 >150 Meeting Kingdom

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice thematic Vienna, Austria 3-5 December 2024 approx. 90 (no sex discussions on implementation of the Kyoto Declaration disaggregated data available)

IHRA Plenary Meeting/3rd International IHRA Conference on the London, United 3-6 December 2024 >70 (no sex disaggregated Persecution and Genocide of Roma During the Nazi Era Kingdom data available)

3rd International IHRA Conference on the Persecution and London, United 6 December 2024 >70 Genocide of Roma During the Nazi Era Kingdom

UNESCO Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination Barcelona, Spain 9-11 December 2024 800 (no sex disaggregated data available)

Launch of the European Working Group on Antigypsyism and Brussels, Belgium 10 December 2024 >70 Transitional Justice for Roma

Consultations for engaging male allies from the Roma community Skopje, North 10-12 December 2024 30 (16 women, 14 men) in North Macedonia to support gender equality Macedonia

Policy dialogue meeting on Addressing antisemitism through Paris, France 11 December 2024 95 (45 women, 50 men) education in Europe: from practice to action

Webinar on Ensuring justice for hate crime victims through Online 12 December 2024 60 (37 women, 22 men, strategic litigation, organized with the support of the European 1 N/A) Commission

75  EXTRABUDGETARY PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS Implemented in 2024

HUMAN DIMENSION

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Enhancing the quality of OSCE region • Enhancing the online Meetings System at meetings.odihr.pl to facilitate participant ODIHR–organized events in registration, engagement and conference management in the human dimension. the human dimension • Supporting the organization and management of the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

Fund for NGO Participation OSCE region • Strengthening civil society inclusion at events in the human dimension. in OSCE Human Dimension Events

ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Fund for Enhancing the OSCE region • Deploying experts from eligible participating States —Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Diversification of Election Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Observation Missions Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine — as both long-term and short-term observers in ODIHR election observation activities. In 2024, the fund’s scope was expanded to promote greater inclusivity in ODIHR observation missions, specifically by supporting the deployment of observers with disabilities.

Election Observation OSCE region • Publication of the Handbook for the Observation of Information and Communication Development Programme Technologies in Elections and work on finalizing the Handbook on promoting and observing youth participation in elections.

Fund for Enhancing the OSCE region • Assisting institutions and civil society in addressing ODIHR electoral assessments Follow-up of ODIHR and recommendations through technical expertise. Electoral Assessments and Recommendations

Support to Electoral Reforms Western Balkans • Assisting institutions and civil society in addressing ODIHR electoral assessments in the Western Balkans and recommendations related to election administration, voter registration, the conduct of the media during election campaigns, the ability of parties and candidates to freely campaign, and the capacity and independence of electoral dispute resolution bodies.

76 DEMOCRATIZATION DEPARTMENT

Rule of Law

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and Georgia • Monitoring the transparency and fairness of the appointment of a new, non-judge Accountable Democratic member of the High Council of Justice. Institutions in the OSCE Region Moldova • Continued monitoring the processes of evaluation of integrity (pre-vetting and vetting) in Moldova. This includes the re-evaluation of candidates of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM), whose appeals regarding pre-vetting before the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) were successful, as well as the parallel vetting process for sitting judges and candidates seeking to become new judges of the SCJ.

Kazakhstan • Continued working to finalize the report on the right to a fair trial and the rights of victims and witnesses following ODIHR’s monitoring of trials related to the January 2022 events in Kazakhstan. • Organizing the Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Forum served as a platform for dialogue between criminal justice professionals and stakeholders (judges, prosecutors, attorneys, representatives of penitentiary and probation institutions, civil society and international experts) on good practices and human rights-compliant policies and reform initiatives in the field of criminal justice.

Legislative Support

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Legislation Review Fund OSCE region • Legal analyses of legislation, including on freedom of association and so-called “foreign agents”-type legislation (Georgia), judicial reform (Poland, Moldova), constitutional justice (Poland), suppression of gender quotas (Georgia), public security (Italy), anti-corruption (Ukraine), state of emergency (Moldova), constitutional amendment procedure (Moldova), political party and election campaign financing (Montenegro), status of Members of Parliament (Moldova), rights of indigenous people (Ukraine), the protection of the profession of lawyers, the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in “online spaces” (ongoing), the impact of new technologies on policing assemblies (ongoing). • Annual meetings of the ODIHR Core Group of Experts on Political Parties and of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association. • Follow-up events to present and discuss the main findings and recommendations from ODIHR’s legal analyses to key stakeholders of Montenegro (political party and elections campaign financing, lawmaking rules), Italy (public security and freedom of peaceful assembly), Moldova (criminalization of “separatism”), and experts of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Protection of Lawyers. • Country visit to discuss the ODIHR Final Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns.

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Legal analyses of legislation, including on judicial reform (Poland), re-evaluation of Accountable Democratic judges and prosecutors (Moldova) and on parliamentary integrity (Moldova). Institutions in the OSCE • Follow-up event to present and discuss the main findings and recommendations from Region ODIHR’s legal analyses on various aspects of the judicial and constitutional justice reform in Poland. • Publication, launch and presentations of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws (in English, Russian and Ukrainian). • Practical training for Ukrainian lawmakers on the key principles of lawmaking and launch of the Ukrainian version of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws. • Launch of the Preliminary Opinion on the Legal Framework Governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro and publication of the ODIHR Comprehensive Assessment Report on the Lawmaking Process in Montenegro, which assesses both the law and the practice of lawmaking. • Technical maintenance, overhaul and updating of www.legislationline.org. • Publication of the Follow–up Assessment Report of the Lawmaking Process in the Republic of Uzbekistan and of the Preliminary Opinion on the Legal Framework governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro, and finalization of the Follow–up Assessment Report of the lawmaking process of Armenia. • Launch of the Assessment Report on the Legislative Process of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

77 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Stronger Democratic EU Eastern • Expert evaluation of the legal framework governing parliamentary oversight and Institutions in Eastern Partnership modalities of Parliament’s engagement with civil society and the public in Moldova Partnership Countries: an countries (ongoing). ODIHR project supported and • Preliminary assessment of the regulatory framework governing the lawmaking funded by the EU procedure within the Parliament of Moldova (ongoing). • Technical support to the Parliaments of Ukraine and Moldova to develop and/or strengthen the rules governing the ethics and conduct of Members of Parliament.

Democratic Governance

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Commissioning research on disability quotas in politics. Accountable Democratic • Organizing the annual meeting of ODIHR’s Advisory Panel on the Political Institutions in the OSCE Participation of Persons with Disabilities. Region • Organizing an event with Westminster on The UK Parliamentary Integrity System: Lessons Learned from the House of Commons . • Organizing the International School on Integrity in cooperation with Transparency International Lithuania. • Contributing to the International Anti-Corruption Conference. • Co-organizing the 6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp on the Integrity of Political Finance. • Developing a publication on Parliamentary oversight: political integrity and accountability. • Developing Tool 2 of the Public Ethics and Integrity Toolkit 2: Guidelines for Political Parties. • Organizing an expert meeting on the Political Participation Toolkit. • Organizing the International Anti-Corruption Day conference with OCEEA. • Preparation of a publication on Public Integrity and Lobbying. • Organizing a workshop and developing an assessment methodology for Youth Political Participation in Political Parties. • Organizing the School of Leadership and Advocacy for 23 young MPs and political party representatives from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries to enhance the capacity of young politicians and activists. • Conducting research on Young MPs and Integrity with case studies from Armenia and Finland.

Kazakhstan • Translation of the eLearning course on Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities: an interactive tool for parliaments and political parties into Kazakh.

Serbia • Presentation at the National Assembly of Serbia of a report on disability inclusion in the parliament and the Serbian language version of the eLearning course on Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities: an interactive tool for parliaments and political parties. • Publication of Recommendations on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Participate in Political and Public Life in the OSCE Region (Dublin Recommendations) in Serbian. • Delivering an introductory seminar and induction course for members of the National Assembly of Serbia on the Code of Conduct.

Bosnia and • Supporting the Field Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina with hiring a disability rights Herzegovina expert to support their work on promoting the political participation of persons with disabilities.

Georgia • Hiring disability rights experts to hold consultations with relevant stakeholders in preparation for the launch of the mentorship programme for youth with disabilities in Georgia, including the preparation of a handbook for the programme.

Poland • Presenting the 2023 Youth Progress Index and the State of Young People in Poland.

Stronger Democratic EU Eastern • Workshop in Chisinau, Moldova, to present the ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions Institutions in Eastern Partnership of the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and Ethics of the Members of Parliament of Partnership Countries: an countries the Republic of Moldova, good practices and ways forward. ODIHR project supported and • Organizing 6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp: Integrity of Political Finance funded by the EU • Supporting the organization of the School of Leadership and Advocacy for 23 young MPs and political party representatives from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries.

78 Gender Equality in Politics

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Publication and promotion of ODIHR’s Gender-responsive governance Toolkit: Accountable Democratic Advancing gender equality in politics — National assessments and action plans; Institutions in the OSCE Transforming political parties from within — Gender audits and action plans; and Region Parliamentary bodies for gender equality — Overview and recommendations. • Organizing two webinars to promote the new methodologies contained in the Gender-responsive governance toolkit. • Training future facilitators of gender audits of political parties. • Preparing a workshop on Engaging Male Politicians as Critical Actors for Gender Equality in Politics.

Serbia and Albania • Conducting parliamentary gender audits.

Portugal and Latvia • Initiating gender audits of the national parliaments of Portugal and Latvia.

Denmark • Finalizing cooperation with six parliamentary political parties in Denmark, including the conduct of three full gender audits.

Montenegro • Supporting four parliamentary political parties in identifying barriers to women’s political participation and practical solutions to be applied by the party, based on the party-specific gender audits.

Migration

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Assistance for OSCE region • Final conference of ODIHR training series on human rights at international borders: Implementation of OSCE human rights principles, monitoring, safety and security. Organized for human rights Commitments on Migration defenders working in 26 countries (Central-Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, and Freedom of Movement Northern Mediterranean region and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation). • Three training courses on human rights at international borders: exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities for human rights defenders working in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe; South-Eastern Europe and the Northern Mediterranean Region.

Armenia and • Training for civil society actors on facilitating open dialogues on migration, freedom Georgia of movement and social cohesion in Armenia and Georgia, including an in-person course and follow-up support for the implementation of public dialogue in their communities.

Bosnia and • Two training courses on good practices in migrant integration for local authorities in Herzegovina Sarajevo and Bihac.

Stronger Democratic Moldova • Training on good practices in migrant integration for the national authorities. Institutions in Eastern Partnership Countries: an ODIHR project supported and funded by the EU

79 HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human Central Asia/ • Two training courses on protecting human rights while countering terrorism Rights-Compliant and Uzbekistan effectively for law enforcement officers in Samarkand and Tashkent regions, Gender-Responsive Security Uzbekistan. Sector — Human Rights and Anti-Terrorism South East Europe • Training on protecting human rights while countering terrorism effectively for law enforcement officers in Pristina, Kosovo*.

Belgium • Training on protecting human rights while countering terrorism effectively for law enforcement officers in Brussels, Belgium.

OSCE region • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on the situation of ISIS-affiliated individuals in the camps and prisons in North East Syria and the responsibility of OSCE participating States for the repatriation of their nationals.

Protection of persons South East Europe • Training for Albanian- and Macedonian-speaking detention monitors on detention deprived of liberty in the monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering OSCE region — Human violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. Rights and Anti-Terrorism • Regional training course for monitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia on detention monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons.

OSCE region • Regional training course for monitors from selected European countries on detention monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. • Webinar on the role of independent detention monitoring and publication of Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors in French.

Promoting a Human Uzbekistan • Commander’s course on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies for Uzbek Rights-Compliant and law enforcement. Gender-Responsive Security Sector — Freedom of Ukraine • Training-of-Trainers on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies for Ukrainian Peaceful Assembly law enforcement. (Funded by Ukraine project).

OSCE region • Research into the role of municipalities in enabling the right to freedom of peaceful assembly to support the development of ODIHR’s compendium for municipal authorities on human rights-compliant facilitation of assemblies.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • ODIHR-CSOs Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Monitoring network meeting. strengthening enabling • Assembly monitoring training for monitors from France (Ligue des Droits de environment for human l’Homme) and Italy (Amnesty International) and for staff from the OSCE Mission to rights defenders — Freedom Moldova. of Peaceful Assembly • Meeting with assembly monitors from the ‘Viasna’ Human Rights Centre (Belarus). • Launch and roll-out of an e-Learning course on freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring. • Support to UNODC, OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association in developing a Handbook for Law Enforcement Officials on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests.

Protection of persons OSCE region • Launch of the ODIHR/Penal Reform International Introduction to the Nelson Mandela deprived of liberty in the Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual in Russian. OSCE region — Anti-Torture • Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPMs of Slovakia and France.

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

80 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human Bosnia and • Training on strategic human rights communication and coalition building on freedom Rights-Compliant and Herzegovina of religion or belief for human rights activists, supported by the OSCE Mission to Gender-Responsive Security Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sector — Freedom of Religion or Belief Kosovo* • A needs assessment exercise with various stakeholders across Kosovo* to customize ODIHR’s training on freedom of religion or belief, non-violent communication and dialogue, supported by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo*.

Central Asia • Presentation of international FoRB standards during a conference on Religious Freedom and Security: Balancing Acceptable Restrictions in Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism, organized by the Association of Religious Organizations of Kazakhstan (AROK).

OSCE region • Pilot Training-of-Trainers on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security for freedom of religion or belief experts.

OSCE region • First draft of an explainer on Freedom of Thought.

OSCE region • Publication of Belief Dialogue and Security: Fostering dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries.

Promoting a Human Central Asia • Continued promotion of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Handbook, 2nd Rights-Compliant and edition across the OSCE region, including an online presentation to anti-trafficking Gender-Responsive Security stakeholders in Uzbekistan at a national roundtable on strengthening the Uzbek Sector — Anti-Trafficking NRM.

OSCE region • Two training sessions on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Border Management, in Dushanbe and Vienna for the Border Management Staff College of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. • Virtual launch of the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs) on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. • Launch of Out of the Shadows: Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National Minorities, a joint publication by ODIHR and the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. • Two meetings of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC). • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, three side events on: the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs); Enhancing a human rights-based and victim-centred approach to identification of and assistance to victims of human trafficking; and Out of the Shadows: Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National Minorities. The last two events were co-organized with the OSR/ CTHB.

OSCE region • Finalization of the policy guidance on Survivor Informed Indicators to Identify Victims and Survivors of Trafficking of Human Beings.

Malta • Training on multidisciplinary approaches to the identification and referral of victims of human trafficking within the National Referral Mechanism.

Promoting a Human OSCE region • Participation in OSCE-led Regional Gender and Security conference. Rights-Compliant and • Pilot training on Human Rights and Gender Assessment in the Armed Forces for the Gender-Responsive Security UK, Belgium and Austria. Publication of Human Rights and Gender Assessment in the Sector — Human Rights Armed Forces — Facilitators Guide. Gender and Security • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on promoting human rights- compliant and gender-responsive armed forces. • Two online consultations with the Civic Solidarity Platform Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region. • Support to Poland’s evaluation of the Polish Women Peace and Security National Action Plan for 2018-2023 and development of their new NAP.

Central Asia • Training-of-Trainers on policing and human rights in the framework of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for the law enforcement of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

81 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Protection of persons OSCE region • Publication of the Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender- deprived of liberty in the Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty. OSCE region — Human Rights Gender and Security Poland • Roundtable on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty with Polish state authorities. • Publication of the Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender- Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty in Polish.

Serbia • Training and follow-up activities for national human rights institutions and civil society organizations from Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • Further development of the FreedomLab platform, the online educational platform for strengthening enabling human rights defenders, prioritizing digital safety and data security. environment for human • Development workshops for FreedomLab with web developer and ODIHR team. rights defenders — Human Rights Defenders • Development of e-Learning course on Safety and Security in Human Rights Work, with a focus on risk management. • Testing, refinement and finalization of Starlight Stadium, ODIHR’s online educational game for human rights defenders. • Translation of Starlight Stadium into Russian and Ukrainian. (Funded by the Ukraine project). • Launch of Starlight Stadium during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. • Development of a Facilitator’s Guide for Starlight Stadium, to support the game’s use by educators. • Promotion of Starlight Stadium among human rights defenders and educators.

Poland • Testing Episode 3 of Starlight Stadium with students from the College of Europe, Natolin

Bosnia and • Human rights monitoring training that included Starlight Stadium as an interactive Herzegovina educational tool. • Two follow-up workshops on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit on the situation of human rights defenders and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations, held in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • Two online meetings with NHRI focal points on the NHRI resilience assessment, strengthening enabling resilience-building planning and follow-up. environment for human • Development of four step-by-step guides for NHRI focal points (Guides for rights defenders — National Facilitators) on: conducting a resilience assessment; developing a resilience-building Human Rights Institutions plan; conducting a risk assessment; and developing a risk management plan.

Human Rights Monitoring Ukraine • Four monitoring missions to Kyiv. Fund — Ukraine Monitoring • Planning visit to Kyiv (meetings with CSOs). Initiative (UMI) • Combined monitoring mission and planning visit (meetings with CSOs) to Kyiv.

Estonia • Monitoring mission to Tallinn.

OSCE region • Publication of the Fifth Interim Report on Reported Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in Ukraine. • Publication of the Sixth Interim Report on Reported Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in Ukraine. • Development of e-Learning course on Documenting Human Rights Violations in Times of Conflict and Crisis.

82 TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Targeted EU Member States/ • Presentations and training on hate crime victim support for law enforcement, Assistance and Response OSCE Region (Romania, Poland, France and at a course organized by CEPOL). Structures for Hate Crime • Organizing a Diagnostic Workshop for Assessing National Structures and Services Victims in the OSCE Region for Hate Crime Victim Support in the Czech Republic. (STARS) • Online training for civil society representatives from Croatia, Finland and Ireland on the provision of effective support to hate crime victims. • Two public webinars on different ways to support hate crime victims (psychological and legal support). • Seven online expert meetings on different aspects of hate crime victim support for members of ODIHR’s Expert Network on Hate Crime Victim Support.

Understanding Anti-Christian OSCE region • Organizing international consultation meetings with representatives of civil society Hate Crimes and Addressing organizations and Christian communities on addressing anti-Christian hate crime the Security Needs of and the security needs of Christian communities in Armenia and Canada. Christian Communities • Organizing a series of bilateral, online consultation meetings with representatives of under the Programme for Christian communities, civil society activists and academic experts on issues relating Combating Hate Crime to intolerance against Christians. • Organizing expert discussions on the first draft of the practical guide on Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities. • Meeting with representatives of the Holy See in Rome to discuss the practical guide.

CONTACT POINT FOR ROMA AND SINTI ISSUES

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human OSCE region • Translation of Understanding Anti-Roma Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Rights-Compliant and Needs of Roma and Sinti Communities into Spanish. Gender-Responsive Security Sector Czech Republic • Training-of-Trainers course on Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Sinti and Travellers: Towards effective and non-discriminatory policing.

Assisting Participating States OSCE region • Development of an advocacy handbook for Roma and pro-Roma women civil society to Effectively Implement the organizations. Action Plan on Improving the • Preparation of guidelines for providing balanced, accurate and responsible coverage Situation of Roma and Sinti of Roma and Sinti issues in the media. within the OSCE Area • Workshop and report on Exploring Achievements and Challenges of the Past and Present: What Lies Ahead for the Future of Roma and Sinti Human Rights in the OSCE Area.

Romania • Training-of-Trainers course on Police and Roma: Effective and Human Rights Compliant Policing in Roma and Sinti Communities.

Advancing the Human Ukraine • Mentoring and guidance to Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders to conduct Dimension of Security in human rights monitoring. Ukraine project • Preparation of a report on documented cases of human rights violations, challenges and persisting concerns facing Ukrainian Roma as a result of monitoring work carried out by Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders. The report was presented during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. • Support for the participation of Roma civil society representatives and activists to OSCE human dimension events such as Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings I and III, and the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

83 UKRAINE 2024

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Programme on ODIHR Ukraine • Organizing a workshop and conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Support for and Engagement Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, in Ukraine Advocacy and Empowerment and publication and translation of the conference Project “Advancing the report. Human Dimension of • Publication and translation of the ODIHR Report on the Human Rights Situation of Security in Ukraine” Internally Displaced Roma People in Ukraine. • Organizing I-CHANGE Self-Advocacy training for 11 Roma women and feminist activists. • Organizing a consultative meeting with the Supreme Court of Ukraine on preparation of the handbook on the adjudication of war crimes. • Supporting a workshop on engaging the Ukrainian diaspora in reconstruction and development: human rights dimensions. • Organizing an ODIHR visit to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian stakeholders in the sphere of democratization and the rule of law. • Organizing a webinar series for Ukrainian law practitioners on the Application of International Law and Practices of Defence Counsel in Domestic War Crimes Cases. • Supporting the participation of Ukrainian Women’s Congress representatives in the XVI Polish Congress of Women in Gdańsk, Poland. • Supporting the Network of Gender Advisers in Ukraine. • Organizing a Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on the role of civil society and international actors in supporting adjudication of war crimes by national courts. • Holding a consultation with Ukrainian human rights defenders to contribute to the revision process of the Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. • Organizing a side event during the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on addressing Roma human rights concerns in Ukraine through dialogue between government, civil society and the international community. • Training on digital safety and security for Ukrainian Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders. • Commissioning a map of Roma and Sinti civil society organizations and related stakeholders in Ukraine. • Conducting a Training-of-Trainers workshop for the National Police of Ukraine on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies. • Organizing training for the ODIHR CSOs and Frontline Responders Platform on strengthening identification of victims of trafficking. • Conducting a series of online meetings of the CTHB platform for CSOs and frontline responders.

84 CHANGE 2024

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Capitalizing on the Human OSCE region • Preparing a publication on the experiences and coping strategies of women in Dimension Mandate to politics as part of the Addressing Violence Against Women in Politics in the OSCE Advance Gender Equality Region Toolkit. (CHANGE) • Producing educational and awareness-raising videos on the institutional mechanisms that political actors in the OSCE region use to address Violence Against Women in Politics.

OSCE region/ North • Designing and delivering training on addressing Violence Against Women in Politics. Macedonia

Poland • Organizing a meeting to assess the status of human rights and fundamental freedoms and advances in gender equality in Poland. The meeting discussed policy priorities and opportunities for making further progress on gender equality through dialogue and collaborative action by institutional counterparts, civil society organizations and human rights defenders.

Georgia and Poland • Organizing a study visit and peer exchange by human rights defenders and civil society organizations from Georgia with counterparts in Poland.

North Macedonia • Organizing a study visit and peer exchange by political actors, NHRIs, human rights and Poland defenders and civil society organizations from North Macedonia with counterparts in Poland.

Georgia, North • Creating the CHANGE Transnational Network to Prevent, Address and Reverse Macedonia and Gender Backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland. Poland • Designing the CHANGE Network’s methodology to monitor gender backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland. • Drafting a pilot monitoring report on gender backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland.

OSCE region • Designing an inventory of tools in use to prevent, address and reverse gender backsliding in the OSCE region. • Designing a guide on how democratic institutions and civil society organizations can respond to mobilization against gender equality and gender equality backsliding. • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on Engaging Men to Support Gender Equality: From Awareness to Action, co-organized with the OSCE WIN project. • Finalizing the report and recommendations of the OSCE Conference on Engaging Men to Support Gender Equality. • Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting for Europe and Central Asia side event on the potential of transnational peer networks to reverse gender backsliding, co-organized with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the UN. • Designing a policy brief on working with religious actors to combat violence against women and girls.

North Macedonia • Consultation, constructive exchange and building support among male allies from the Roma community in North Macedonia in support of gender equality.

Poland • Supporting the launch of the Polish Women’s Congress Flying Academy online platform for easy learning about gender equality basics in Polish. • Supporting the XVI Polish Women’s Congress.

North Macedonia • Reviewing the previous parliamentary Gender Action Plan (GAP) and drafting a new GAP for 2025-2027.

OSCE region • Designing and delivering online webinar on the safety and resilience of women online as part of the ‘16 days of activism against gender-based violence’ campaign.

85  ODIHR PUBLICATIONS IN 2024

Title Month of Description Languages publication

Holocaust Memorial Days January This publication provides information on when, English where and how OSCE participating States promote the commemoration and study of the Holocaust, including the genocide of Roma and Sinti, in line with their OSCE commitments.

Handbook for the February This handbook updates the ODIHR methodology for English Observation of Information the observation and assessment of ICT used during and Communication voting and counting processes and includes new Technologies in Elections aspects such as electronic registration, verification of voters and candidates, and cybersecurity issues.

Democracy and Human March This report highlights the impact of activities carried English Rights in the OSCE: The out by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions ODIHR Annual Report 2023 and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 2023.

Comprehensive Support April The STARS initiative contributes to improving English for Hate Crime Victims existing standards on hate crime victim support and — Factsheet enables criminal justice institutions, government representatives and civil society organizations to provide effective support to hate crime victims.

Election Administration April This toolkit is designed for assessing the gender- English Gender Audits – a toolkit responsiveness of election administrations across the 57 OSCE participating States. Conducting gender audits of EMBs is good practice for ensuring that women and men participate and benefit from the election administration and the electoral processes on equitable terms.

ODIHR Election Observation May This factsheet explains the purpose of the special English to the 2024 European election assessment mission to the 2024 European Parliament Elections Parliament Elections. — Factsheet

86 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Including the voices of June This guide examines the experience and practices English hate crime victims in of national stakeholders and sets out practical policymaking and policy guidelines to follow when engaging with hate crime implementation — a victims for policymaking or policy implementation practical guide purposes. It draws inspiration from the work that practitioners across the EU and OSCE region have done to support and protect victims of domestic violence, trafficking in human beings and war crimes.

Guidance on establishing July This guidance provides practical information for English and maintaining National OSCE participating States on how to establish and Survivors of Trafficking structure National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Advisory Councils (NSTACs) Councils (NSTACs).

Fifth Interim Report on July Interim Report on reported violations of international English reported violations of humanitarian law and international human rights international humanitarian law in Ukraine Українська law and international human rights law in Ukraine Русский

ODIHR support for September This factsheet describes how ODIHR works in English parliaments on advancing multiple areas to advance gender equality in gender equality — Factsheet political and public life. Русский

Gender Responsive September This publication explains gender equality in political English Governance Toolkit, Tool 1: life in terms of access, voice and transformation and Advancing gender equality provides guidance on how to conduct a national Русский in politics — National assessment of gender equality in political life and on assessments and action how to develop a national action plan based on the plans findings of the assessment.

Gender Responsive September This publication complements ODIHR’s online English Governance Toolkit, Tool gender audit tool and provides practical guidance 2: Transforming political on how to conduct gender audits and implement Русский parties from within — gender action plans. Gender audits and action plans

Quick Guide on Preventing September This is a quick reference book containing practical English and Addressing Sexual and information about the problem of sexual and Gender-Based Violence in gender-based violence (SGBV) in criminal justice Русский Places of Deprivation of facilities. It proposes various safeguards to prevent Liberty and respond to such violence. This guidance is for Polski practitioners working in criminal justice systems, " especially those involved in arresting, investigating, interviewing or detaining suspects, those accused of a crime and prisoners or detainees.

87 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Human Rights and Gender September This publication offers comprehensive guidance English Assessment in the Armed on how to conduct human rights and gender self- Forces — Facilitators Guide assessment in the armed forces to contribute to proper respect for, protection and promotion of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of armed forces personnel.

OSCE/ODIHR Election October This factsheet explains the purpose of the Limited English Observation to the 2024 Election Observation Mission to the United States General Election in the General Elections. United States of America

The Right to Monitor October ODIHR regularly facilitates exchanges between civil English Assemblies in the OSCE society organizations, academia and OSCE field Region: Experiences from operations on conducting assembly monitoring. the Field This report builds on these exchanges, focusing on the work of civil society actors in particular, and makes recommendations for participating States on how to facilitate the work of assembly monitors.

Belief, Dialogue and Security October This guide responds to calls from participating English — Fostering dialogue and States for guidance and practical tools to help joint action across religious them create an environment that enables fruitful Srpski and belief boundaries dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries.

Including the voices of October This factsheet outlines ten guiding principles for English hate crime victims in the meaningful and considerate inclusion of hate policymaking and policy crime victims’ voices in policymaking and policy implementation — factsheet implementation processes. It summarizes the key points from the practical guide on Including the Voices of Hate Crime Victims in Policymaking and Policy Implementation.

Employment: The Right November This explainer offers OSCE participating States, English to Freedom of Thought, businesspeople, unions, civil society organizations Conscience, Religion or and religious or belief groups practical Belief of Women at Work recommendations to ensure respect for, and the protection of women’s right to FoRB in employment.

Hate Crime Prosecution November This guide outlines the legal and conceptual English at the Intersection of Hate differences between hate crime and criminalized Crime and Criminalised ‘hate speech’ and the consequences of misapplying ‘Hate Speech’: A Practical ‘hate speech’ provisions to prosecute hate crime, Guide providing practical guidance on how to avoid this; and making recommendations on how to improve practice at the national level.

88 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Sixth Interim Report on December Interim Report on reported violations of international English reported violations of humanitarian law and international human rights international humanitarian law in Ukraine law and international human rights law in Ukraine

Gender Responsive December This tool shows how parliamentary bodies English Governance Toolkit, Tool for gender equality are one of the key gender 3: Parliamentary bodies for mainstreaming mechanisms available to national gender equality — Overview parliaments, and assesses their role and function and recommendations within parliaments.

TRANSLATIONS OF EARLIER PUBLICATIONS

Title Original Languages publication date

Warsaw Recommendations 2023 Русский on Judicial Independence Bosanski

Guidelines on Democratic 2023 Русский Lawmaking for Better Laws Українська

Protecting Human Rights 2021 Français in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors

89 Title Original Languages publication date

Introduction to the Nelson 2023 Srpski Mandela Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual

Freedom of Religion or 2019 Italiano Belief and Security: Policy Guidance

Addressing Violence against 2022 Русский Women in Politics In the OSCE Region: Toolkit

Anti-Semitic Hate Crime 2019 Español factsheet

Anti-Christian Hate Crime 2018 Español factsheet

The Sensitive and 2022 Čeština Respectful Treatment of Hate Crime Victims Español

Handbook for the 2023 Русский Observation of Election Administration

90 Title Original Languages publication date

Disability Hate Crime 2016 Español Factsheet

Gender-Based Hate Crime 2021 Español Factsheet

91  LEGISLATIVE REVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS Released in 2024 (available on ODIHR’s website and at www.legislationline.org)

Country Full Name of Legal Review or Legislative Assessment Publication Date

1 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and 26 March 2024 Ethics of the Members of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

2 Poland ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on the Bill Amending the Act on the National Council of 8 April 2024 the Judiciary of Poland

3 Serbia ODIHR Urgent Opinion on Draft Amendments to Several Pieces of Election-related 15 April 2024 Legislation of Serbia

4 Ukraine ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Law of Ukraine on the Status of the Crimean Tatar People 16 May 2024

5 Italy ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Bill no. 1660 Relating to Countering 27 May 2024 Terrorism, Public Security, Protection of Personnel in Service and Prison Regulations in Italy

6 Uzbekistan Joint ODIHR-OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Opinion on the Draft 29 May 2024 Information Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan

7 Georgia ODIHR Urgent Opinion on the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” of Georgia 30 May 2024

8 Georgia ODIHR Opinion on Two Organic Laws of Georgia Amending the Election Code and the 21 June 2024 Law on Political Unions of Citizens in Relation to Gender Quotas

9 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Law on Partial Implementation of the Postal Vote in the 21 June 2024 Republic of Moldova

10 Slovak Republic ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on Article I of the Draft Act on “Some Measures to 25 June 2024 Improve the Security Situation in the Slovak Republic”

11 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Law on the External Evaluation of Judges and Candidates for 1 July 2024 the Position of Judge of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Moldova

12 Montenegro ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities 31 July 2024 and Elections Campaigns

13 Poland ODIHR Note on the Effects of Decisions of Judges Appointed in a Deficient Manner 12 August 2024

14 Poland ODIHR Urgent Note on Judges and Prosecutors’ Security Clearance, Access to 13 August 2024 Classified Information and Respect for Judicial Independence and Prosecutorial Autonomy and Independence

15 Poland ODIHR Opinion on Two Bills of the Republic of Poland on the Constitutional Tribunal 24 August 2024 (as of 24 July 2024)

16 Cyprus ODIHR Urgent Opinion on Draft Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of 3 October 2024 Cyprus

17 Montenegro ODIHR Final Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities and 8 October 2024 Elections Campaigns

18 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and Ethics of the Members of 10 December 2024 Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

19 Montenegro ODIHR Comprehensive Assessment Report on the Lawmaking Process in 30 December 2024 Montenegro

20 Ukraine ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative 30 December 2024 Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Rules of Ethical Conduct of Members of Parliament of Ukraine (Code of Ethics)”

21 Poland ODIHR Final Opinion on the Act Introducing Amendments to the Act on the National 31 December 2024 Council of the Judiciary of Poland

92  ODIHR ELECTION REPORTS AND STATEMENTS Released in 2024

Early parliamentary elections, Spain, 23 July 2023 Presidential election, Iceland, 1 June 2024 1. ODIHR EET Final Report 20. ODIHR NAM Report

Early parliamentary elections, Slovakia, 30 September 2023 Local elections, Serbia, 2 June 2024 2. ODIHR EAM Final Report 21. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 22. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement Parliamentary elections, Poland, 15 October 2023 23. ODIHR Final Report 3. ODIHR LEOM Final Report Federal elections, Belgium, 9 June 2024 Federal elections, Switzerland, 22 October 2023 24. ODIHR NAM Report 4. ODIHR EET Final Report European Parliament elections, 6-9 June 2024

Local elections, Moldova, 5 November 2023 25. ODIHR NAM Report 26. ODIHR SEAM Preliminary Statement 5. ODIHR EOM Final Report 27. ODIHR SEAM Final Report Early parliamentary elections, Serbia, 17 December 2023 Early parliamentary elections, Bulgaria, 9 June 2024 6. ODIHR EOM Final Report 28. ODIHR NAM Report 29. ODIHR EET Final Report Early presidential election, Azerbaijan, 7 February 2024 7. ODIHR EOM Interim Report General elections, San Marino, 9 June 2024 8. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 30. ODIHR NAM Report Early parliamentary elections, Portugal, 10 March 2024 Parliamentary elections, Mongolia, 28 June 2024 9. ODIHR NAM Report 31. ODIHR NAM Report 32. ODIHR Interim Report Presidential election, Slovak Republic, 23 March 2024 33. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 10. ODIHR NAM Report 34. ODIHR EOM Final Report 11. ODIHR EET Final Report Early parliamentary elections, France, 30 June 2024 Early parliamentary elections, Croatia, 17 April 2024 35. ODIHR NAM Report 12. ODIHR NAM Report 13. ODIHR EAM Final Report General elections, United Kingdom, 4 July 2024 36. ODIHR NAM Report Presidential and parliamentary elections, North Macedonia, 24 April and 8 May 2024 Early Parliamentary elections, Azerbaijan, 14. ODIHR NAM Report 1 September 2024 15. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 37. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 16. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement (presidential) 17. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement (presidential 2nd round and parliamentary) Parliamentary elections, Austria, 29 September 2024 18. ODIHR EOM Final Report 38. ODIHR NAM Report

Presidential election, Lithuania, 12 May 2024 19. ODIHR NAM Report

93 Local elections, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 October 2024 Parliamentary elections, Uzbekistan, 27 October 2024 39. ODIHR NAM Report 49. ODIHR NAM Report 40. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 50. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 41. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement General elections, United States of America, Presidential election, constitutional referendum, Moldova, 5 November 2024 20 October and 3 November 2024 51. ODIHR NAM Report 42. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 52. ODIHR LEOM Interim Report 43. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 53. ODIHR LEOM Preliminary Statement 44. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement, 2nd Round Presidential election, Romania, 24 November 2024 and Parliamentary elections, Georgia, 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections, Romania, 1 December 2024 45. ODIHR NAM Report 54. ODIHR NAM Report 46. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 47. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement Early parliamentary elections, Ireland, 29 November 2024 48. ODIHR EOM Final Report 55. ODIHR NAM Report

Parliamentary elections, Tajikistan, 2 March 2025 56. ODIHR NAM Report

NEEDS ASSESSMENT MISSIONS CONDUCTED IN 2024

Country Election type Election date

1 Portugal Early parliamentary 10 March 2024 2 Slovakia Presidential 23 March 2024 3 Croatia Early parliamentary 17 April 2024 4 North Macedonia Parliamentary and presidential 24 April and 8 May 2024 5 Lithuania Presidential 12 May 2024 6 Iceland Presidential 1 June 2024 7 Belgium European Parliament and parliamentary 9 June 2024 8 Bulgaria Early parliamentary 9 June 2024 9 San Marino Early general 9 June 2024 10 Mongolia Parliamentary 28 June 2024 11 United Kingdom General 4 July 2024 12 France Early parliamentary 30 July 2024 13 Austria Parliamentary 29 September 2024 14 Bosnia and Herzegovina Local 6 October 2024 15 Georgia Parliamentary 26 October 2024 16 Uzbekistan Parliamentary 27 October 2024 17 United States of America General 5 November 2024 18 Romania Presidential and parliamentary 24 November and 1 December 2024 19 Ireland General 29 November 2024 20 Liechtenstein Parliamentary 9 February 2025 21 Germany Early parliamentary 23 February 2025 22 Tajikistan Parliamentary 2 March 2025 23 Albania Parliamentary 15 May 2025

94 ELECTION FOLLOW-UP VISITS IN 2024:

Country Follow-up type Dates

1 Montenegro Presentation of the Final Reports on the 2023 presidential and parliamentary 6-9 February 2024 elections

2 Estonia Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 parliamentary elections 20-23 February 2024

3 Uzbekistan Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 early presidential election 25–27 March 2024

4 Armenia Follow-up joint Opinion on the electoral reform of Armenia 25-26 March 2024

5 Poland Meeting with the National Election Commission in anticipation of the full-fledged 27 June 2024 follow-up visit

6 Poland Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 parliamentary elections 11-13 September 2024

7 Montenegro Presentation of Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on the Financing 4-6 September 2024 of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns

8 Serbia Presentation of Final Report on the 2023 early parliamentary elections 24-26 September 2024

9 North Macedonia Consultation visit following the publication of ODIHR EOM Final Report on the 15-18 October 2024 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections

10 European Parliament Presentation of the Final Report on the 2024 elections 26-27 November 2024

95

Democracy and Human Rights in the OSCE OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Annual Report Democracy and Human Rights in the OSCE OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Annual Report Democracy and Human Rights in the OSCE. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Annual Report 2024

Published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Ul. Miodowa 10 00-251 Warsaw Poland

www.osce.org/odihr

© OSCE/ODIHR 2025

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that any such reproduction is accompanied by an acknowledgement of the OSCE/ODIHR as the source.

ISBN 978-92-9271-310-2

Design by Homework Contents

ODIHR Director’s foreword 4 Overview 5 ODIHR structure and budget 7

Part I: Making democratic institutions more accessible, inclusive and trusted 9 1.1 20 years of ODIHR legislative assistance 10 1.2 Listening to survivors 14 1.3 Observing the 2024 European Parliament elections 16 1.4 Promoting inclusive leadership 19 1.5 Transforming national parliaments to deliver on gender equality 20 1.6 Building resilience in the election observation community to meet new challenges 22 1.7 Enhancing criminal justice reform: Central Asia Criminal Justice Forum 2024 24 1.8 Engaging male politicians on gender equality in politics 26 1.9 Strengthening NHRIs to address human rights challenges related to securitization 28 1.10 Using gender audits to help political parties deliver on gender equality 30 1.11 Inspiring young professionals to advance political participation 33 1.12 Strengthening electoral reforms in the Western Balkans 34 1.13 Encouraging youth political participation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 36

Part II: Supporting civil society to strengthen democracy and guarantee human rights and security 37 2.1 Building solidarity among human rights defenders at international borders 38 2.2 Starlight Stadium, innovative educational tool for human rights defenders 40 2.3 Training human rights defenders on monitoring freedom of peaceful assembly 42 2.4 Training detention monitors to protect human rights while preventing terrorist radicalization in prisons 44 2.5 Ensuring respect for the human rights of Roma and Sinti 46 2.6 Improving detention monitoring to effectively prevent and address sexual violence in places of detention 47

Part III: Fostering accessible, equal and inclusive societies free from discrimination and marginalization 49 3.1 Strengthening social cohesion through migrant and refugee integration in Polish cities 50 3.2 Expert guidance and training for building a legal case against hate crime 52 3.3 Advancing meaningful dialogue between Roma civil society, government and the international community in Ukraine 54 3.4 Making Roma voices heard in genocide remembrance and education 56 3.5 Fostering dialogue to improve support for hate crime victims 58 3.6 Empowering communities to address anti-Muslim intolerance 60

Annexes 61 Meetings and events 62 Extrabudgetary programmes and projects 76 ODIHR Publications in 2024 86 Legislative reviews and assessments 92 ODIHR Election reports and statements 93  Katya Andrusz ODIHR Director’s foreword

T he OSCE’s unique concept of security recognizes that sustainable security both between and within states is equality across the OSCE region. National parliaments are democratic institutions like no other, and last year ODIHR only possible when human rights and democratic principles continued to work with parliaments in the region to advance are respected. In another challenging year, ODIHR gender equality, ensuring that our members of parliament continued its work to support countries across the OSCE and their work to develop and vote on laws represent the region in strengthening democratic institutions and the rule diverse needs and interests across our societies. of law, as well as respect for the rights and fundamental freedoms of every individual. As a bridge-builder between states and civil society as well as the many diverse communities around the OSCE A priority remained our work with Ukraine, whose civilians region, ODIHR continued to forge partnerships that have continued to suffer since the invasion by the Russian strengthen all sides and help us to find solutions in difficult Federation more than three years ago. ODIHR has been times. Our activities to foster dialogue between different on the ground in Ukraine since shortly after the war began, ethnic and faith communities, as well as bringing Roma monitoring violations of international law and their impact civil society together with state authorities to strengthen on civilians and prisoners of war. By the end of 2024, we human rights protection, are prime examples of this work. had conducted almost 500 interviews with survivors and It is only with the full commitment of political leaders to witnesses of violations — and this work will continue for as consult, cooperate and take principled decisions in times of long as necessary. uncertainty that public trust in democratic institutions can be renewed and strengthened. Another key aspect of our work has been supporting Ukraine in its efforts to ensure respect for the right to a Of course, protecting human rights is practice as well as fair trial through training and targeted guides. Through its theory. To help understand how human rights monitoring diverse palette of activities and support to Ukraine, ODIHR works and ensure that human rights defenders can keep is strengthening the country’s democratic institutions themselves safe when carrying out their important work, and civil society to move forward, and at the same time, ODIHR developed Starlight Stadium, an online game that enhancing efforts towards ensuring accountability for provides a safe space to learn about the risky activities of violations of international law. human rights defenders, who work each day to protect our rights. The game is available in English, Ukrainian and In 2024, ODIHR passed another milestone when we Russian, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. celebrated twenty years of providing legislative assistance to states across the OSCE region. We have now published The OSCE commitments remain the source of ODIHR’s more than 500 legal reviews, helping to make legal mandate, and its work in all these areas is the bedrock reform human rights-compliant by suggesting concrete of the high esteem in which the Office is held in the recommendations for improvement. vast majority of OSCE countries. As a young lawyer I was present at the formulation of many of these key 2024 was also a year of elections worldwide, and was commitments to uphold democratic standards, the rule of therefore a particularly busy one for ODIHR’s election law and human rights, and as ODIHR’s new Director l am observation. ODIHR played an important role in proud to continue the work of my predecessors in helping safeguarding electoral integrity across the OSCE region, strengthen these principles across our diverse region. carrying out comprehensive and impartial observations ODIHR’s creation is an acknowledgement that none of us, and making recommendations to support participating however powerful, can tackle global challenges alone. States in refining their electoral frameworks and addressing democratic challenges.

Equality is the cornerstone of a just society, and ODIHR has been working for many years to increase gender Maria Telalian, ODIHR Director

4  Overview

F or more than three decades now, ODIHR has provided support, efforts were also made to enhance FreedomLab, ODIHR’s online of local practitioners in supporting migrants and refugees while fostering assistance and expertise to OSCE platform for human rights defenders, collaboration and knowledge-sharing states to promote and protect establishing it as a valuable resource. across Polish cities, and the positive democracy, the rule of law, human feedback will lead to an extension of rights and tolerance. 2024 was without With almost half the elections the programme in 2025. doubt another challenging year for worldwide in 2024 taking place in these principles across the OSCE area. the OSCE region, ODIHR played an Inclusion is also at the heart of important role in safeguarding the ODIHR’s work to increase and In addition, by providing advice and integrity of the electoral process promote gender equality. ODIHR training for civil society and human and upholding democratic values. worked with parliaments across the rights defenders, ODIHR continued The Office deployed some 2,500 OSCE region to increase gender to help ensure that their voices were observers as part of its 15 observation equality in politics and the political heard and their findings valued. As part activities across 32 states, including participation of women, as well as of its activities to strengthen a safe and 20 EU countries for its assessment of improving parliamentary ethics. The enabling environment for human rights the European Parliament elections. Office also launched the first three defenders across the region, the Office ODIHR also published a new edition parts of a new toolkit to advance continued to offer training to help them of its handbook for observing the use gender equality in politics, with more carry out their important work and of information and communication planned in the coming year. keep themselves safe by developing technologies in elections. inclusive, accessible and innovative In 2024 ODIHR marked twenty years learning tools. Inclusivity is key to all ODIHR’s work. of legislative assistance and published A central focus of ODIHR’s work in its 500th legal review, responding to The right to freedom of peaceful 2024 was promoting inclusivity and requests from almost 40 countries assembly protects the many ways equal representation in the electoral across the region. ODIHR’s legal in which people gather together process, and ODIHR marked a advice is regularly cited internationally, in public. To date, ODIHR has milestone by appointing a person with including in the case law of the observed 143 public assemblies a disability to lead an observation European Court of Human Rights, across the region and has published mission for the first time. These efforts the European Commission’s Rule six reports highlighting trends, reinforced ODIHR’s commitment to of Law Reports and the UN Special challenges and positive practices making elections more accessible Rapporteurs’ publications, further on its findings. The growing demand and ensuring that all voices are demonstrating the lasting influence of for ODIHR’s assembly monitoring represented in the democratic our work. training highlighted a need for an process. innovative approach, and in 2024 ODIHR’s work to help states make ODIHR launched an online course on The inclusion and integration of their security sectors more human independent monitoring of freedom of migrants in OSCE countries is also rights-compliant is at the heart of peaceful assembly, filling a major gap. an important area of ODIHR’s work. the OSCE’s comprehensive security Coordinated by ODIHR, the Academy concept, which recognizes that A highpoint of ODIHR’s work to protect on the Integration of Migrants and respect for human rights is essential and promote the work of established Refugees in Polish Cities brought to ensure sustainable security. To and new human rights defenders together international and local help integrate human rights into the in 2024 was the launch of Starlight partners to deliver tailored training security sector, in 2024 the Office Stadium, an online educational game courses to almost 150 participants carried out training for detention for safely acquiring core skills for from cities and towns across Poland. monitors on protecting human monitoring human rights. Significant The Academy strengthened the skills rights while preventing terrorist

5 radicalization in prisons and on The need to combat discrimination Through these and all the other stories combating sexual and gender-based and hate crime in order to build in this year’s annual report, we once violence in detention. tolerant societies remains a major again illustrate the many ways in area of ODIHR’s work. In November, which ODIHR’s work has a positive Other activities at the nexus of human the Office released its annual impact on people’s lives and assists rights and security included the data on hate crime in the OSCE OSCE states in strengthening their launch of ODIHR’s belief, dialogue and region, emphasizing once more democratic institutions and increasing security guide. This offers practical the importance of identifying the respect for human rights. In this way, advice to states on how to support underlying bias motives of hate crimes ODIHR helps to make the vast OSCE initiatives that bring differing faith in order to diminish the impact on region more secure for everyone. and belief communities together, victims and assist their recovery. not only for dialogue, but also to take The impact stories are once again joint action in partnerships that foster At the same time, the Office is divided into three sections that cover greater respect for freedom of religion working to combat racism and ODIHR’s mandate and illustrate the or belief and other human rights. discrimination against Roma and Sinti added value of the Office’s initiatives to: communities across the OSCE area. • Create strong democratic As the war in Ukraine passed its Ongoing challenges are worsened by institutions based on rule of law to 1000th day, ODIHR continued to the shrinking space for civil society, increase public trust; document the most serious violations with many organizations changing • Support civil society to strengthen of international law during the conflict. the scope of their work or having to democracy and guarantee human Over the course of seven monitoring close altogether, leaving critical gaps rights and security; and missions, ODIHR monitors conducted in the ability to address human rights • Foster accessible, equal and more than 170 in-person interviews violations. ODIHR therefore carried inclusive societies free from with survivors and witnesses in 2024. out a comprehensive analysis of discrimination and marginalization. Together with remote monitoring, current trends, with full findings and these interviews provided the basis recommendations to be published for public reports on violations in 2025. of international law in Ukraine, contributing in the future towards accountability for such violations.

6 ODIHR structure and budget

Director ODIHR employed Direction and Policy 146 people on fixed term contracts, including: Elections

51 95 33 Democratization men women nationalities

Human Rights 26 70 76 of which were local staff international extra budgetary positions

Tolerance and Non-discrimination

Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues 2024 Unified Budget provisional quarter and monthly allotments based on approved 2021 Direction and Policy 1,294,600 Common Services Fund Administration Unit 2,970,700

Human Dimension Meetings 603,000

Democratization 1,580,300

Human Rights 1,232,200

Elections 6,505,200

Tolerance and Non-Discrimination 1,418,200

Roma and Sinti 555,700

Total ODIHR Unified Budget 16,159,900

Augmentation 234,100

Supplementary Allocation to elections 397,300

Total Fund Resources 16,791,300

€7,635,067 Extrabudgetary actual expenditure

7 PART I

Creating strong democratic institutions based on rule of law to increase public trust With widespread challenges to democracy and rule of law, backsliding on gender equality and inclusion, and the continued decline of public trust in democratic institutions in many parts of the OSCE region, ODIHR supports participating States in ensuring ethical and effective parliaments, an independent judiciary and genuinely democratic elections.

The following impact stories illustrate the wide variety of ways in which ODIHR helps to strengthen democratic institutions and make them more representative, accessible and trustworthy.  1.1 20 years of ODIHR legislative assistance

F or two decades, ODIHR has played a pivotal role in advancing Key areas of legislative assistance Geographical coverage of requests for legislative assistance human rights-compliant legislation and in strengthening democratic Judicial independence Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, lawmaking processes across the and the rule of law Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, OSCE region. Since the establishment Poland, Spain, Ukraine and Uzbekistan of its Legislative Support Unit in Electoral and political Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and 2004, ODIHR has provided legislative party reform Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, assistance upon the request of Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, nearly 40 countries in over 500 legal Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, reviews and 14 legislative process North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Spain, assessments. The number of new Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan requests each year remains high Violence against women Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and and they come from a growing range and anti-trafficking Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Finland, Georgia, Germany, of participating States from across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, the OSCE region. This work has Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine strengthened the rule of law, worked against the trend towards democratic Restrictions to the right to Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and backsliding and improved legislative freedom of association Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, practices to help countries meet Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Russian human rights standards, and rule of Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and law and democratic principles. Uzbekistan

Restrictions to the right Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Through its nine sets of legislative to freedom of peaceful Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, guidelines and legal reviews, ODIHR assembly Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine and has addressed critical issues across Uzbekistan the OSCE space. ODIHR legal reviews look not only at the content Restrictions to the right Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, of laws, but also at the drafting to freedom of religion or Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and consultation process, which belief Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, directly impacts the quality of the Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan legislation. Twenty years ago, ODIHR National Human Rights Armenia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, also started assessing lawmaking Institutions legislation Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, systems and processes to identify Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine and entry points for improving elements Uzbekistan of legislative processes, eventually Anti-corruption and public Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, to adopt better laws. By treating the integrity North Macedonia, Slovenia, Ukraine and legislative process as a cycle, from Uzbekistan policy setting through to monitoring and evaluation, ODIHR’s methodology promotes openness, transparency and inclusivity at every stage. Building on this experience, ODIHR’s 2024 Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws serve

10  Piotr Dziubak Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, speaking at an ODIHR side event at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, 4 October 2024

2024 ODIHR Legislative Assistance

• Received 33 requests for assistance Adam Bodnar • Finalized 26 legal reviews and assessments for 10 Polish Minister of Justice participating States (6 urgent) including: • Five reviews for Poland, including an urgent ODIHR’s legal reviews are of immense Opinion on the reform of the National Council significance, particularly in the context of the Judiciary and an analysis of the proposed of ongoing efforts to uphold the rule reform of the Constitutional Tribunal of law and ensure the integrity of the • Urgent Opinions connected to respect for fundamental freedoms, including: Draft Law on judicial system in Poland. Their thorough Transparency of Foreign Influence in Georgia; analysis and recommendations play a Public Security Bill in Italy; amendments to the crucial role in informing policy decisions Criminal Code in Cyprus aiming to re-criminalize and legal reforms aimed at preserving defamation; and proposed amendments to the impartiality and effectiveness of restrict the exercise of the right to freedom of our judiciary. ODIHR’s commitment to peaceful assembly in Slovakia • An Opinion advising against the removal of promoting judicial independence and gender quotas in Georgia integrity is evident in the quality and • Support to structural reform in Moldova depth of their work and we are grateful (parliamentary reform and integrity/ethics of MPs) for ODIHR’s expert guidance on such and in Montenegro (electoral reform/political party critical issues.” legislation and regulatory reform)

11  20 Years of ODIHR legislative assistance

Since 2004, ODIHR has carried out more than 500 legal reviews at the request of 38 OSCE participating States

What topics did we cover? Who requested our legal reviews? % of requests overall % of requests overall

Elections and political parties Government

Fundamental freedoms* OSCE Field Operations

Criminal reform Parliament

Judiciary and fair trial rights National Human RIghts Institutions

Anti-trafficking Judiciary

Lawmaking Other

Gender equality 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

National human rights institutions

Anti-discrimination

Other 0 5 10 15 20 25

*Fundamental freedoms such as religion or belief, assembly, association and expression.

12 as a practical toolkit for lawmakers, The establishment of ODIHR’s grounded in OSCE human dimension Legislative Support Unit 20 years commitments and international ago was a milestone in the Office’s human rights and rule of law development, enabling ODIHR standards. to provide coherent, sustainable support to participating States. This assistance has led to better- Today, ODIHR’s legislative informed decision-making and assistance is trusted by improved legislative and policy governments, parliaments, NHRIs options, and enhanced lawmaking and civil society across the region, overall. It has also often raised the with requests rising substantially level of public debate on complex in recent years. ODIHR’s legal human rights, democratic governance reviews and legislative guidelines and rule of law issues. By focusing on are regularly cited in international the compliance of key legal reforms and national forums, including in with OSCE commitments and human the caselaw of the European Court rights standards, ODIHR’s reviews and of Human Rights, the European assessments can foster enhanced Commission’s Rule of Law Reports dialogue between society, human and the UN Special Rapporteurs’ rights defenders and legislative publications, further demonstrating authorities. the lasting influence of its work.

OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nadiya Sirenko, ODIHR Legislative Support Officer, presenting the ODIHR Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws (2024) at the “Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Citizens: Towards a successful partnership” event organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 5 December 2024

13  1.2 Listening to survivors

O DIHR’s Ukraine Monitoring Initiative (UMI) has collected or members of vulnerable groups. Operating in a two-person team, testimonies from witnesses of with a lead interviewer and second violations of international human rights interviewer/note taker, together with law and international humanitarian an interpreter, they conduct two law since the very early stages of the interviews per day, using a trauma- invasion by the Russian Federation in informed approach. In the course Ukraine and, by the end of 2024, had of approximately nine consecutive conducted 491 interviews. Throughout days, monitors conduct more than this time, the UMI team continued 30 interviews, each lasting anywhere to refine its interviewing and data- between one and seven hours. Antonio Polimeni collection methodology. Adapting to Monitoring Team Leader the ever-shifting conditions on the All monitors aim to make witnesses ground, while ensuring respect for feel safe, build trust, ensure they Our colleagues on the ground fundamental monitoring principles have ongoing informed consent, play a crucial role: it is no at all times, makes interviewing and to empower the witness. At the easy task to prepare a witness witnesses a complex endeavour. same time, the experience they have to come for interview with had is only one of the innumerable Each monitoring mission is based ways in which witnesses differ: people they do not know, in on the principle of ‘do no harm’. This their age and gender, background, a place they are not familiar principle is of paramount importance psychological readiness and state of with, and to speak about and is the point of departure for all health, motivation and narrative skills, traumatic experiences. And it the mission’s activities, beginning far for example, all influence how an certainly takes an incredible ahead of a deployment. For example, interview is conducted. The skill of the amount of courage on the side ahead of missions UMI team members monitor lies in their ability to account look for interview venues that ensure for these differences. of the witnesses to provide witnesses will come to a space that is testimony. Due to the limited private and guarantees confidentiality, The interviews give witnesses the time we have on the ground, is easily accessible, is comfortable and opportunity to be listened to. Often, I am often asked, by the has an air raid shelter. witnesses have not had a chance to local team responsible for tell their stories, even at a personal identifying potential witnesses Next, the team contacts potential level with family or acquaintances. witnesses to verify their suitability for They often express their gratitude for us, who to prioritize for interview. As this is the first contact openly for having been given such an interview. Personally, I dread witnesses will have with a UMI opportunity, with some commenting this moment every time — it representative, the team has a great on how the interview has lifted a is not possible to say that one responsibility to respect the ‘do no weight off their shoulders. One of story matters more or less harm’ principle. They need to develop the most satisfying developments than another.” a rapport and trust with the witnesses is when a referral comes to the swiftly, often over the telephone and UMI team as a result of one person hundreds of kilometres away. being interviewed and relaying that experience to others. While UMI monitors come from different ODIHR’s UMI has conducted nearly backgrounds, often multi-disciplinary, 500 interviews, it is not possible but all have experience in interviewing to interview all those who want to displaced people, victims of crimes provide their testimony.

14  OSCE/Marine Constant ODIHR’s Trauma-informed interviewing e-Learning course

ODIHR’s Trauma-Informed Interviewing: Skills and Techniques for Monitors e-Learning course, available on FreedomLab, in English, Russian and Ukrainian languages, has seen a steady rise in user engagement. Since its launch in mid- 2023, 238 feedback forms have been submitted by registered users, while a far higher number of people have used the course without registering, demonstrating the ongoing impact of this course for human rights defenders

OSCE/Marine Constant working across the region.

TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVIEWING Skills and Techniques for Monitors

online course

Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian For monitors, investigators, researchers and other human rights workers conducting interviews on human rights violations

Join now at FreedomLab.io

Borodyanka, Ukraine, July 2022 Feedback from registered course user in 2024 Ukraine Monitoring Initiative My understanding of trauma- The Ukraine Monitoring Initiative (UMI) was set up in 2022 to informed interviewing has monitor reported violations of international humanitarian law and improved significantly as a international human rights law in the context of the war in Ukraine, result of this training. It has and focuses on the most pressing issues impacting the lives of deepened my ability to create civilians and prisoners of war. During 2024, ODIHR conducted a safe space for individuals to seven separate monitoring deployments to interview Ukrainian witnesses and survivors. During these deployments, fourteen share their experiences and monitoring teams interviewed 181 people about the violations provided me with practical they experienced or witnessed. Information collected through tools to navigate sensitive in-person interviews was complemented by remote monitoring, conversations with empathy including verification of digital evidence. and precision. This training has not only enhanced my ODIHR published the UMI’s Fifth and Sixth Interim Reports in July and December respectively, providing OSCE participating professional skills but also States and the wider public with up-to-date and well-documented reinforced the importance of evidence of violations. The reports centred on specific issues approaching each interview focused on by witnesses and survivors during their interviews, with respect and awareness giving prominence to their voices. They also contained updated of the unique challenges faced recommendations aimed at preventing further violations. by those who have experienced trauma.”

15  1.3 Observing the 2024 European Parliament elections

O DIHR deployed a special election assessment mission (SEAM) • Practical implementation of European and national legal frameworks • Controls on party and campaign to the 2024 European Parliament elections, following an invitation by all finance the European Union Member States to • Monitoring social networks observe. • Voter and candidate registration • Participation of under-represented The observation of these elections groups: women, youth, national presented ODIHR with a number of minorities, persons with disabilities unique challenges, as there were • Participation of citizen observers and Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir effectively 27 different national international observers Head of the Special Election elections to a supra-national body. Assessment Mission They were administered nationally and conducted on the basis of 27 different The observation mission’s findings and The European Parliament sets of election rules, with only a few conclusions aim to help participating EU-wide rules that all Member States States and EU institutions improve plays an important role in are obliged to follow. The format their electoral processes for the the EU’s legislative process chosen for this mission was tailored benefit of their citizens. Constructive and its decisions affect close to its specific scale and nature, and recommendations are made in the to 450 million EU citizens, enabled the Office to meaningfully spirit of working towards the fulfilment making up almost half of the follow these elections while taking of shared OSCE commitments. OSCE participating States. into account the Office’s resource constraints. To maintain productive dialogue Our mission provided a with the authorities and discuss meaningful and systematic The mission observed the entirety of ways in which the Office can assist assessment of the diverse ways the European Parliament elections and in implementing recommendations, individual EU Member States assessed the conduct of the elections ODIHR presented its final report on conduct the elections to the for their compliance with OSCE the elections at the meeting of the European Parliament and commitments and other international European Co-Operation Network obligations and standards for on Elections, a network that brings also contributed to ODIHR’s democratic elections, as well as with together election administration efforts to follow electoral national legislation across all 27 EU officials for a concrete and practical developments across the entire Member States. Expert teams visited exchange. Key recommendations OSCE area, including in those 20 of the EU Member States in the can be found in the final report. countries with a long tradition run-up to election day. ODIHR stands ready to support all of holding democratic EU Member States in their efforts to The mission was headed by Ingibjörg improve their electoral processes elections.” Sólrún Gísladóttir and consisted of and to follow up on ODIHR’s seven international experts based recommendations, by reviewing in Brussels, as well as ten regional election-related legislation, providing analysts deployed in teams of two technical expertise and supporting the across the EU. The team focused on a activities of citizen observer groups. number of specific electoral issues:

16  Marie-Helene Boulanger Head of Unit, Union Citizenship and Free Movement (Democracy), European Commission Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers

The observation of the 2024 elections to the European Parliament by ODIHR provided important information on the conduct of these elections. We look forward to continuing the very fruitful cooperation with ODIHR on elections- related topics, in view of fostering democratic values and in particular in view of supporting the integrity and transparency of democratic electoral processes.”

OSCE/Katya Andrusz

Monitoring the European Parliament Election monitoring in Brussels, Belgium, 6-9 June 2024

17  OSCE/Katya Andrusz ODIHR’s 2024 election journey

23 pre-election needs assessment visits to countries across the OSCE region, leading to…

15

OSCE/Katya Andrusz election observations with 22 press conferences conducted in...

32 OSCE states, including 20 EU countries for the European Parliamentary Elections

2,476 observers deployed from 50 participating States including...

Monitoring the European Parliament Election monitoring in Brussels, Belgium, 6-9 June 2024 1,159 women

In February, ODIHR published 59 the new edition of its Handbook election reports... for the Observation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Elections. With almost all OSCE participating 325 States using some form of ICT during recommendations and a... elections, the handbook can also be used as guidance to ensure ICT is introduced and used in the election process fully in line new with democratic standards and principles. handbook on observation of This edition of the handbook updates ICT in elections the ODIHR methodology for the observation

10 and assessment of ICT used during voting and counting processes and includes new aspects such as electronic registration, follow-up visits to assist verification of voters and candidates, and countries in implementing cybersecurity. ODIHR recommendations

18  1.4 Promoting inclusive leadership

O DIHR marked an historic milestone in 2024 when the Office Disabilities to Participate in Political and Public Life in the OSCE Region contracted Helga Stevens as the Head (Dublin Recommendations) and the of its Election Assessment Mission cutting-edge disability assessment to the United Kingdom parliamentary methodology for parliaments, ODIHR elections in July. Ms. Stevens, a has been at the forefront of breaking member of ODIHR’s Advisory Panel down barriers and ensuring that those on the Political Participation of with disabilities are not only included Persons with Disabilities and a former in decision-making processes but can Member of the European Parliament, lead them. Helga Stevens is deaf and is the first person with a Head of the ODIHR Election disability to lead an ODIHR election The success of this mission Assessment Mission to the United observation mission and brought her showcases the expertise and lived Kingdom parliamentary elections extensive experience as a politician experience of leaders like Ms. and advocate for accessibility and Stevens. It also demonstrates the inclusion to the mission. importance of sustained advocacy, It was a real honour to strategic partnerships and networks lead the ODIHR Election This appointment underlined ODIHR’s such as ODIHR’s Advisory Panel on Assessment Mission to the commitment to inclusive leadership the Political Participation of Persons UK in June 2024, and I believe and the Office’s broader efforts to with Disabilities. The appointment that my experience and views promote the political participation highlights that disability inclusion enriched the ODIHR report on of persons with disabilities across requires not just accessibility the OSCE region. Through initiatives measures but also targeted action the UK elections.” such as the eLearning course to remove systemic barriers and on disability-inclusive political ensure the meaningful participation of participation, the Recommendations persons with disabilities in all aspects on the Rights of Persons with of democratic governance. Helga Stevens

Helga Stevens

Election Assessment Mission to the United Kingdom, 19 June to 8 July 2024

19  1.5 Transforming national parliaments to deliver on gender equality

OSCE Mission to Serbia Participants of the gender audit in the National Assembly of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia, 30 September 2024

N ational parliaments are democratic institutions like no other, parliaments, ODIHR completed a gender equality assessment of how they can ensure the different needs and interests of society are with the potential to represent the full the National Assembly of Slovenia better reflected in legislation and in diversity of society. The composition and conducted a gender audit of the implementation of the law. of parliaments may reflect different the National Assembly of Serbia groups in society: women and men, (supported by the OSCE Mission ODIHR also partnered with the old and young, students, working to Serbia). Additionally, ODIHR OSCE Mission to Skopje in 2024 people and pensioners, people with worked with the Assembly of Albania to support the Assembly of North or without disabilities, and different (supported by the OSCE Presence Macedonia in developing its third ethnic groups. But parliaments should in Albania) and the Parliament of parliamentary gender equality not just be representative in their Latvia, launching gender audits of action plan for the period 2025- makeup. They should represent the these two parliaments. The focus of 2027. One of only a few parliaments diverse needs and interests that these gender equality assessments in the world to have such a plan, exist in society, which need to be is not just looking at whether the Assembly of North Macedonia reflected both in lawmaking and in representation in the parliament has set ambitious new goals. These parliamentary oversight. (including parliamentary committees, include the establishment of a gender delegations and leadership) is gender equality unit within the parliamentary In 2024, ODIHR continued to work balanced. Even more important is administration, a review of its Code with parliaments across the OSCE the work on reviewing the lawmaking of Conduct from a gender equality region, supporting them in advancing and parliamentary oversight perspective, and the drive to gender equality, both within processes from a gender equality increase the engagement of male parliament and in wider society. As perspective. The assessments include parliamentarians in gender equality part of its direct assistance to national recommendations to parliaments on initiatives.

20  ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also completed a research project on parliamentary bodies for gender equality. Forty-eight national parliaments from the OSCE region took part, enabling the project to understand and learn from the work, mandate and results of both formal bodies (such as parliamentary committees) and informal bodies (such as women’s caucuses). The results Aleksandar Marković of this comprehensive, two-year research were Chair, Committee for Human and Minority published in December, in Parliamentary bodies for Rights and Gender Equality, National Assembly gender equality – Overview and recommendations. of the Republic of Serbia This is the third tool in ODIHR’s new series, the Gender-responsive Governance toolkit.. Advancing women’s representation has been an important aim for our parliament over the last decade. ODIHR’s support in conducting a gender audit of the National Assembly has helped us to identify the biggest challenges, especially on how we can improve our lawmaking and oversight activities.”

Alongside ODIHR’s direct support to parliaments on gender equality, the Office continued its work on addressing violence against women in politics with the Russian translation of the Addressing Violence against Women in Politics in the OSCE Region: Toolkit. Additionally, ODIHR created a training course from the Toolkit, which was piloted with Zhaklina Peshevska members of North Macedonia’s parliament and Chair, Committee for Equal Opportunities of Women parliamentary staff in October, under the auspices and Men, Member of Parliament, Assembly of of ODIHR’s ‘CHANGE’ project. MPs and staff North Macedonia learned about practical measures and tools that can be used, at individual and institutional levels, Making our parliament deliver for all women to prevent and address violence against women in and men is a long-term goal. Our third action politics and, specifically, in parliament. plan will guide the Sobranie in advancing women’s representation and making laws for the benefit of all.” OSCE Mission to Serbia

Participants of the gender audit in the National Assembly of Serbia, including (2nd from right) Tatjana Macura, Serbian Government Minister for Gender Equality, Belgrade, Serbia, 30 September 2024

21  1.6 Building resilience in the election observation community to meet new challenges

I n November, ODIHR hosted organizations from across the globe impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on elections. While harmful need to first ensure that their own practices meet high standards, ODIHR to discuss emerging challenges in instances of the use of AI in elections examined the accessibility of its international election observation, have been sporadic so far, rapidly election observation activities over the exchange good practices and explore advancing generative AI technologies past five years. This covered issues new tools. could amplify disinformation and such as observer recruitment policies, manipulate the information space in procurement processes and the The Declaration of Principles (DoP) for the coming years, affecting election availability of information and training International Election Observation was campaigns and eroding public trust. in accessible formats. Among those created in 2005 to establish a set of By sharing research, information and presenting was Helga Stevens, the common principles and ethics to build methodologies, DoP organizations can first head of an international election the confidence of governments, media learn from the experiences of others, mission with a disability, who led the and the wider public in the credibility including in regions outside their own. Election Assessment Mission to the of election observers’ assessments. 2024 United Kingdom Parliamentary ODIHR was among the first organiza- Another issue on the agenda was the Elections. tions to endorse the DoP and has been effort to make observation missions an active member ever since in what more inclusive of people with The DoP celebrates its 20th has become a vibrant community. disabilities, where ODIHR was able to anniversary in New York in 2025. Since share its own progress. Recognizing inception, it has grown from about One key concern raised at this that in order to be serious about 20 to more than 50 of the leading year’s meeting was the potential observing inclusion, organizations organizations from five continents.

Michał Algebra

2024 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation conference, Gdańsk, Poland, 20-22 November 2024

22  Michał Algebra Democratic echoes in Gdańsk

As organizers of this year’s DoP meeting, ODIHR choice of venue reflected ODIHR’s democratic values. It was held at the site of the Gdańsk shipyard in Poland, from where Lech Wałęsa put the Solidarity trade union movement in the 1980s on the path towards the first democratic elections in Poland after Communism, becoming president of Poland in 1990. Michał Algebra

Michał Algebra Former President Wałęsa opened the meeting, setting an inspirational tone for the rest of the event, while also warning of the current threats to democracy. In addition, the City of Gdansk hosted DoP participants in the city museum for a presentation by prizewinning British-Polish 2024 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation conference, photographer Chris Niedenthal, Gdańsk, Poland, 20-22 November 2024 who documented many key political moments in the region before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

As one participant put it It’s not every day that you get to meet both David Carroll Brizza Rosale a Nobel Peace Prize- Director of the Carter Center’s Executive Director, Asian winner and a World Elections Program and one of the Network for Free Elections Press Photo Prize-winner DoP’s founders (ANFREL) on the same day!” We are all working in Democratic backsliding is different places, regions and regrettably a growing trend, institutions, but we need so we need to hear also to communicate to ensure from the best practitioners we approach elections from across the globe on consistently. The challenges how international election to democracy are growing observation serves as a form stronger, and, as a community, of resilience building and we must meet them — ‘though an early warning system for it’s becoming more difficult.” potential backsliding.”

23  1.7 Enhancing criminal justice reform: Central Asia Criminal Justice Forum 2024

T he Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia is a biennial Organized in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner event that provides a platform for for Human Rights Regional Office for dialogue among criminal justice Central Asia (OHCHR), the United professionals and other stakeholders: Nations Office for Drugs and Crime judges, prosecutors, attorneys, in Central Asia (UNODC), the United representatives of penitentiary and Nations Development Programme probation institutions, civil society Hub for Regional for Europe and and international experts on good Central Asia (UNDP), the Legal Policy practices and human rights-compliant and Research Center (LPRC), and Madina Sarieva policies and reform initiatives in the Dignity Kazakhstan, and supported Head of UNODC Programme Office field of criminal justice. This, the by the OSCE Programme Offices in Kazakhstan, responsible for the ninth forum, took place in Astana, in Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe, coordination and implementation of Kazakhstan in November, bringing the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the UNODC Programme for Central together over 200 participants from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator Asia States, 2021–2025 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, in Uzbekistan, the event enabled Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and an in-depth assessment of new Over the course of the Uzbekistan. developments in the criminal justice system. Forum, we had the privilege Plenary sessions were held on the of engaging in meaningful topic of women and justice as well The Ninth Forum underscored the discussions on a wide range as on digitalizing criminal justice importance of sustained dialogue and of issues, from legal reforms systems, which explored new aspects trust-building among stakeholders. and the promotion of fair trial and challenges such as the ethics One key takeaway was the need standards to the digitalization of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in for more inclusive participation, the criminal justice system, or the particularly from women and of criminal justice systems protection of human rights and data minority groups, whose voices are and the empowerment protection when using AI in case often under-represented in justice of female justice sector management in criminal justice. reform processes. While experts professionals. The Forum also recognized the importance of merit- gave us another opportunity Participants focused on recent trends based recruitment in criminal justice to reflect on the benefits and ongoing reforms, changes to systems, they stressed the importance criminal procedure in Central Asia, of continuing to implement measures of developing probation and their impact specifically on the that ensure better gender balance and services and other non- right to a fair trial and on criminal the representation of minorities. custodial measures, as well justice systems overall. Topics along as to exchange experiences the entire criminal justice chain were The Criminal Justice Forum is an in developing programmes discussed, from arrest, through example of how collaborative action for the rehabilitation and investigation and interrogation and can create lasting change, promoting the digitalization process in the justice systems that are fair, inclusive reintegration of offenders area of criminal justice, to court and accountable. This includes into society.” proceedings and alternatives to discussions on emergency situations, imprisonment. such as the COVID-19 pandemic or

24  the aftermath of the January 2022 protests, as well as the importance of clear legislation for such situations. While there have been a number of positive developments in the field of criminal justice in Central Asia in recent years, restrictions on fundamental rights have undermined reform efforts. The lack of guarantees Gulchehra Kholmatova Aslambek Mergaliyev to ensure the independence of the Defence lawyer and Director Chairman of the Supreme Court judiciary and fair trial rights remains of ‘The World of Law’, Tajikistan of Kazakhstan. among the main challenges to the effective functioning of criminal justice The Forum on Criminal Justice Kazakhstan strongly believes systems in the region. for Central Asian Countries in ensuring a balanced is a significant and necessary system, aimed at respecting ODIHR will continue to support Central platform for us human rights and protecting the rights Asian countries in implementing and defenders. At this Forum, we of everyone involved in the monitoring their commitments with learned about the reforms and process. In Kazakhstan, there regards to criminal justice reforms, with activities such as follow-up achievements in the criminal has been a steady decline over assessments, training sessions, justice system carried out by the last 30 years in the share roundtables and trial monitoring our neighbours. The exchange of those sentenced to actual activities. of contacts, study of successful imprisonment from 60 per experience and possible cent to 38 per cent, and the implementation of similar use of alternative measures to reforms in Tajikistan is one of imprisonment.” the important results of the Forum.” Valeriy Denisenko

Valeriy Denisenko Valeriy Denisenko

Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, Astana, Kazakhstan, 20–21 November 2024

25  1.8 Engaging male politicians on gender equality in politics

2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Conference parliamentarians (to 31.6 per cent) and many adopted ground-breaking of Women and the Beijing Platform gender equality laws. Some states set for Action, a foundational set of up stronger government ministries, international norms on women’s rights agencies and councils to lead on and gender equality. The Platform gender equality policy, and 26 OSCE for Action covers 12 critical areas participating States also introduced that are as relevant today as 30 years legally binding gender quotas, aimed ago: poverty; education and training; at reducing the over-representation of Miloš Đajić health; violence; armed conflict; men politicians and targeting gender- Academy of Women’s Leadership, economy; power and decision-making; balanced politics in the long run. In President of the Steering Board institutional mechanisms; human recent years, however, the OSCE rights; media; environment; and the region has witnessed stagnation in We have realized that we are girl child. For each area, there are progress on gender equality, together strategic objectives and a detailed list with backsliding in some cases and 95 years behind full equality of actions to be taken by governments, an emerging mobilization against between men and women. parliaments and other stakeholders, gender equality. Too often, political In order to ensure women at national, regional and international and elected offices are still seen as enjoy the same rights as men, level. positions for men, while advancing politics needs to be gender gender equality remains predominantly balanced.” Since 1995, the OSCE region has seen a ‘women’s issue’; left to women far-reaching developments towards the politicians to work on, often without full and equal participation of women any meaningful engagement by in politics and decision-making. For men. Male politicians remain in the example, OSCE States have tripled background, as silent sympathisers or the average number of female providing unseen support. OSCE/Zejd Kadric

OSCE/Zejd Kadric

Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

26  OSCE/Zejd Kadric Igor Jadrovski President of the National Equality Body, Skopje

The political education programmes for young male

OSCE/Zejd Kadric politicians have to be based on a human rights and gender equality approach. The lack of information about gender equality and related concepts, such as gender-responsive budgeting and gender- sensitive policies, results in misconceptions about gender equality in public discourse.”

Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

With the anniversary of the Beijing including ministers, deputy speakers Platform for Action, there is a strong of parliaments, chairs of parliamentary and growing sense that the world is committees for gender equality, other at a turning point for women’s rights; members of parliament, political party a recognition that achieving gender leaders, representatives of women equality, the empowerment of women and youth wings in political parties, and the protection of the human rights leaders of women’s movements and Sandra Pepera of women and girls should be an civil society, and representatives NDI Director for Gender, urgent and central task for all decision- of governmental bodies for gender Women and Democracy makers. To this end, ODIHR has begun equality. working with OSCE participating Engaging men in pushing States to engage male politicians in The event both facilitated a wide- for gender equality is key. gender equality. ODIHR’s assistance is ranging exchange of views and multi-layered and includes awareness practices and guided participants However, this must be done in raising and capacity building, as to commit to clearly defined full consultation with women’s well as strategic guidance to States follow-up action, demonstrating their movements. Gender equality is on concrete action and regional concrete support for the ‘Engaging not a zero-sum game; it is good exchanges. Men’ agenda and the need to make for all of us.” politics more gender-responsive. For example, ODIHR partnered with The event also inspired the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and representatives of the six OSCE Herzegovina to organize a two-day field operations in South-Eastern expert meeting on the role of male Europe to conduct further work politicians in promoting gender equal- on engaging male politicians. The ity in politics. Held in Sarajevo in discussions and conclusions of the June, it was the first event of its kind meeting will be published in 2025 and brought together 90 partici- as the ‘Sarajevo Tool’ and will be pants from South-Eastern Europe, the disseminated through workshops for United States, Türkiye and Denmark, OSCE participating States.

27  1.9 Strengthening NHRIs to address human rights challenges related to securitization

G

ODIHR/ENNHRI rowing securitization poses a major challenge to the protection of human rights across the OSCE region. Securitization is defined as a process by which the state categorizes certain developments or entities as a security problem, thus justifying the implementation of extraordinary measures nominally to protect the country and its citizens. This can have a significant negative impact on human rights, the rule of law and democracy, including reduced transparency and accountability, and excessive restrictions. In response, the focus of the annual NHRI Academy organized by ODIHR and the European Network of National Human Rights 2024 NHRI Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, 17-21 June 2024

Institutions (ENNHRI) in 2024 was rights mandates to counter security The National Human Rights strengthening the capacity of NHRIs measures that restrict human rights Institutions (NHRI) Academy to better address securitization issues and also how to address public is a flagship annual event with a direct impact on the promotion discourse that prioritizes security organized by ODIHR and the and protection of human rights. over rights. Participants also drafted European Network of National action plans for implementing different Human Rights Institutions The 2024 Academy brought together activities for their own NHRIs, in order (ENNHRI). It brings together staff members from 23 NHRIs across to put into practice what they had senior- and mid-level staff the OSCE region in Bratislava, learnt. from NHRIs across the Slovakia. They learnt about the theory OSCE region for tailored and of securitization, what it means in During an online follow-up meeting, practical training on how to the context of states of emergency, Academy participants reported back address particular challenges migration, use of technology, anti- on their plans and their progress that NHRIs face in their work. terrorism and policing, and the in implementation. Some NHRIs This week-long event for the resultant restrictions for human rights said they were actively challenging professional development of and civic space. securitization through legislation staff at NHRIs also supports in their countries. Others were the exchange of good During the five-day course, considering adding a discussion of practices and professional participants shared experiences, securitization to their annual reports, networking between NHRIs in case studies and best practices, and while others had started sharing their the OSCE region to improve discussed how to address the risks new knowledge of securitization synergies and cooperation. and challenges of securitization. They among their NHRI colleagues as well explored ways to use their human as schools and other audiences.

28  ODIHR/ENNHRI ODIHR/ENNHRI Expert meeting on the role of male politicians in promoting gender equality in politics, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5-6 June 2024

2024 NHRI Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, 17-21 June 2024

A selection of the feedback An excellent opportunity Really thought-provoking and from representatives of the to learn from and with inspiring sessions, with great NHRIs of Bulgaria, Finland, peers, along with very well- trainers. The topic has a lot Northern Ireland and structured input from of crossovers with our work/ Portugal who participated in the 2024 NHRI Academy international experts.” mandate and will be useful going forward.”

The sessions were an excellent The Academy represents combination of theory, an excellent and unique exercises and discussions. The opportunity to discuss issues Academy as a whole managed of common interest to NHRIs, to create a wonderful arena in an environment of open for sharing and learning, debate, to learn more about during the lessons and also what each NHRI does, to share outside of them.” experiences and networking.”

29  1.10 Using gender audits to help political parties deliver on gender equality

D espite considerable progress in the last 30 years, the OSCE region parties assess their progress towards gender equality. is far from reaching gender parity (50/50), a target set by the United Gender audits are one of many tools Nations’ CEDAW committee, and that can help participating States data from the last five years clearly and their democratic institutions shows a slowdown in the growth of — including political parties — women’s representation. In fact, the implement their commitments representation of women in national on gender mainstreaming in Adnan Kadribašić parliaments in the OSCE region practice. As tools for institutional International Gender Audits Expert reached 31.6 per cent by the end of transformation, they assess and 2024, an increase of just 0.1 per cent evaluate how well gender equality on the year before. Men continue to is already institutionalized within Like many of us, I thought be significantly over-represented in an organization, including in their the solution to women’s all major legislative and executive policies, programmes, projects, under-representation lies bodies, especially in the position of structures, proceedings and budgets. in election laws and gender party leaders, parliamentary speakers, The goal of gender audits is to quotas, but we have hit the heads of governments, heads of state support change, helping institutions ceiling on increasing women’s and mayors. to move away from directly or indirectly discriminatory practices and participation. Despite this, Political parties are sometimes called rules and towards a framework and there is still an appetite the ‘secret gardens of politics’; what environment that supports genuine within political parties to happens within political parties can gender equality. work towards greater gender have a huge impact on women’s equality. Political parties want political participation. It is parties that ODIHR carried out gender audits for to become places where gender nominate candidates to be elected as five parliamentary political parties in representatives and decision-makers. 2024, finalizing projects with political equality policy is developed This is why political parties play such parties in Denmark and working in and further advocated. a vital role in ensuring that a country’s Montenegro, in cooperation with the Gender audits have helped in governance framework is gender OSCE mission there. The gender this transformation.” responsive and follows good practice. audits provided the political parties Recognizing this, OSCE participating with targeted recommendations, States have committed to encouraging specific to their ideological profile, political parties to promote the equal size, resources, internal structure participation of women and men as a and leadership commitment. They means to achieve gender balance in also enabled the parties to look elected office at all levels of decision- beyond established tools and aim making. ODIHR is specifically tasked at institutionalizing gender equality with assisting participating States in across party bodies, policies and promoting women’s participation in decision-making. Based on ODIHR’s political and public life, and provides audit, one political party established direct and targeted support to an internal gender equality committee, parliamentary political parties. This an expert body tasked to lead internal includes gender audits to help political gender equality reforms.

30  OSCE/Maria Kökce

Edita Miftari OSCE/Maria Kökce

ODIHR’s Intensive Course for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans, Warsaw, Poland, 27-29 February 2024

Transforming political parties from within — Gender audits and action plans

ODIHR’s revised gender audit methodology

In the last decade, ODIHR has supported more than 45 political parties in 11 OSCE participating States in conducting gender audits and developing party-specific gender equality action plans, as well as publishing numerous guides, manuals and toolkits on gender equality. Using the lessons learned from its work with political parties, ODIHR has constantly revised and refined its methodology and has published it for the first time as part of its Valentina Minić new Gender-responsive Governance Toolkit. President of the Women’s Forum, ‘Democrats’ party, Montenegro The revised gender audit methodology for political parties covers three assessment areas: We are grateful for the • Gender-balanced representation support provided, which has • Vision and policy not only made the Women’s • Organizational culture Forum the focus of attention but also pointed out the The new methodology was launched in December 2024, importance of some activities, with the participation of 119 members of parliament, party leaders and representatives of international and like the need to develop a civil society organizations who work with political parties Gender Equality Action Plan all around the world. ODIHR’s work on gender audits and Code of Conduct and set was also presented to the Council of Europe’s Gender up a gender equality Equality Commission and the Council of Europe’s advisory body.” Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and to members of parliament and representatives of governmental bodies for gender equality from 45 states that are also part of the OSCE.

31  Recognizing ODIHR’s role as a knowledge hub and the need to share that knowledge with others who can bring ODIHR’s gender audit methodology to a wider audience, the Office ran an intensive course for 20 future gender audit facilitators from a broad geographical spread of 15 OSCE states, from the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan. Over four months, participants were trained on how to prepare and carry out a gender audit of a political party, and on how to Laura Simonyan prepare recommendations for follow-up action Programme Manager for Women’s that balances ambitious goals with technical Empowerment, National Democratic Institute feasibility. The participants are already applying (NDI) Armenia Office their new skills, either within individual parties or to run gender audits for multiple parties as, ODIHR’s unique training on gender for example, the National Democratic Institute in audits was very hands-on, concrete and Ukraine is doing. practical. It will help me to contribute to the institutional transformation of political parties in Armenia, supporting them to improve women’s political participation.”

Edita Miftari

ODIHR’s Intensive Course for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans, Warsaw, Poland, 27-29 February 2024

32  1.11 Inspiring young professionals to advance political participation

E ngaging young people in politics is vital for strengthening young Polish parliamentarians. This encouraged participants to think democratic institutions, fostering beyond their immediate experiences good governance and ensuring and envision strategies to reshape inclusive, gender-sensitive policies. politics in their home countries. The However, across the OSCE region, course content prioritized inclusivity, young people face many barriers addressing key topics such as gender to meaningful participation. These mainstreaming. include limited access to decision- making processes, a lack of practical Participants developed four advocacy Victor Pruteanu skills, and insufficient opportunities to initiatives to address critical issues: a participant from Moldova. connect with their peers and mentors promoting digital literacy; raising ‘Unity through diversity’ is not in other countries. Addressing these awareness about political activism; challenges is essential to building labour rights for youth; and increasing just a slogan; it’s a belief we resilient, accountable democratic ability at local level to cooperate on all share. The advocacy and institutions that reflect the voices and initiatives related to EU accession. negotiation skills I learned needs of all members of society. were invaluable, helping me By creating a space for collaboration immediately in organizing the In response to these challenges, and learning, the school not only setting up of local structures ODIHR, in partnership with the strengthens the capacity of young Friedrich Ebert Foundation, organizes political activists, but also lays for my political party. The the School on Politics, Leadership and the foundation for more inclusive, people I met, and their Advocacy to equip young people with democratic governance across the commitment, strengthened the tools they need to lead change. OSCE region. At the same time, it my view that we can and The 2024 edition brought together 24 fostered lasting personal connections must create positive change young political party representatives, among participants from diverse together.” local election candidates and youth cultural and regional backgrounds. activists from the European Union’s Eastern Partnership and several EU Piotr Dziubak

countries — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania.

During the training, participants developed practical skills and collaborated to create ideas for enhancing youth political participation. Through a combination of expert-led lectures and workshops, participants learned about leadership, advocacy campaigning, negotiation and policy analysis.

A study visit to the Parliament of Poland (Sejm) gave participants the opportunity to engage directly with School on Politics, Leadership and Advocacy, Warsaw, Poland, 18-22 November 2024

33  1.12 Strengthening electoral reforms in the Western Balkans

Magdalena Starowieyska

Ivana Savic Social Media Coordinator at the Center for Research, Transparency Regional event in Warsaw, Poland, 21–22 February 2024 and Accountability, Serbia and participant of the regional conference Informing and Engaging Voters /

I A Regional Perspective on How to Increase Voter Turnout in Warsaw, 17–18 December 2024 n 2024, ODIHR continued to parliament, to the Central Election Regional exchanges in the support institutions and civil society Commissions of Albania and of in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing Western Balkans are essential North Macedonia, Montenegro by-laws, to the Republic Electoral for strengthening electoral and Serbia, as well as Kosovo* to Commission of Serbia in adopting integrity and fostering mutual implement election recommendations a voter education programme for learning. By sharing best through its Support to Electoral the period 2024-2026, and to the practices, lessons learned Reforms in the Western Balkans Kosovo Central Election Commission and innovative strategies, we project. While the 2020-2024 iteration on discussing the introduction of the project (initially funded by the of electronic voter lists, voter collectively fortify inclusive, EU and the Austrian Development identification systems and an electoral transparent and accountable Agency) has come to a close, ODIHR training centre. electoral processes. This was able to extend the project through collaboration amplifies our the support of Germany and Norway. The project supports local and impact and also ensures that international partners to strengthen elections credibly reflect Highlights of ODIHR’s work in 2024 the integrity and effectiveness of include support to the electoral legal electoral processes. Efforts focus on the people’s will, paving the reform committee in the Serbian enhancing the capacity of election way for stronger democratic institutions.” * There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

34  Filip Roganovic

Filip Roganovic Regional event in Podgorica, Montenegro, 14-15 May 2024

management bodies to administer also organized a number of topical elections with efficiency, impartiality workshops and regional events, with and transparency. Emphasis is also almost 500 participants in total. These placed on increasing the accuracy of platforms helped an exchange of best voter lists and registration processes practices across the region, supported through improved coordination by over 500 working days and 28 visits with population registers and by by external experts. enabling public scrutiny. Increasing the knowledge and capacity of Through collaboration with nearly media regulation bodies to oversee 150 institutions and civil society media conduct during elections is organizations, the project has made also a key area of support, fostering a significant impact, strengthening a pluralistic and fair campaign the capacity of election management environment. The initiative also bodies and other institutions and aims to improve campaign rules advancing much-needed electoral and practices, ensuring that parties reform across the Western Balkans and candidates can freely present region. By promoting transparency, their views without fear of state inclusivity and accountability, ODIHR interference, violence or intimidation, continues to build public trust in while promoting transparency through democratic institutions and the rule transparent campaign finance rules of law. and practices. Lastly, efforts are directed at improving the capacity and As part of the project, ODIHR has independence of electoral dispute conducted pioneering audits on the resolution bodies, including election electoral participation of persons management bodies and courts, to with disabilities and the election adjudicate disputes effectively, thereby administration in North Macedonia, reinforcing electoral integrity, public as well as gender audits of the confidence and the rule of law. election administration in Albania and Montenegro. This work led to So far, the project has produced the publication, this year, of ODIHR’s over 60 expert papers (comparative Election Administration Gender Audit analyses and legal comments) aimed — a Toolkit, providing guidance on particularly at parliamentary working assessing the gender-responsiveness groups, election management of election administrations across bodies, media and campaign finance OSCE participating States and regulators, as well as partners from beyond. all beneficiaries. In collaboration with local OSCE field offices, ODIHR has

35  1.13 Encouraging youth political participation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nezim Alagić Nezim Alagic Member of the Narod i Pravda (NiP) Youth Forum, Bosnia and Herzegovina

While there has been a decline in the proportion of youth holding politically critical positions, their activism remains the driving force Consultative Meeting on the Methodology for Conducting Youth Assessments within behind more than half of the Political Parties, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14–15 December 2024 party’s electoral successes.”

Y oung people face significant barriers to meaningful political assessments as a foundation to enhance youth participation and for assessing youth engagement, such as formal mechanisms and informal involvement across the OSCE region. address challenges effectively. practices that enable or hinder youth These include limited opportunities participation. The two-day event for structured participation, lack A consultative meeting in December included interactive discussions, of recognition within political in Sarajevo brought together the networking sessions and focus-group party frameworks and insufficient presidents of youth forums and work. Participants identified a number mechanisms to allow them to young politicians who had previously of critical challenges common to all influence policies. taken part in OSCE capacity-building youth representatives from across the programmes. The participants came political spectrum, such as the limited Recognizing these challenges, from ten different political parties space for youth in decision-making ODIHR and the OSCE Mission to operating within the Parliamentary roles. Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched an Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, initiative to develop a Methodology the Parliament of the Federation This initiative illustrates the for Conducting Youth Assessments of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), commitment of the OSCE and ODIHR within Political Parties. This is the National Assembly of Republika to foster youth-inclusive democratic designed to provide a structured Srpska (RS) and at the cantonal level. governance. By engaging young framework for assessing youth political actors as partners in this political participation within party The goal of the meeting was to process, ODIHR and the Mission are structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ensure that the direct experiences laying the foundations for sustainable and identify gaps and barriers and insights of young political actors and effective participation by young that hinder such engagement. fed into the methodology. The people in politics in Bosnia and Political parties can then use these participants explored areas essential Herzegovina and beyond.

36 PART II

Supporting civil society to strengthen democracy and guarantee human rights and security Civil society plays a critical role in ensuring that human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy are respected across all 57 participating States of the OSCE. ODIHR acts as a bridge between national authorities and civil society organizations to ensure increased respect for human rights and strengthen the security of the OSCE region. The stories below highlight ODIHR’s work on preventing and addressing human rights abuses, from innovative tools for human rights defenders to protecting the rights of people in detention.  2.1 Building solidarity among human rights defenders at international borders

Piotr Dziubak

Piotr Dziubak Exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities, a training course for human rights defenders working at international borders in the Northern Mediterranean region, Warsaw, Poland, 4-6 December 2024

H uman rights defenders play a vital role in protecting the countries. A series of regional training events strengthened their expertise rights of migrants and refugees in addressing the human rights crossing international borders. implications of emerging technologies Their work promotes the rule of law in migration and border management. and accountability in migration and For smaller grassroots organizations, border management. At a time when ODIHR training addressed critical gaps the protection of human rights is in knowledge and provided concrete Marc Tilley increasingly under strain, their efforts tools to strengthen their efforts. Mission Lifeline, Search and Rescue ensure that states uphold the dignified treatment of all individuals, as required The training courses also addressed ODIHR’s training captured the by national legal frameworks, OSCE the challenges posed by the growing need for greater awareness commitments and international law. trend towards criminalizing migrants, Partnerships between states and civil refugees and humanitarian actors and resilience amongst society organizations, which often protecting their rights. In addition, human rights defenders who serve as first responders, are essential ODIHR introduced tailored training on face criminalization. It was to safeguarding these principles and trial monitoring of migration-related a useful source of connections, supporting the fundamental right to cases, enabling them to document and standards and tools that I can seek asylum. challenge these practices effectively. take forward for my own In 2024, ODIHR provided targeted Beyond the technical skills, there was work as well as to support support to 156 human rights also a focus on personal security people on the move who face defenders working in more than 30 and well-being, recognizing that the criminalization.”

38 sustainability of defenders’ work hinges on their ability to remain safe and resilient. A key feature of each course was the emphasis on collaboration and solidarity. By fostering a growing sense of community among participating human rights defenders, ODIHR’s events help to create lasting Quitterie Pinton András Léderer connections that can be a vital extra Head of Advocacy, Hungarian Helsinki Human Rights Legal Project, Greece. line of support in an increasingly Committee and core trainer challenging environment. Human rights defenders We are a small grassroots The impact of these initiatives has been significant. ODIHR’s sustained working on complex issues legal aid organization, based engagement provided a space for such as migration often feel on the island of Samos. We them to share their experiences, alone. ODIHR’s training series defend the fundamental rights build mutual support networks not only provided important of people on the move and seek and adapt their responses to the skills and inspiration to carry accountability for human evolving challenges. Participants out this work more effectively rights violations at the border. reported increased confidence and effectiveness in their work, as well as and professionally, but also Thanks to the training on an enduring sense of solidarity. created a sense of belonging new technologies and human that remains with all of us, rights, we learned about trainers and participants new ways to gather evidence alike. Being a trainer for to strengthen our litigation these sessions has been a efforts.” highlight of my past two years, both professionally and personally.”

OSCE/Veronica Grazzi

Exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities, a training course for human rights defenders working at international borders in the Northern Mediterranean region, Warsaw, Poland, 4-6 December 2024

39  2.2 Starlight Stadium, innovative educational tool for human rights defenders

OSCE/Christina Kelly

OSCE/Christina Kelly Human Rights Monitoring training using Starlight Stadium as a Starlight Stadium testing session with students of the Masters training tool, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 22 May 2024 Programme in Human Rights and Sustainability in Central Asia (MAHRS), OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 7 December 2023

I n October 2024, ODIHR launched Starlight Stadium, an online rights monitoring principles and work to ensure that their actions are safe educational game for human rights and secure. defenders (HRDs). Developed as a gamification of ODIHR’s well- To ensure its accuracy and relevance, established Human Rights Monitoring, ODIHR developed the game in close Safety and Security curriculum, consultation with human rights and Starlight Stadium aims to make this educational experts working across monitoring methodology more widely the region through frequent in-depth accessible to defenders working consultations and workshops. across the region. Throughout development, the game and its content were tested with more Split into four episodes, players join than 250 human rights defenders, a fictional human rights monitoring students and professionals, and their organization and follow the steps feedback was incorporated to make Feedback from a game of the monitoring cycle through a the game more usable, entertaining tester, May 2024 fictional case study. In Episode 1, and faithful to the lived experiences of players learn to conduct an Initial the testers. My understanding of human Assessment of the Human Rights Problem, before moving on to As defenders working in Ukrainian – rights monitoring principles Information Gathering in Episode 2. and Russian-speaking communities has improved during the Episode 3 covers Verification, Analysis face increasing barriers to accessing game. Some activities that and Report Writing, before the findings in-person training or appropriate are part of our everyday and report are used in Episode 4 to online resources, ODIHR translated work were presented from a conduct an Advocacy campaign. and localized Starlight Stadium into different angle, giving us a Throughout each episode, players Ukrainian and Russian. This provides learn about the application of human defenders working in these languages new perspective.”

40 with online, remote, free, self-paced educational resources to enhance their human rights monitoring abilities. Feedback from a game Feedback from a game tester, May 2024 tester, October 2024 Beyond the direct relevance of the game to human rights defenders, The game offered a completely Starlight Stadium presents the consultations with students and educators have highlighted how the different approach to human a unique and valuable game can be valuable in educational rights training since it focused approach to human rights contexts, helping users learn about on practical learning, with education with several the important work that HRDs visual effects providing better strengths, particularly in undertake, to simulate what working and faster learning.” its interactivity, teamwork, as a HRD could entail, and to reinforce what they learn in theory by working interactive experience [and] through the case study in the game. educational value.” ODIHR’s increased connections with educators has led to the development of supplementary materials to facilitate Feedback from a game the use of the game in classroom/ tester, October 2024 training settings. I found this training approach Feedback from a Russian- Launched on FreedomLab, ODIHR’s engaging! Using interactive language game tester, online platform for human rights November 2024 techniques as a learning tool defenders, the game has already had really captures attention and over 2,000 page visits. This highlights As an educator, I am excited to keeps participants involved. the clear demand for such a resource, use the game in my activities. I think that incorporating and the powerful potential it has to I am sure it will contribute to build capacity and foster connections real-world scenarios and spark discussions we don’t within civil society. active participants makes it always cover. What a great easier to stay focused and way to learn!” absorb information more effectively.” Piotr Dziubak

Piotr Dziubak

Launch of Starlight Stadium educational tool for human rights defenders, Warsaw, Poland, 3 October 2024

41  2.3 Training human rights defenders on monitoring freedom of peaceful assembly

OSCE/Maria Kökce Ava ila Engl ble in ish Russ and ian

INDEPENDENT MONITORING OF FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

ONLINE COURSE

For human rights defenders, national human rights institutions and civil society activists.

Learn how to observe peaceful assemblies and assess if they are facilitated in a human rights- compliant way.

Available now at FreedomLab.io

Launch event of the e-learning course during the annual meeting of the ODIHR CSO freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring network, Warsaw, Poland, 22-23 March 2024

T he right to freedom of peaceful assembly protects the many ways States and has published six reports highlighting trends, challenges and human rights institutions and activists to enhance their skills in monitoring in which people gather together in positive practices related to the peaceful assemblies and to assess public. It has been recognized as one enjoyment of freedom of peaceful whether they are facilitated in a human of the foundations of a democratic, assembly. A key part of this work is to rights-compliant way. tolerant and pluralist society in which train human rights defenders, national individuals and groups with different human rights institutions, civil society The Independent Monitoring of backgrounds and beliefs can interact activists and OSCE staff on how to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly peacefully with one another. The right monitor assemblies using ODIHR’s course was launched in March and to freedom of peaceful assembly well-established methodology. is available on FreedomLab, ODIHR’s can also help give voice to minority online platform for human rights opinions and bring visibility to under- The growing demand for ODIHR’s defenders. Available in English and represented groups and is one of the assembly monitoring training Russian, the course fills a gap in online fundamental freedoms on which all highlighted a need for an innovative resources on peaceful assembly democracies are based. approach, particularly as opportunities monitoring. The course is used both for in-person training became severely by people who are already actively ODIHR has been monitoring the limited during the COVID 19 pandemic. engaged and wish to deepen their freedom of peaceful assembly In response, ODIHR developed a self- knowledge as well as by those who across the OSCE region since 2011. paced, e-learning course, providing are new to assembly monitoring. To date, ODIHR has observed 143 the first online platform that enables public assemblies in 35 participating human rights defenders, national

42 The course content is divided A selection of feedback from different users in 2024 into eight modules, with each module containing video lectures, additional resources and quizzes, to make the learning interactive. Eighteen trainers from across the OSCE region This well-structured course The course provides excellent contributed to the video content, helps even experienced examples from real, lived including experts on the right to monitors to refine their experience and not just freedom of peaceful assembly, approach and — perhaps more theory, so that is great! human rights-compliant policing of You can tell from who the importantly — to stand their assemblies and the use of force in line ground by reminding us that speakers are that they have with international standards. Monitors from different regions also shared their the monitoring of assemblies lots of different experiences in practical experiences through video is an internationally different countries.” testimonies. established practice and a civil right.” Since its launch, the e-course has been widely accessed, and many civil society organizations have included This e-learning course […] it as a mandatory element of their has been instrumental in own assembly monitoring training The course provides a deepening my understanding programmes. Users have praised the thorough understanding of of human rights advocacy. course for its depth, practicality and the principles, mechanisms Its immersive experience, with relevance. and challenges associated captivating video lectures, This positive response reflects the with monitoring the freedom a wealth of materials, growing demand for tech-enabled of peaceful assembly. It covers practical exercises and tools in human rights education, a wide range of topics such engaging quizzes, truly sets it as well as highlighting ODIHR’s as legal frameworks, data apart. A vital asset for human commitment to supporting human collection.” rights monitoring!” rights defenders with practical and innovative solutions.

OSCE/Maria Kökce

Labour day, Paris, France, 1 May 2022

43  2.4 Training detention monitors to protect human rights while preventing terrorist radicalization in prisons

P reventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization monitoring. The training draws on the practical tool, Protecting Human leading to terrorism (VERLT) in Rights in Prisons while Preventing prisons has gained attention at the Radicalization Leading to Terrorism international, regional and national or Violence: A Guide for Detention levels, with OSCE participating States Monitors, published jointly by ODIHR increasingly focusing on security and Penal Reform International measures to manage (suspected) (PRI), and aims to increase scrutiny violent extremist prisoners and of measures that states take to prevent the spread of violent manage (suspected) violent extremist extremism in prisons. At the same prisoners and to prevent and counter time, the management of these the spread of VERLT in prisons, Raoul Nolen prisoners, as well as the design thus strengthening human rights Director of Programme Development, and availability of rehabilitation and protection in prisons and reducing the Penal Reform International reintegration measures for them, risk of VERLT. has a significant impact on their It is great to see our joint human rights. Prisoners’ concerns Due to strong interest in this emerging guide come to life and and complaints about human rights topic, in 2024 ODIHR trained 53 violations and poor prison conditions detention monitors from 14 jurisdictions spark so many valuable can fuel violent radicalization and across the OSCE region, including discussions during this the spread of VERLT, a potential practitioners from National Human training. It is very important consequence recognized at the Rights Institutions, National Preventive to continue engaging civil international level and in the OSCE’s Mechanisms under the Optional society organizations, comprehensive concept of security. Protocol to the Convention against national torture prevention Torture, civil society organizations and While international and national actors lawyers. In order to reach a range of mechanisms, lawyers and have stepped up efforts on a range of countries and language groups, ODIHR other stakeholders in learning related issues and capacity-building organized two regional training courses and sharing practical, initiatives — primarily for prison in South Eastern Europe and a third for first-hand knowledge and authorities on how to identify and other selected European countries. A experience on monitoring tackle violent extremism in prisons similar course was held in Central Asia human rights in prisons while — ODIHR found that independent in 2023. scrutiny of human rights compliance preventing radicalization in preventing and combating VERLT in Using an interactive methodology and leading to terrorism and prisons is often still underdeveloped. case studies, participants learned violence.” about the relevance to their work of The Office therefore created a tailored terrorism and VERLT and the main training course for independent human rights risk areas in detention detention monitors based on its settings. The regional courses also mandate to provide technical facilitated the sharing of experiences assistance and advice on two core and good practices among detention areas of ODIHR’s human rights monitors from selected participating work: counter-terrorism and torture States on how to address human prevention/preventive detention rights challenges in their work.

44  OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian Erinda Bllaca Executive Director, Institute for Activism and Social Change

A better understanding of the specific human rights issues OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian

OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian enables detention monitors to raise key questions with prison authorities in the course of their work, and this is what ODIHR’s training helps us to achieve.”

Feedback from a course OSCE/Anzhela Tsaturian

participant

The training was very useful, as these two days helped me realize what needs to be considered when monitoring a specific environment and population. The principles remain the same; only the specifics need to be identified.”

Detention monitor training in Skopje, North Macedonia, 26-27 March 2024, in Warsaw, Poland, 2-3 July 2024, and in Belgrade, Serbia, 4-5 December 2024

Participants of the three regional and combating VERLT in prisons. In courses reported that they had addition to the launch of the ODIHR/ substantially improved their PRI Guidance Tool (2021) and regional knowledge and skills on the subject. conferences in Central Asia (2022) They also noted that a deeper and South Eastern Europe (2023), understanding of possible human in 2024 ODIHR organized a webinar rights violations in this context to accompany the publication of the prompted them to pay more attention French translation of the tool. All to aspects they had not previously of these events aimed to promote considered. dialogue between policymakers, practitioners and detention monitors The training course is one element and to raise awareness about the of a multi-year project to increase importance of independent detention oversight, improving protection of monitoring in this field. Participants the rights of people deprived of their in these events requested additional liberty while effectively preventing training for detention monitors.

45  2.5 Ensuring respect for the human rights of Roma and Sinti

Delfin Łakatosz Alba Hernández Sánchez co-founder of the Romnja Feminist Library and co-founder of the Feminist Collective of Romani Gender Experts

R acism and discrimination against Roma and Sinti communities brought together Roma civil society organizations and human rights Revitalizing human rights monitoring and advocacy with Roma civil society continue across the OSCE area. They activists to validate the research organizations is essential take various forms: hate incidents findings, share best practices and for addressing the persistent and hate crimes; anti-Roma rhetoric; jointly develop actionable strategies. inequalities and injustices human rights violations; and racist faced by Roma communities. and discriminatory behaviour and The research highlighted the increasing practices. These marginalize Roma neglect of work to counter human We must incorporate an and Sinti people, preventing their rights violations against Roma and intersectional and gender- full participation in society. These Sinti communities and provided clear responsive lens in this work challenges are exacerbated by the recommendations to improve the to address overlapping forms shrinking space for civil society situation. Key takeaways included the of inequality and exclusion organizations, with many such need for greater use of international within Roma communities, organizations changing the scope human rights mechanisms, better of their work or ceasing to exist engagement with national human ensuring that diverse lived altogether over the last decade, rights institutions and national experiences and challenges leaving critical gaps in the ability to equality bodies, and the importance are not overlooked, paving address human rights violations. of including intersectional and gender the way for truly inclusive perspectives in human rights work for progress. However, these In response, in 2024 ODIHR carried Roma and Sinti. It is clear that Roma efforts require institutional out a comprehensive analysis of past civil society requires adequate funding and current trends in human rights and a holistic approach that addresses support and sustained funding work and considered ways in which structural barriers, fosters capacity to be effective. Without this, human rights work can be revitalized building and nurtures community the transformative potential for Roma and Sinti civil society. This leadership. Another valuable insight of Roma-led initiatives included extensive desk research, is the need for civil society to adapt remains limited, despite surveys of Roma and Sinti human to emerging challenges and trends, the critical role they play in rights organizations and interviews such as the rise of AI and digital with Roma and Sinti human rights technologies. The full results of this advancing justice and equality experts, culminating in an expert research project and recommendations in the OSCE area.” workshop in November. The workshop will be published in 2025.

46  2.6 Improving detention monitoring to effectively prevent and address sexual violence in places of detention

OSCE

Nataša Tanjević Deputy Protector of Citizens, Serbia

We used ODIHR’s guidance to create structured interview questions for the monitoring visits. During our visits Training course on Integrating the Issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention we now use the knowledge Monitoring, Belgrade, Serbia, 25-27 March 2024 we acquired during the

S training and pay special attention to the composition exual and gender-based risk factors, detect misconduct and of the monitoring teams and violence (SGBV) in places of make recommendations on how to preparation for conducting deprivation of liberty is an extreme tackle this form of violence. interviews with people form of discrimination and a serious deprived of liberty who are at human rights violation, which In March, ODIHR delivered a three- greater risk of SGBV.” continues to be under-reported, day training course in Belgrade on under-researched and largely preventing and addressing SGBV in neglected. Promoting gender equality places of detention for national human and protecting the human rights of rights bodies and civil society. As in Shutterstock/withGod

individuals in places of deprivation many other OSCE countries, SGBV of liberty is crucial to preventing remains under-reported in Serbia, due SGBV. Civil society organizations, to factors including social stigma, fear national human rights institutions, of retaliation, or inadequate support ombudsperson institutions and mechanisms for survivors. national preventive mechanisms — which all work to prevent the torture During the training, which was led by and other ill-treatment of people two international experts, participants deprived of their liberty — play a key deepened their understanding of role in detecting instances of SGBV. As SGBV and examined best practices independent external monitors they for detention monitoring and reporting visit places of detention and identify to effectively address the particular

47 risks and challenges associated with monitoring SGBV in places of ODIHR’s guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender detention. Participants ended the based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, available in English, training by creating their own action Russian, Polish, Tajik and Uzbek, is the first comprehensive policy plans for systematically including guidance at the international level on information and practices related SGBV in their detention monitoring to the prevention of SGBV in the OSCE region and beyond. work. Drawing on this publication, ODIHR published its Guidance Note for During a follow-up seminar in the Oversight Mechanisms on how to integrate this issue in their detention autumn, participants reported that monitoring work. This is available in English, Russian, Serbian, Bosnian their monitoring had significantly and Croatian. improved. Despite challenges, such as a shortage of specialists or medical At the request of penitentiary staff from Uzbekistan, this year ODIHR staff and high workload, the team produced its Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and of the Protector of Citizens (which Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, summarizing performs the tasks of the National the key issues and actions to be taken by penitentiary staff. This is Preventive Mechanism) succeeded currently available in English, Russian and Polish. in developing practical solutions to strengthen their detention monitoring. Through ODIHR’s training, monitors gained the confidence and skills to proactively identify and address SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty.

Shutterstock/txking

48 PART III

Fostering accessible, equal and inclusive societies free from discrimination and marginalization ODIHR works tirelessly on promoting equal, inclusive societies, free from discrimination, in every part of the OSCE region. Working closely with national authorities, educators, young people and civil society organizations, ODIHR provides resources, tools and training to counter discrimination and foster inclusion at all levels of society. This year’s impact stories highlight the Office’s activities in this area, including hate crime prosecution, migrant integration and support for Roma civil society in Ukraine.  3.1 Strengthening social cohesion through migrant and refugee integration in Polish cities

P olish cities have been on the frontline of the Ukrainian refugee crisis initiative reflects OSCE commitments to the protection of human rights and since 2022, when the invasion by the the integration of migrants as part of Russian Federation forced millions to broader efforts to promote inclusive, flee. Local administrations have played cohesive societies. a crucial role in facilitating socio- economic inclusion while addressing Altogether, the Academy delivered persistent challenges. ten tailored training courses over 18 months to 146 participants from 13 Tomasz Fijołek A joint project to support the Polish cities and towns. The Academy Director of Legislation of the Union integration of migrants and refugees strengthened the skills of local of Polish Metropolises in Poland has demonstrated the practitioners in supporting migrants power of collaboration in addressing and refugees, while encouraging We are grateful to all our one of society’s most pressing collaboration and knowledge-sharing challenges. Coordinated by ODIHR, across Polish cities. The courses partners, and of course the the Academy on the Integration of covered a range of topics critical participants. The knowledge Migrants and Refugees in Polish to successful integration, including gained will be useful Cities brought the Office together with fostering intercultural competence, both professionally and the Council of Europe’s Intercultural countering misinformation, personally.” Cities Programme, the UN Refugee strengthening inclusive Agency (UNHCR), the Organisation communication, addressing gender- for Economic Co-operation and based violence and building effective Development (OECD) and the Union of multi-stakeholder partnerships. Polish Metropolises. This inter-agency OSCE/Maria Kökce

Magdalena Furdzik Municipality of Kraków

Polish cities have much to share: they have the potential and experience to create open and empathetic communities. At this seminar, we talked about what worked and what didn’t, and how to best continue working towards intercultural dialogue. Training on good practices in migrant integration for Polish cities, part II, Warsaw, We inspire each other.” Poland, 7 November 2023

50  Karolina Opechowska Closing event of the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish Cities, Warsaw, Poland, 27 November 2024

The Academy’s collaborative approach, combining the expertise of international partners with the Union of Polish Metropolises’ local coordination, proved highly effective. Inspired by its success, plans are underway to replicate the project in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania over the next two years, showcasing Albert Miściorak Klaudia Tomczak-Łątkowska good practices from Polish cities and Coordinator, Wrocław Centre for Municipality of Poznań adapting lessons learned to support Social Development, City of Wrocław migrant and refugee integration in the I’ve taken part in all three Baltic states. Migrant integration is a ODIHR training courses Through this initiative, Polish cities challenge for cities, that’s for to exchange experiences have been empowered to meet sure. One of my big takeaways with colleagues from other integration challenges head-on, from this training is the cities and learn about good ensuring that migrants and refugees different ways towns and practices elsewhere. One of can contribute meaningfully to their cities are greeting the new the ideas that inspired me new communities while fostering members of their community. was the welcome pack for social cohesion and mitigating tensions. The Academy stands as an This kind of symbolic gesture new arrivals, which we will example of the power of international is very important to make the certainly try to implement collaboration and local action in newcomers feel welcome.” in Poznań. I would also like building inclusive societies. to strengthen intercultural exchanges in our city and conduct new training for city officials about how to make the most of cultural diversity.”

51  3.2 Expert guidance and training for building a legal case against hate crime

Micky Kroell Launch of the ODIHR Prosecutor’s Guide, Vienna, Austria, 14 November 2024

S trong hate crime laws help protect our rights and address the In 2024, ODIHR collated its extensive expertise into a tool for prosecuting harm done when those rights are hate crimes, entitled Hate Crime violated. However, when concepts prosecution at the Intersection of Hate Kalliopi Theologitou such as hate crime, ‘hate speech’ Crime and Criminalized Hate Speech: Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Court or discrimination are confused or a Practical Guide. of Appeal of Athens, Greece. misunderstood, prosecutors may select the wrong charge, depriving victims Drawing on examples from across Congratulations on the and entire communities from receiving the OSCE region, the guide assists development of the guide for much-needed protection and support. prosecutors in selecting the correct prosecutors; I will share this charge by crystallizing the questions Over the past 20 years, ODIHR has they should ask themselves in the much-needed tool with all worked closely with prosecutors, form of a decision tree. The guide also prosecutors working on hate police, policymakers, legislators, presents strategies for effective hate crime in my country and will civil society actors and others to crime prosecution, from coordinating use it for training purposes.” strengthen hate crime laws, policies with police to collecting evidence of and practices across the OSCE bias motive, to working with courts region. In 2024, ODIHR contributed to ensure that tougher sentences are to guidance for prosecutors in passed. The guide can also be used Montenegro on responding to hate by decision-makers to assess the crime and ‘hate speech’, drafted by effectiveness of policies, practices and the country’s Supreme Prosecutor. legislation to address hate crime, as This work has given ODIHR experts well as by civil society in advocacy and unique insight into the difficulties of legal assistance work. addressing hate crime, revealing the real-life consequences for victims and Driven by the needs on the ground their communities when hate crimes and by an overwhelming interest in the are not prosecuted as such. guide, ODIHR is working to facilitate

52 its use across the OSCE region. These include: In May 2024, the Office brought together police and prosecutors in • Translating it into multiple Iceland for two, back-to-back, training workshops on addressing hate languages; crime. The aim was to ensure a consistent approach in how police • Presenting it at a regional event for and prosecutors apply recent amendments to Iceland’s hate crime prosecutors, judges, lawyers and legislation. ODIHR also trained police in France, Poland and Romania, policymakers; including follow-up visits to ensure the widest possible uptake of its • Organizing national workshops on hate crime training programmes. These sustained efforts have helped implementing recommendations to deepen cooperation between criminal justice agencies and establish made in the guide; and hate crime as a core part of national training programmes for police and • Setting up a network of prosecutors. prosecutors specializing in effective hate crime prosecution.

However, effective hate crime prosecution goes beyond the work of individual prosecutors. ODIHR supports OSCE states in providing a comprehensive and coordinated response to addressing hate crime, through its broad range of tailored technical assistance and capacity- Margrét Unnur building programmes organized at the Rögnvaldsdóttir request of states. Prosecutor at the Director of Joint statement by Public Prosecutions, Iceland Madalina Margineanu and Bogdan Bran ODIHR’s training workshop Hate Crimes Investigation Office, for prosecutors was General Inspectorate, Romanian both eye-opening and Police practical, and gave us an understanding of the ODIHR’s training nature and impact of such programme empowers crimes on the victims, Romanian police officers their communities and to recognize, understand Aleksandar Markoski our society as a whole. We and respond to hate crimes, PhD, Public Prosecutor and Lecturer learned how to recognize thereby fostering safer at the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, North Macedonia and present hate crimes communities.” in court, as well as how to Even in countries with solid share this knowledge with hate crime legislation, ‘hate our colleagues.” speech’ offences and hate crime cases can appear to overlap, resulting in less-than- precise indictments. ODIHR’s ODIHR’s hate crime training programmes new guide undoubtedly helps to untangle these concepts and The Training against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) contributes to the effective and programme is designed to improve police skills in recognizing, fair prosecution of hate crime. understanding and investigating hate crimes and providing The guide’s ‘Decision Tree’ effective support to victims. allows prosecutors like myself The Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training (PAHCT) programme to navigate these challenges is designed to improve responses to hate crimes by prosecutors with ease, while the examples and improve support to hate crime victims. provided keep the guidance grounded in real-life contexts.”

53  3.3 Advancing meaningful dialogue between Roma civil society, government and the international community in Ukraine

Piotr Markowski Ihor Lossovskyi Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience

Despite tough circumstances, Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment, Warsaw, the Ukrainian Government Poland, 6-7 March 2024 continues with its

T commitments towards the Roma population. The support provided by ODIHR he war in Ukraine has In March, in partnership with the State adds to the current efforts exacerbated the socio-economic Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs inequalities facing Roma, increasing and Freedom of Conscience, the and helps authorities find the risk of discrimination and abuse. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner efficient solutions for the Forcibly displaced Roma often for Human Rights and the Council difficulties experienced by this experience prejudice in accessing of Europe Office in Ukraine, ODIHR community.” shelter, protection, aid, labour organized a conference that and other services. Women are mapped out war-related challenges especially vulnerable to intersectional experienced by Ukrainian Roma and discrimination, exploitation and human discussed cooperation to ensure Piotr Markowski

trafficking. better protection. The event brought together 50 representatives of central These are complex challenges and local government, civil society requiring coordinated action, and and the international community, Roma civil society, the Ukrainian and the conference report details authorities and the international the key concerns and jointly agreed community work together on this proposals for overcoming the issue. ODIHR, with a specific mandate challenges. This meeting is an to support OSCE participating States excellent example of how constructive and civil society in addressing the dialogue can strengthen stakeholder concerns of Roma and Sinti, including collaboration to advance the rights in crisis situations, has helped to foster of Roma both in times of conflict this cooperation. and peace.

54  Under the auspices of the ‘Advancing the Human Dimension of Security in Ukraine’ project, ODIHR is conducting human rights monitoring of Roma in Ukraine. The Office also continued its training programmes for Roma and pro-Roma human rights advocates on human rights monitoring, digital safety and security, wellbeing, and gender mainstreaming and empowerment.

Piotr Markowski Vira Dranhoi representing the Roma Human Rights Centre, Odesa

Roma civil society plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the rights of Roma are protected and promoted, including during the ongoing war. Achieving this goal is possible through dialogue with state authorities and international partners for cooperation. ODIHR has been crucial in nourishing such Training on Digital Safety and Security for Ukrainian Roma and pro-Roma Human cooperation.” Rights Defenders, Warsaw, Poland, 10-12 October 2024

The subject was discussed again

Piotr Markowski in detail during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Representatives of OSCE participating States, Roma civil society and international partners for cooperation highlighted that Roma experience compounded inequalities that require both substantial efforts to counter and better coordination among the actors involved.

At the same time, ODIHR has invested significant resources in developing stronger and sustainable relationships with the state agencies dealing with the issues faced by the Roma community, such as the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs Piotr Markowski

and Freedom of Conscience and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. These relationships are critical to providing effective responses to the complex human rights challenges experienced by Roma, through the swift and continual exchange of information and ideas. It allows joint priorities to be set and Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and resources to be optimized to enable Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment, Warsaw, positive change. Poland, 6-7 March 2024

55  3.4 Making Roma voices heard in genocide remembrance and education

Łukasz Gągulski

Tea Jaliashvili, ODIHR First Deputy Director, addresses the 2024 European Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti, Oświęcim, Poland, 2 August 2024

T he general public still knows little about the genocide of the Roma The 2003 Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within On 2 August 2024, ODIHR joined international partners at the by the Nazis during the Second World the OSCE Area calls for the inclusion former Nazi extermination camp War. It is estimated that nearly half a of Roma history and culture, and in in Auschwitz-Birkenau to honour million Roma and Sinti men, women particular the genocide of Roma and the memory of all those who were and children became victims of Sinti, in educational materials. ODIHR murdered in the Roma genocide genocide by May 1945. Among young increases awareness of the Roma 80 years ago. As part of the people, awareness of the tragedy of genocide through a range of activities, commemorations, ODIHR organized a the Holocaust is falling, and they are ensuring that countries across the workshop to explore the experiences increasingly exposed to Holocaust OSCE region honour the Roma and of those who are affected by anti- denial and distortion, particularly Sinti who lost their lives during the Roma discrimination and discuss online. At the same time, there are Second World War. ODIHR also what policymakers and institutions ever-fewer Holocaust survivors still contributed to the recently adopted can do to ensure inclusive education alive to share their stories. This is Recommendations for Teaching and for Roma today, as well as continued why commemoration and education Learning about the Persecution and commemoration and preservation are vital to raise awareness about Genocide of the Roma during the Nazi of the memory of the Roma and Sinti the devastating consequences of Era developed by the International victims of the past prejudice and hate and counter Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. current forms of discrimination, racism and exclusion.

56 Olena Vaidalovych Satu Florin Senior Adviser on Legal Affairs and Board member of Ternype Roma Advocacy, ‘Foundation Towards Youth Network Dialogue’

Knowledge about the Roma genocide and the Being aware of the history of Roma has helped atrocities that the victims of the Nazi era went me to understand and strengthen my own through is essential. Both Roma and non-Roma identity, and anything that aims to increase the must understand that what happened during knowledge of Roma history and culture among the Holocaust was deeply wrong and that a broader audience is equally important. there can be no justification or excuse. This is Getting more educational materials helps local obviously an important message for non-Roma; organizations to educate society, locals and not least because, without that understanding, different actors.” the discrimination and abuse of Roma today cannot be addressed.”

Central Council of German Sinti and Roma/Jarosław Praszkiewicz

57  3.5 Fostering dialogue to improve support for hate crime victims

Dr Mark Brookes MBE Advocacy Lead, Dimensions UK and Churchill Fellow 2024

Disability hate crime continues to be normalized in society and remains drastically under-reported.

T It is vital that we raise awareness within disability communities and share our oo often, the people most and viewpoints of different victim affected by human rights violations groups. Participants took the lived experiences through are left out of conversations that affect opportunity to present innovative resources, training and them. By supporting states to include solutions, such as using virtual reality events, including ODIHR’s victims’ perspectives in policy and to increase awareness of victims’ webinar series, so that practice, ODIHR ensures that victims experiences, or the role of strategic disability rights — our human have the opportunity to contribute to litigation in building support for hate rights — are no longer ignored. policy that makes a positive difference crime victims. ODIHR’s network of to their lives. experts on hate crime victim support Working with ODIHR enables participated in the events, providing a us to work collaboratively In 2024, ODIHR applied this approach channel for experts and practitioners with the international in a series of nine webinars on to present their recommendations to community, finding solutions tackling specific areas of hate crime policymakers. to the barriers we face in our victim support. The webinars gave daily lives.” researchers, practitioners and those ODIHR’s regular, direct engagement directly affected by hate crime the with hate crime victim support opportunity to test their ideas and practitioners makes it well placed initiatives to improve the support to develop practical measures and currently available to victims. support effective partnerships at both the national and regional levels. One Covering a range of topics, from example of this is ODIHR’s continued the psychological consequences coordination of the Working group on of hate crime to specialist support hate crime victim support within the for victims with learning disabilities, European Commission’s High Level the webinars enabled some 475 Group on Combating Hate Crime and participants to consider the needs Hate Speech.

58  STARS: Comprehensive Support for Hate Crime Victims

ODIHR’s STARS initiative has three main aims: • Develop policy guidance on hate crime victim support; • Train first responders and support providers to assist hate crime victims; and • Build platforms for dialogue and facilitate the exchange of good practices.

STARS has published a practical guide, Including the voices of hate crime victims in policymaking and policy implementation, Prof. Dr. Eva Gross, Dr. Anabel Taefi which sets out 10 key principles for including hate crime and Prof. Dr. Ulrike Zähringer victims in policy initiatives. of the Hamburg Institute for Interdisciplinary Crime and Security Research Including hate crime victims in the policymaking process helps to By sensitizing police to the lived experiences ensure that systems, policies and of hate crime victims, virtual reality programmes are tailored to the technology can strengthen trust in needs of victims, helping them to recover from their experiences while police and boost reporting by victims. upholding their rights to redress The ODIHR webinar provided our team and support. with a valuable opportunity to examine both the challenges and benefits of using STARS is implemented in close immersive technologies in police training cooperation with the European while discussing our findings with Commission and is funded by the European Union, Bulgaria and Italy. a knowledgeable audience.”

Anna Chmiel, Mateusz Barski, Kra Kra Films

Illustrations from ODIHR’s Hate Crime Training videos

59  3.6 Empowering communities to address anti-Muslim intolerance

I ntolerance and hate crimes targeting religious communities have The roundtable gave voice to Muslim women’s experiences regrettably intensified in many parts of discrimination, providing an of the OSCE region. In the United opportunity to engage with community Kingdom, widespread riots in summer activists and representatives as well 2024 were fuelled by racism and anti- as policymakers. The discussions Muslim hatred. In response to this resulted in actionable initiatives such and other crises, ODIHR stepped up as designing hate crime reporting Shahien Taj OBE its support to states and communities mechanisms and advocating for Hon. DUniv, Trustee of the Forum for affected by anti-religious prejudice, research into the psychological needs Peace UK and Founder and Former using its numerous resources and of hate crime victims, with a focus on Executive Director of the Henna wide-ranging convening powers Muslim women victims. Foundation, United Kingdom to develop and deliver actionable solutions. ODIHR will follow up on this event in This event served as a 2025 by giving young Muslim women vital platform for Muslim The Office organized roundtables and space to discuss the intolerance they women from across the consultative meetings to learn more face while contributing to sustainable United Kingdom to explore about communities’ experiences solutions. meaningful solutions to of anti-religious intolerance and assist with the use of its practical All participants acknowledged that counter anti-Muslim hatred resources. ODIHR also participated under-reporting remains a pervasive in a collaborative and in a number of events organized by obstacle to addressing anti-Muslim inclusive environment. The partners to share feedback from hatred, and they welcomed ODIHR’s invaluable insights and these communities, discuss examples many resources on the subject, resources shared by ODIHR of good practices, and strengthen including the practical guide to provided a foundation for institutional frameworks to counter address the security needs of Muslim intolerance and hate crime. communities, and its annual hate understanding how inherent crime report and victim support work. traits like negativity bias Findings from ODIHR’s Hate Crime are perpetuated by modern Report indicate that Muslim women mechanisms, such as are particularly vulnerable to hate social media and artificial crime and intolerance. In November intelligence.” 2024, ODIHR partnered with the Forum for Peace UK and the All- Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims to organize a roundtable at ODIHR’s resources on Anti-Muslim the House of Commons in London. hate crime include practical guides to The event brought together senior address the security needs of Muslim policymakers, parliamentarians, communities targeted by hate crime. Muslim women activists, community They provide guidance on how to organizers and academics to examine support communities and prevent women’s experiences of anti-Muslim their hate crime victimization, and are hatred and empower them to take designed for use by communities, action against intolerance. police, policymakers, legislators and others.

60 ANNEXES  MEETINGS AND EVENTS Organized in 2024

HUMAN DIMENSION MEETINGS Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Human Dimension Induction Course I Warsaw, Poland 9-12 April 2024 17 (9 women, 8 men)

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting I on The Role of Civil Vienna, Austria 22-23 April 2024 180 (108 women, 71 men, Society in the Promotion and Protection of International Human 1 undeclared) Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting II on Media Literacy Vienna, Austria 27-28 May 2024 153 (91 women, 61 men, and Democracy 1 undeclared)

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting III on Tolerance and Vienna, Austria 24-25 June 2024 157 (105 women, 51 men, Non-Discrimination and Gender Equality 1 undeclared)

Human Dimension Induction Course II Warsaw, Poland 16-19 July 2024 19 (13 women, 6 men)

PART 1: CREATING STRONG DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS BASED ON RULE OF LAW TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Training for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Warsaw, Poland 10 January to 30 April 21 women Plans, Phase I and online 2024

ODIHR/OSCE PA Informal Gender Network meeting: Advancing Online 23 January 2024 37 (29 women, 8 men) Gender Balance in National Parliaments in the OSCE Space

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Sarajevo, Bosnia 24 January 2024 17 (10 women, 7 men) workshop to support the review of Central Election Commission and Herzegovina regulation on media coverage of contestants during elections

ODIHR Core Group of Experts on Political Parties annual meeting Warsaw, Poland 26 January 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men)

14th Gender Matters! webinar: Mobilization Against Gender Online 1 February 2024 50 (39 women, 11 men) Equality

Women Lead Conference: Transforming Women’s Selection London, United 19-21 February 2024 approx. 70 Processes in Political Parties, and follow-up meetings with the UK Kingdom (no sex-disaggregated data Parliament available)

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Warsaw, Poland 21-22 February 2024 52 (24 women, 28 men) Regional Exchange on Strengthening Campaign Finance Systems and Practices conference

Workshop on Public Integrity and Young Parliamentarians’ Impact Skopje, North 27 February 2024 25 (19 women, 6 men) on Parliamentary Integrity Practices and Anti-Corruption in North Macedonia Macedonia

Training for Change Makers on Gender Audits and Gender Action Warsaw, Poland 27-29 February 2024 21 (21 women) Plans, Phase II

3rd Spotlight on Disability webinar: Access for All: Recognizing Online 6 March 2024 23 (no sex-disaggregated Barriers in the Built Environment and Developing Solutions data available)

Presentation of Participatory Gender Audit report Online 7 March 2024 20 (5 women, 15 men) recommendations to the Democratic Party’s Presidency in Serbia

62 Working Group meeting on the Draft Law on the High Judicial and Mostar, Bosnia 11-13 March 2024 N/A Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herzegovina

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Tirana, Albania 13-14 March 2024 11 (3 women, 8 men) national workshop with the legal experts of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform

138th Venice Commission Plenary Session Venice, Italy 15-16 March 2024 N/A

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Belgrade, Serbia 19 March 2024 11 (6 women, 5 men) national workshop to support the Republic Electoral Commission in developing a voter education programme

Presentation to the 96th plenary meeting of the Group of States Strasbourg, 19-22 March 2024 no data available against Corruption (GRECO), Council of Europe France

ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association Warsaw, Poland 20-21 March 2024 26 (14 women, 12 men) annual meeting

15th Gender Matters! webinar: Institutional Mechanisms as Critical Online 25 March 2024 48 (39 women, 9 men) Actors for Gender Equality: A Review from the OSCE Region

Expert Meeting on Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in Warsaw, Poland 26 March 2024 41 (18 women, 23 men) Poland

Presentation on the 2023 Youth Progress Index and the state of Warsaw, Poland 27 March 2024 12 (7 women, 5 men) young people in Poland, with the European Youth Forum

Presentation and workshop on ODIHR Opinion on Certain Chisinau, 28-30 March 2024 31 (16 women, 15 men) Provisions of the Draft Law “On the Status, Conduct and Ethics of Moldova the Members of Parliament” of the Republic of Moldova

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Tirana, Albania 11 April 2024 34 (19 women, 15 men) presentation of the Assessment of the Gender Dimension of the Activities of the Election Administration in Albania

Presentation of Institutional Mechanisms as Critical Actors for Strasbourg, 16-18 April 2024 56 (47 women, 9 men) Gender Equality: A Review from the OSCE Region to the Council of France Europe’s Gender Equality Commission

Expert Review meeting on the Handbook on Observing and Warsaw, Poland 17 April 2024 19 (14 women, 5 men) Promoting Youth Electoral Participation

Webinar on The UK Parliamentary Integrity system: How does the Online 22 April 2024 80 (56 women, 24 men) House of Commons parliamentary integrity system function and what are some lessons learned?

SHDM I side event: Challenges in Ensuring Justice in Ukraine for Vienna, Austria 23 April 2024 30 (20 women, 10 men) War Crimes Victims and Motivating Them on the National Level

Workshop with Venstre, the Danish Liberal Party, as part of the Copenhagen, 25-27 April 2024 15 (10 women, 5 men) participatory gender audit Denmark

16th Gender Matters! webinar: Gender Equality Laws across the Online 8 May 2024 26 (21 women, 5 men) OSCE region; presentation of the ODIHR Comparative Note on Gender Equality Laws across the OSCE Region

8th meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Strasbourg, 13-15 May 2024 33 (13 women, 20 men) Protection of Lawyers (CJ-AV): presentation of ODIHR’s non-public France contribution to the drafting of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Podgorica, 14-15 May 2024 64 (36 women, 28 men) regional conference on Promoting Conditions for Free and Fair Montenegro Election Campaigns in the Western Balkans

Ukraine Working Group meeting 1: Development of a Judicial Online 17 May 2024 11 (6 women, 5 men) Drafting Tool for War Crimes Cases

Presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking Podgorica, 27-30 May 2024 50 (23 women, 27 men) for Better Laws and launch of the ODIHR Preliminary Opinion Montenegro on the Legal Framework Governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro; meetings/interviews in preparation for the Comprehensive Assessment of the Legislative Process in Montenegro

63 Expert meeting on Transforming Politics: Male Politicians as Critical Sarajevo, Bosnia 5-6 June 2024 74 (28 women, 46 men) Actors for Gender Equality, with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and and Herzegovina Herzegovina and the OSCE missions in South-Eastern Europe

Women’s Leadership Academy training course, with the OSCE Bishkek, 5-6 June 2024 approx. 60-100 per session Programme Office in Bishkek and the Social Technologies Agency Kyrgyzstan and (17 sessions), NGO online (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Declaration of Principles Convening Committee annual preparatory Warsaw, Poland 13-14 June 2024 20 (8 women, 12 men) meeting

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Podgorica, 14 June 2024 11 (8 women, 3 men) presentation of the Gender Audit of the Election Administration of Montenegro Montenegro

Follow-up to participatory gender audits of parties; participation Copenhagen, 18 June 2024 117 (92 women, 25 men) in a conference on Global Experiences, Means and Methods to Denmark Strengthen Women’s Representation and Influence in Local Politics

Participation in 2024 International Anti-corruption Conference Vilnius, Lithuania 18-21 June 2024 >2000 (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Transparency International Lithuania’s International School on Vilnius, Lithuania 18-21 June 2024 105 (72 women, 33 men) Integrity and support for the participation of officials from Eastern Partnership countries

Making the Law Count: Interactive Workshop on Democratic Warsaw, Poland 24-25 June 2024 27 (19 women, 8 men) Lawmaking for Lawmakers from Ukraine; launch of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws in Ukrainian

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association webinar on Pathways to Online 27 June 2024 36 (no sex-disaggregated Politics — Barriers to Women’s Participation and Representation data available)

Presentation of ODIHR Comments on the Criminalization of Chisinau, 28 June 2024 30 (20 women, 10 men) “Separatism” and Related Offences in Moldova (2023) to the Moldova and Parliament of Moldova online

Conference on Administrative Justice in Ukraine: Issue of Theory Kyiv and Ostroh, 29 June to 6 July 2024 N/A and Practice, organized by the OSCE’s Support Programme for Ukraine Ukraine and Ukraine’s Supreme Court

Presentation on parliamentary integrity during the parliamentary Šabac, Belgrade, 30 June to 31 July 2024 65 (38 women, 27 men) induction course for members of the National Assembly of the Serbia Republic of Serbia

4th Spotlight on Disability webinar: Inclusive Participation — Good Online 1 August 2024 14 (no sex-disaggregated Practices in Accessibility from the Austrian Parliament data available)

17th Gender Matters! webinar: Parliaments Advancing Gender Online 3 September 2024 35 (28 women, 7 men) Equality Reforms, the Case of the Welsh Parliament

Webinar on Select Topics in International Criminal Law, Online 4 September 2024 30 (17 women, 13 men) International Humanitarian Law, and International Human Rights Law

Presentation of ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Podgorica, 4-6 September 2024 N/A Montenegro on Financing of Political Parties and Electoral Montenegro Campaigns; meetings/interviews in preparation for the Final Opinion

9th meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Strasbourg, 9-11 September 2024 34 (17 women, 17 men) Protection of Lawyers France

Webinar on Practical Procedural and Fair Trial Concerns in the Online 11 September 2024 30 (15 women, 15 men) Domestic Adjudication of War Crimes Cases

Presentation and exchange on gender equality in politics with Paris, France 12 September 2024 26 (19 women, 7 men) PACE Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination

Webinar on Lessons Learned from Defence Attorneys in War Online 18 September 2024 30 (14 women, 16 men) Crimes Cases from OSCE Participating States

ODIHR Advisory Panel on the Political Participation of Persons with Warsaw, Poland 18 September 2024 22 (17 women, 5 men) Disabilities annual meeting

64 Ukraine Working Group meeting 2: Development of a Judicial Online 19 September 2024 11 (4 women, 7 men) Drafting Tool for War Crimes Case in Ukraine

Webinar on Women in Politics: Is Democracy Delivering?, with UN Online 19-20 September 2024 151 (no sex-disaggregated Women data available)

Women’s Leadership Academy, with OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, 25-27 September 2024 50 (50 women) Bishkek Kyrgyzstan

Participatory gender audit of the National Assembly of Serbia Belgrade, Serbia 30 September 68 (38 women, 30 men) to 4 October 2024

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: presentation Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 38 (no sex-disaggregated of the Handbook for the Observation of Information and data available) Communication Technologies (ICT) in Elections

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Reflecting on Warsaw, Poland 4 October 2024 78 (46 women, 32 men) 20 years of ODIHR’s Legislative Assistance: Highlights, Trends and Challenges; presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Women’s Warsaw, Poland 10 October 2024 82 (60 women, 22 men) Power Breakfast: Advancing Women’s Representation in Politics, Promoting Gender-responsive Governance

140th Venice Commission Plenary Session Venice, Italy 11-12 October 2024 N/A

Beijing +30 Regional Review Meeting: Reviewing 30 Years of Beijing Geneva, 21-22 October 2024 46 (40 women, 6 men) Commitments to Accelerate Gender Equality in the UNECE Region Switzerland

Participatory gender audits of the Democrats and NOVA political Podgorica, 21-25 October 2024 51 (32 women, 19 men) parties, with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Montenegro

Political Party Peers Network annual meeting Berlin, Germany 22-23 October 2024 87 (43 women, 44 men)

ODIHR Gender and Politics webinar series: Making Gender Equality Online 23 October 2024 102 (no sex-disaggregated in Politics a National Policy Priority data available)

Seminar on The Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly in Italy; Rome, Italy 24 October 2024 40 (18 women, 22 men) presentation of the ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Bill no. 1660 Relating to Countering Terrorism, Public Security, Protection of Personnel in Service and Prison Regulations in Italy

6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp: Integrity of Political Berlin, Germany 24-25 October 2024 48 (27 women, 21 men) Finance — overview of ODIHR legal reviews on political party financing and legislative guidelines

Participatory gender audit of the Assembly of Albania, with the Tirana, Albania 28-30 October 2024 31 (27 women, 4 men) OSCE Presence in Albania

Training on Addressing Violence Against Women in Politics for the Tirana Albania 29-30 October 2024 49 (39 women, 10 men) Assembly of North Macedonia, with the OSCE Mission to Skopje

Training on Gender Equality in Politics for OSCE staff Warsaw, Poland 6-8 November 2024 21 (18 women, 3 men) and online

Expert Meeting on Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in Warsaw, Poland 7 November 2024 49 (26 women, 23 men) Poland; presentation of the ODIHR Note on the Effects of Decisions of Judges Appointed in a Deficient Manner and the ODIHR Opinion on Two Bills of the Republic of Poland on the Constitutional Tribunal (as of 24 July 2024)

European Youth Capital 2027 jury meeting Brussels, Belgium 11 November 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men)

Advancing the Gender Sensitivity of the Assembly: Review and Ohrid, North 13-15 November 2024 29 (24 women, 5 men) Strategic Planning workshop, with the OSCE Mission to Skopje Macedonia

18th Gender Matters! webinar: Gender Parity as the New Standard: Online 14 November 2024 32 (28 women, 4 men) CEDAW General Recommendation 40 and how it matters for OSCE’s work on gender equality in politics

98th plenary meeting of the Group of States against Corruption Strasbourg, 18-20 November 2024 N/A (GRECO), Council of Europe France

ODIHR/FES School on Politics, Leadership and Advocacy, partially Warsaw, Poland 18-22 November 2024 24 (16 women, 8 men) organized under the auspices of ODIHR’s Building Stronger Democratic Institutions in Eastern Partnership Countries, supported and financed by the EU

65 9th Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia, with funding Astana, 20-21 November 2024 approx. 220 (95 women, from the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan 115 men) Kazakhstan

Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation Gdansk, Poland 20-22 November 2024 83 (38 women, 45 men) annual meeting

OSCE Regional meeting of Parliamentary Support Programmes in Belgrade, Serbia 26-27 November 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men) SEE

Expert meeting on Public Ethics and Integrity Toolkit: Guidelines for Warsaw, Poland 2 December 2024 27 (women 14, men 13) Political Parties

ODIHR Gender and Politics webinar series: Transforming Political Warsaw, Poland 3 December 2024 119 (no sex-disaggregated Parties from Within – Gender Audits and Gender Action Plans and online data available)

Presentation of Disability Assessment Report and eLearning Belgrade, Serbia 3 December 2024 103 (71 women, 32 men) Course on Disability Inclusion at the Serbian Parliament

Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Citizens: Towards Sajarevo, Bosnia 5 December 2024 N/A a Successful Partnership; presentation of the Guidelines on and Herzegovina Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

OSCE International Anti-Corruption Day Conference: Looking Back Vienna, Austria 9 December 2024 87 (49 women, 38 men) and Looking Ahead on the Fight against Corruption

Anti-Corruption Focal Point meeting Vienna, Austria 9 December 2024 N/A

XV Warsaw Human Rights Seminar: The Role of the European Warsaw, Poland 10 December 2024 N/A Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights in Strengthening Democratic Institutions; presentation of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws

Consultative meeting on the methodology for conducting youth Sarajevo, Bosnia 14-15 December 2024 21 (8 women, 13 men) assessments within political parties and Herzegovina

Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans Project: Warsaw, Poland 17-18 December 2024 59 (36 women, 23 men) regional conference on Informing and Engaging Voters, A Regional Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Voter Turnout

Participatory gender audit of the Europe Now! political party Podgorica, 19-20 December 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men) Montenegro

PART 2: SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY AND GUARANTEE HUMAN RIGHTS AND SECURITY

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

International Panel of Parliamentarians on Freedom of Religion or Sarajevo, Bosnia 18-20 January 2024 29 (19 women, 10 men) Belief launch of the Southeast Europe Network and signing of the and Herzegovina Declaration of Sarajevo

Human Rights Education Lab No. 1 for Belarusian human rights Warsaw, Poland 22-24 January 2024 16 (11 women, 5 men) defenders in exile

Making the Nelson Mandela Rules Actionable for Prison Staff: Online 31 January 2024 29 (20 women, 9 men) Launch of the ODIHR/Penal Reform Introduction to the Nelson Mandela Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual in Russian

Conference meeting of Parliamentarians and Religious Leaders for Sarajevo, Bosnia 12-13 February 2024 460 (120 women, 340 men) Coexistence and Peace and Herzegovina

European Religious Liberty Forum (ERLF) Online 16 February 2024 40 (15 women, 25 men)

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training for the Canton of Sarajevo, Bosnia 20-21 February 2024 19 (16 women, 3 men) Sarajevo and Herzegovina

Training for Uzbek law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Samarkand, 22-23 February 2024 11 (1 women, 10 men) while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with OSCE PCUz Uzbekistan

Training for Uzbek law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Tashkent, 26-27 February 2024 13 (1 women, 12 men) while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with OSCE PCUz Uzbekistan

66 Inspire Inclusion: Empowering Women’s Freedom of Religion or Brussels, Belgium 5 March 2024 49 (31 women, 18 men) Belief

Final conference of ODIHR training for human rights defenders on Warsaw, Poland 7-8 March 2024 43 (24 women, 19 men) human rights monitoring at international borders

Regional Gender and Security Conference (organized with the Skopje, North 7-8 March 2024 N/A OSCE Mission to Skopje) Macedonia

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for NGO French Ligue des Paris, France 9-10 March 2024 21 ( 6 women, 15 men) Droits de l’Homme

Remote Working Accelerator Initiative for Belarusian human rights Online 11 March 2024 14 (10 women, 4 men) defenders in exile

Panel discussion on Law Enforcement and Digital Technologies: Geneva, 11 March 2024 25 (no sex-disaggregated Strengthening Human Rights Safeguards for Facilitation of Switzerland data available) Peaceful protests, during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council

Starlight Stadium Episode 3 testing and workshop Warsaw, Poland 18 March 2024 15 (12 women, 3 men)

Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPM of Paris, France 18 March 2024 17 (14 women, 3 men) France

CSOs Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Monitoring Network meeting Warsaw, Poland 22-23 March 2024 21 (10 women, 11 men) and launch of ODIHR’s assembly monitoring e-Learning course and online

Training for national human rights institutions and civil society Belgrade, Serbia 25-27 March 2024 21 (15 women, 6 men) of Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring

Training for Albanian- and Macedonian-speaking detention Skopje, North 26-27 March 2024 19 (13 women, 6 men) monitors on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Macedonia Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPM of Bratislava, 27 March 2024 17 (13 women, 4 men) Slovakia Slovakia

Training on Safeguarding Human Rights at International Borders for Warsaw, Poland 2 April 2024 20 (13 women, 7 men) students from the College of Europe (Natolin)

Global workshop on Preserving the Gains on Freedom of Peaceful Kampala, Uganda 8-9 April 2024 approx. 40 Assembly and Association Rights: supporting climate justice and and online (no sex-disaggregated data social movements, convened by the UN Special Rapporteur on available) freedom of peaceful assembly and association

Human Rights Education Lab No. 2 for Belarusian human rights Warsaw, Poland 8-10 April 2024 16 (12 women, 4 men) defenders in exile: Focusing on a Trauma-Informed Approach to Education

Freedom of Religion or Belief: A Luxury Right? for students of the Warsaw, Poland 17 April 2024 N/A College of Europe (Natolin)

Webinar on Cultural Sensitivity in Action: Trauma-informed Online 18 April 2024 N/A interviewing, with the OSCE Border Management Staff College and UNHCR

Austrian ministry’s meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and FoRB Vienna, Austria 19 April 2024 29 (9 women, 20 men)

ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief meeting Online 22 April 2024 16 (8 women, 8 men)

Participation in expert group meeting to review a draft Handbook Vienna, Austria 23-25 April 2024 27 (7 women, 20 men) for Law Enforcement Officials on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests, convened by UNODC, OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association

Training on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Dushanbe, 24 April 2024 21 (5 women, 16 men) Border Management for the Border Management Staff College of Tajikistan the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring mission Chisinau, 7-10 May 2024 N/A Moldova

Pilot training on human rights and gender assessment for the Vienna, Austria 14-17 May 2024 6 (3 women, 3 men) armed forces

67 Human Rights Monitoring Training using Starlight Stadium Sarajevo, Bosnia 20-23 May 2024 21 (14 women, 7 men) and Herzegovina

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training Chisinau, 22-23 May 2024 24 (16 women, 8 men) Moldova

Presentation of the NRM Handbook (second edition) to anti- Online 23-24 May 2024 28 (no sex disaggregated trafficking stakeholders in Uzbekistan at a national roundtable on data available) strengthening the Uzbek NRM

Training-of-Trainers on policing and human rights in the framework Warsaw, Poland 27-30 May 2024 8 (6 women, 2 men) of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for law enforcement of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

Training course for law enforcement on Protecting Human Rights Kosovo* 29-30 May 2024 14 (8 women, 5 men, while Countering Terrorism Effectively, with the OSCE Mission in 1 undeclared) Kosovo*

Freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring mission Tallinn, Estonia 31 May 2024 N/A to 2 June 2024

Youth Focal Points meeting: Youth, Peace and Security training Online 3-6 June 2024 15 (12 women, 3 men)

Presentation of ODIHR report: Security for People and Borders: Sarajevo, Bosnia 5 June 2024 50 (26 women, 24 men) Effective Border Management and Human Rights Protection on the and Herzegovina Western Balkan Route and online

PACE Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination Hearing Tirana, Albania 5-6 June 2024 approx. 34 (23 women, 11 men)

Webinar on The Role of Independent Detention Monitoring: Online 11 June 2024 92 (no sex disaggregated Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing and data available) Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) for French-speaking OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation

UN NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief June Meeting Online 13 June 2024 N/A

2024 NHRI Academy: Securitization and Human Rights Bratislava, 17-21 June 2024 23 (15 women, 8 men) Slovakia

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for staff of the OSCE Chisinau, 24-25 June 2024 17 (10 women, 7 men) Mission to Moldova Moldova

Workshop on Engaging the Ukrainian Diaspora in Reconstruction Warsaw, Poland 26-28 June 2024 34 (24 women, 10 men) and Development: Democracy and Human Rights Dimensions

1st annual meeting of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Warsaw, Poland 27-28 June 2024 14 (7 women, 7 men) Advisory Council (ISTAC)

Regional training course for detention monitors from selected Warsaw, Poland 2-3 July 2024 19 (14 women, 5 men) European Union and other countries on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

Platform for Security and Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Astana, 2-4 July 2024 N/A Central Asia, trauma-informed interviewing training Kazakstan

1st regional training course for human rights defenders on New Warsaw, Poland 8-10 July 2024 24 (18 women, 6 men) Technologies at Borders

Consultations on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Gender Equality Warsaw, Poland, 16-31 July 2024 70 (49 women, 21 men) and online

Exchange of good practices and challenges in developing and Online 17 July 2024 24 (11 women, 13 men) implementing migrant and refugee integration strategies

Training on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Vienna, Austria 23 July 2024 21 (3 women, 18 men) Border Management for the Border Management Staff College of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Launch of the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Online 30 July 2024 54 (no sex disaggregated Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs) on the World data available) Day Against Trafficking in Persons

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

68 Conference on Religious Freedom and Security: Balancing Astana, 27 August 2024 N/A Acceptable Restrictions in Countering Radicalization and Violent Kazakhstan Extremism, organized by the Association of Religious Organizations of Kazakhstan (AROK)

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on AI and Human Rights Online 28 August 2024 8 (3 women, 5 men) Education

Consultations with representatives of the Civic Solidarity Platform Online 29 August 2024 10 (8 women, 2 men) Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on AI and Human Rights Online 2 September 2024 12 (3 women, 9 men) Education

Training for civil society and community activists in Armenia and Yerevan, Armenia 2-6 September 2024 18 (13 women, 5 men) Georgia on Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Freedom of Movement and Social Cohesion, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Workshop on Strengthening the Watchdog Capacities of Kosovo* 10 September 2024 21 (15 women, 6 men) Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Consultation meeting on Opening Doors for Children: Good Online 11 September 2024 10 (5 women, 5 men) Practices to Prevent Childhood Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and HCNM

Launch of ODIHR and OSR/CTHB publication, Out of the Shadows: Vienna, Austria 11 September 2024 40 (no sex disaggregated Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to data available) Minorities, including National Minorities

Workshop on Civic Space Monitoring and Protection, organized by Vienna, Austria 16-18 September 2024 69 (45 women, 24 men) the EU Fundamental Rights Agency

Follow-up meeting to Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Online 20 September 2024 18 (14 women, 4 men) Freedom of Movement and Social Cohesion training course, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Training for Uzbek police commanders on human rights-compliant Tashkent, 23-27 September 2024 12 (2 women, 10 men) policing of assemblies Uzbekistan

Human Rights Education Lab webinar on Basics of GDPR for Online 25 September 2024 6 (4 women, 2 men) Human Rights Education Activities

Good Practices in Migrant Integration training for the authorities in Bihac, Bosnia and 25-26 September 2024 23 (10 women, 13 men) the Una-Sana Canton Herzegovina

ODIHR’s Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief meeting online 26 September 2024 10 (5 women, 5 men)

SHDM I side event:The Role of Civil Society and International Actors Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 25 (15 women, 10 men) in Supporting Adjudication of War Crimes by National Courts

Stakeholder meeting on independent border monitoring in Poland Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men)

2nd annual meeting of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Warsaw, Poland 1 October 2024 14 (7 women, 7 men) Advisory Council (ISTAC)

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Presentation of Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 35 (no sex disaggregated the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of data available) Trafficking Advisory Council (NSTACS)

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Enhancing Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 35 (no sex disaggregated a Human Rights-based and Victim-centred Approach to the data available) Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Human Trafficking, with the OSR/CTHB

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Situation Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 31 (18 women, 13 men) of ISIS-affiliated Individuals in the Camps and Prisons in North East Syria and the Responsibility of OSCE participating States for the Repatriation of their Nationals

Evaluation workshop for the Starlight Stadium development Warsaw, Poland 2 October 2024 13 (7 women, 6 men) process

Starlight Stadium launch event Warsaw, Poland 3 October 2024 110 (48 women, 62 men)

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

69 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Addressing Warsaw, Poland 3 October 2024 39 (no sex disaggregated Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National data available) Minorities, with the OSR/CTHB

Ukraine-specific consultations for the second edition of the ODIHR Warsaw, Poland 3-4 October 2024 10 (8 women, 2 men) Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Right to Warsaw, Poland 7 October 2024 approx. 40 Monitor Assemblies in the OSCE Region: Experiences from the field

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: launch of Belief, Warsaw, Poland 7 October 2024 67 (38 women, 29 men) Dialogue and Security — Fostering dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Ending Warsaw, Poland 8 October 2024 50 (25 women, 25 men) Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and HCNM

Trainer at FoRB diplomatic training event, co-hosted by the US Berlin, Germany 9 October 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men) State Department and German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, on the margins of the Berlin Freedom of Religion or Belief Ministerial

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Promoting Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 38 (no sex disaggregated Human Rights-compliant and Gender-responsive Armed Forces data available)

Article 18 Alliance Ministerial conference on Freedom of Religion or Berlin, Germany 10-11 October 2024 approx. 150 ( 60 women, Belief and Artificial Intelligence, hosted by the German Ministry for 90 men) Economic Cooperation and Development

Training on digital safety and security for Ukrainian Roma and pro- Warsaw, Poland 10-12 October 2024 20 (14 women, 6 men) Roma human rights defenders

Plenary session of the UNHCR Executive Committee side event on Geneva, 14-15 October 2024 >70 Harnessing Regional Collaboration to End Statelessness Switzerland

Meeting of NHRIs’ Resilience Focal Points: Follow up to NHRI Online 15 October 2024 11 (8 women, 3 men) resilience assessment and introduction to resilience-building plans

Training course for law enforcement on Protecting human rights Brussels, Belgium 16-17 October 2024 16 (6 women, 10 men) while countering terrorism effectively

Exploratory session with human rights defenders on conducting Online 17 October 2024 20 (16 women, 4 men) trial monitoring of migration-related cases

Follow-up discussion on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit Sarajevo, Bosnia 17 October 2024 17 (4 women, 17 men) and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations in The and Herzegovina Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Good Practices and Protection Gaps

First Ulaanbaatar Interfaith Dialogue: Promoting Unity, Mutual Ulaanbaatar, 21-24 October 2024 144 participants Understanding and Religious Freedom, organized by the Mongolian Mongolia (41 women, 103 men) Academy of Sciences, et al.

Follow-up webinar to the training for national human rights Online 23 October 2024 13 (9 women, 4 men) institutions and civil society of Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring

Human Rights Education Lab No. 3 for Belarusian human rights Otwock, Poland 23-25 October 2024 13 (9 women, 4 men) defenders in exile on Experiential Learning

Needs Assessment visit on Freedom of Religion or Belief, non- various locations 28 October 38 (20 women, 18 men) violent communication and dialogue in Kosovo*, with the OSCE in Kosovo* to 1 November 2024 Mission in Kosovo*

2nd regional training course for Human Rights Defenders: New Belgrade, Serbia 29-31 October 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men) Technologies at Borders

International conference on the Recovery of Ukraine and the Online 30 October 2024 >60 Prospects of Ukrainian Roma civil society, during the Forum of Roma on Ukraine

Expert consultation workshop: Exploring achievements and Warsaw, Poland 7-8 November 2024 11 (4 women, 7 men) challenges of the past and present: What lies ahead for the future of Roma and Sinti human rights in the OSCE area?

There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

70 Roundtable meeting with assembly monitors from the ‘Viasna’ Warsaw, Poland 11 November 2024 6 (5 women, 1 man) Human Rights Centre (Belarus)

Follow-up discussion on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit Banja Luka, 19 November 2024 19 (10 women, 9 men) and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations in The Bosnia and Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Herzegovina Good Practices and Protection Gaps

Human Rights Education Lab No. 3 for Belarusian human rights Online 21 November 2024 8 (3 men, 5 women) defenders in exile: Experiential Learning follow-up

Closing event of the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Warsaw, Poland 27 November 2024 24 (13 women, 11 men) Refugees in Polish Cities

Workshop on Strategic Human Rights Communication and Sarajevo, Bosnia 28 November 17 (14 women, 3 men) Coalition-building on Freedom of Religion or Belief, with the OSCE and Herzegovina to 1 December 2024) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Training-of-Trainers workshop for Ukrainian law enforcement on Warsaw, Poland 2-6 December 2024 17 (3 women, 14 men) human rights-compliant policing of assemblies

Follow-up meeting on the 2024 NHRI Academy Online 3 December 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men)

Regional training course for detention monitors from Bosnia Belgrade, Serbia 4-5 December 2024 14 (9 women, 5 men) and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia on Detention Monitoring and the Protection of Human Rights while Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization to Terrorism (VERLT) in Prisons

3rd regional training course for human rights defenders: New Warsaw, Poland 4-6 December 2024 25 (15 women, 10 men) Technologies at Borders

Training on multidisciplinary approaches to the identification and Valletta, Malta 5-6 December 2024 21 (14 women, 7 men) referral of victims of human trafficking within the National Referral Mechanism in Malta

Speaker at the meeting of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Online 6 December 2024 13 (6 women, 7 men) Religion and Diplomacy

Training for human rights defenders on conducting trial monitoring Warsaw, Poland 9-10 December 2024 18 (9 women, 9 men) on migration-related cases

European Roundtable on Freedom of Religion or Belief Online 11 December 2024 105 (61 women, 44 men)

Roundtable discussion on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Warsaw, Poland 11 December 2024 8 (6 women, 2 men) Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty

Consultation with representatives of the Civic Solidarity Platform Warsaw, Poland 12 December 2024 N/A Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region

Training course for OSCE and UNHCR staff members on forced Chisinau, 12-13 December 2024 21 (11 women, 10 men) displacement and protection issues, with UNHCR and the OSCE Moldova Conflict Prevention Centre

Peaceful assembly monitoring training for Amnesty International Rome, Italy 13-14 December 2024 27 (14 women, 13 men) volunteers

Meeting of NHRIs’ Resilience Focal Points: follow-up on NHRI Online 16 December 2024 7 (6 women, 1 men) resilience building

Closing event of Facilitating Open Dialogue on Migration, Freedom Online 16 December 2024 13 (11 women, 2 men) of Movement and Social Cohesion training course, with the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue

Pilot Training-of-Trainers workshop on Freedom of Religion or Belief Warsaw, Poland 19-20 December 2024 26 (12 women, 14 men) and Security

Conference on Religion, Geopolitics and Human Rights: The Thessaloniki, 20-22 December 2024 approx. 100 (no sex protection and security of places of worship conference, organized Greece and disaggregated data by the ‘Religion Geopolitics and Global Security’ Masters online available) programme of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Theology

71 PART 3: FOSTERING ACCESSIBLE, EQUAL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION AND MARGINALIZATION

Meeting or Event Location Date Number of Participants

Consultation meeting with representatives of civil society Yerevan, Armenia 30 January 12 (6 women, 6 men) and Christian communities for the forthcoming publication, to 3 February 2024 Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities

2nd meeting of Roma Coordination Group Online 1 February 2024 16 (10 women, 6 men)

TAHCLE Training-of-Trainers for Romanian Police Sibiu, Romania 6-8 February 2024 19 (7 women, 12 men)

Under the Spotlight 1: event on hate crime victim support Online 13 February 2024 60 (no sex-disaggregated data available)

Meeting of the EU Victims’ Rights Platform on victims of hate crime Online 13 February 2024 40 (40 other)

Effective and human rights-compliant policing in Roma and Sinti Sibiu, Romania 20-23 February 2024 15 (3 women, 12 men) Communities — Training-of-Trainers

Consultative workshop on guidance to address the interrelation Warsaw, Poland 23 February 2024 8 (4 women, 4 men) between hate crime and criminalized hate speech provisions in prosecution

EU high-level group of experts on combating anti-Muslim hatred Brussels, Belgium 26-27 February 2024 35 (15 women, 20 men) and discrimination

Roma Women’s conference on The Protection of the Rights of Online 27 February 2024 >70 (no sex disaggregated Roma Women in Times of War in Ukraine data available)

Workshop and conference on Mapping the Challenges faced Warsaw, Poland 6 March 2024 25 (17 women, 8 men) by Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment

Conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Ukrainian Warsaw, Poland 7 March 2024 50 (26 women, 24 men) Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, Advocacy and Empowerment

Police Hate Crime conference Bern, Switzerland 8 March 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated data available)

Coordination meeting for combating anti-Muslim hatred Strasbourg, 14-15 March 2024 45 (25 women, 20 men) France

Final conference of the project Establishing a Victim-centered and Vilnius, Lithuania 15-16 March 2024 50 (no sex disaggregated Intersectional Approach in Tackling Hate Crime data available)

Under the Spotlight 2: event on hate crime victim support Online 26 March 2024 46 (29 women, 13 men, 4 non-binary/other)

Regional consultation on CEDAW General Recommendation Istanbul, Turkey 26-27 March 2024 29 (26 women, 3 men) No. 40 on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems for Eastern European states and Western European and other states

Romani Week 2024: Reveal Our Past to Reclaim Our Future Brussels, Belgium 9-12 April 2024 >100

Regional dialogue on the protection and inclusion of ethnic Roma Online 11 April 2024 >60 refugees and host communities

Training on self-advocacy for Roma women and feminist activists Warsaw, Poland 15-18 April 2024 15 women from Ukraine

Under the Spotlight 3: event on hate crime victim support Online 17 April 2024 26 (20 women, 6 men)

Briefing for OSCE Field Operations, UNHCR Field Offices and Online 17 April 2024 32 (no sex-disaggregated Implementing Partners and IOM on ODIHR’s Hate Crime Reporting data available)

Ensuring Remembrance: Advocating for Education and London, United 22 April 2024 >70 Commemoration of Roma Holocaust in the United Kingdom Kingdom

Conference on Hate Crimes at CEPOL and Joint Meeting of EC Budapest, 25-26 April 2024 approx. 80 Working Groups on Hate Crime and Hate Speech Hungary (no sex-disaggregated data available)

38th meeting of the Co-ordination Group Between the Council of Strasbourg, 26 April 2024 22 (12 women, 10 men) Europe and the OSCE France

72 Consultation meeting with representatives of civil society and Ottawa, Canada 14 May 2024 13 (5 women, 8 men) Christian communities in the North American context for the forthcoming publication Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities

TAHCLE Training-of-Trainers for Icelandic Police Reykjavik, Iceland 14-16 May 2024 11 (6 women,5 men)

9th meeting of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Online 15-16 May 2024 78 (45 women, 33 men) Issues (ADI-ROM): Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI)

Study trip to Poland by Dutch Police Legionowo, 21 May 2024 60 (no sex-disaggregated Poland data available)

PAHCT Training-of-Trainers for prosecutors in Iceland Reykjavik, Iceland 21-23 May 2024 13 (8 women, 5 men)

Under the Spotlight 4: event on hate crime victim support Online 23 May 2024 43 (21 women, 7 men, 1 non-binary, 14 other)

Consultation meeting on technology-facilitated gender-based Online 27 May 2024 8 (8 women) violence research

Central Asia regional workshop on the protection of soft targets Astana, 27-29 May 2024 45 (20 women, 25 men) from terrorist attacks Kazakhstan

Training-of-Trainers on OSCE Gender Equality and Comprehensive Tirana, Albania 28-31 May 2024 25 (20 women, 5 men) Security Modules

National consultation meeting with Roma civil society organizations Warsaw, Poland 4 June 2024 26 (16 women, 10 men)

Training for Polish Police on preventing and addressing hate crimes Legionowo, 4 June 2024 18 (6 women, 12 men) Poland

Consultative meeting on Prosecution Practice and Challenges at Warsaw, Poland 4 June 2024 17 (12 women, 5 men) the Intersection of Hate Crime and Criminalised ‘Hate Speech’

17th meeting of the Council of Europe Dialogue with Roma and Strasbourg, 11-12 June 2024 34 (16 women, 18 men) Traveller Civil Society: Teaching Roma and Traveller history, Roma France holocaust remembrance, recognition and education

12th meeting of the High-level group on Combating Hate Speech Brussels, Belgium 12-13 June 2024 100 (no sex-disaggregated and Hate Crime data available)

Taking a Closer Look at Racism: Preventing and combating anti- Brussels, Belgium 13 June 2024 35 (25 women, 10 men) Muslim hate crimes in the EU, organized by the EU’s Belgian Presidency and the European Commission

Webinar on Addressing the psychological needs of hate crime Online 17 June 2024 93 (69 women, 20 men, victims through a trauma-informed approach, with the support of 3 non-binary, 1 N/A) the European Commission

Focus groups: Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Online 17-19 June 2024 35 (18 women, 17 men) Sinti and Travellers: towards effective and non-discriminatory policing in the Czech Republic

Meeting on Roma and Sinti with National and Ethnic Minorities Warsaw, Poland 18-19 June 2024 2 (14 women, 8 men) Unit, Department of Religious Denominations and National and Ethnic Minorities, Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration, the Polish Ministry of National Education and the Polish Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights

Under the Spotlight 5: event on hate crime victim support Online 20 June 2024 28 (13 women, 15 men)

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary Glasgow, United 25-27 June 2024 >150 Meeting Kingdom

European Roma Rights and Policies: CIVICA Honour Seminar of Vienna, Austria 26 June 2024 21 (16 women, 6 men) Central European University

Seminar on addressing hate speech and hate crime: the role of Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024 N/A equality bodies to counter the spiral of violence and discrimination, France organized by the Council of Europe

ECRI 95th plenary meeting: Exchange of views on training law Strasbourg, 3-4 July 2024 N/A enforcement and other criminal justice actors on hate crimes France

Meeting with Polish Ministry of Equality Warsaw, Poland 4 July 2024 7 (5 women, 2 men)

73 Meeting with Polish International Police Cooperation Bureau Warsaw, Poland 4 July 2024 6 (3 women, 3 men)

19th meeting of the Focal Points on Roma in OSCE Field Operations Online 23 July 2024 11 (7 women, 4 men)

Conference on strengthening opportunities and protecting the Online 30 July 2024 >40 rights of Roma women through effective policy implementation

Workshop: Roma Voices — IHRA recommendations for teaching Kraków, Poland 31 July 2024 14 (10 women, 4 men) guidelines about the persecution and genocide of the Roma during the Nazi era

International conference: My testimony is for young people — Kraków, Poland 31 July to 1 August 2024 >300 Passing on memory for the future of holocaust remembrance and education

80th anniversary of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Oświęcim, Poland 2 August 2024 >700 Roma and Sinti

Consultation workshop on forthcoming publication: Guidelines for Online 5 August 2024 16 (11 women, 8 men) National Human Rights Institutions and National Equality Bodies for Better Addressing Roma and Sinti Issues

Participant at ECCAR General Conference 2024: Don’t Let Europe Heidelberg, 23-25 September 2024 N/A Go Backwards Germany

6th Working Group Meeting on EU Strategy Combating Budapest, 24-25 September 2024 N/A Antisemitism Hungary

Under the Spotlight 6: event on hate crime victim support Online 25 September 2024 31 (21 women, 8 men, 1 non-binary, 1 N/A)

Specialist course on hate crimes, organized by the Hellenic Police Online 2 October 2024 29 (12 women, 17 men) Academy, in cooperation with the Hellenic Police State Security Directorate and CEPOL

2nd consultative meeting for Multi-country Survey on the Socio- Online 3 October 2024 12 (9 women, 3 men) Economic Vulnerabilities of Roma in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Ending Warsaw, Poland 8 October 2024 50 (25 women, 25 men) Statelessness in the OSCE Area, with UNHCR and OSCE HCNM

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: The Needs, Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 66 (41 women, 25 men) Capacity and Potential of Roma and Sinti Women’s Organizations and Activists in the OSCE Region

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event: Addressing Warsaw, Poland 9 October 2024 70 (41 women, 29 men) Roma Human Rights Concerns in Ukraine Through Dialogue Between Government, Civil Society and the International Community

4th meeting of Roma Coordination Group Online 22 October 2024 12 (7 women, 5 men)

Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Sinti and Kutna Hora, 28 October to 1 21 (9 women, 12 men) Travellers: Towards effective and non-discriminatory policing, joint Czech Republic November 2024 ODIHR and Council of Europe Training-of-Trainers

10th meeting of the CoE Committee of Experts on Roma and Strasbourg, 29-30 October 2024 >30 Traveller Issues – ADI-ROM France

Conference on Holocaust Distortion and Education: Current and Bucharest, 28-29 October 2024 88 (46 women, 42 men) Emerging Challenges and National Measures in Place Romania

VII Seminar on Hate Crime: The relationship between religious Madrid, Spain 29-30 October 2024 1000 (no sex denominations and law enforcement agencies disaggregated data available)

Diagnostic Workshop for Assessing National Structures and Prague, Czech 31 October 22 (13 women, 8 men, services for Hate Crime Victim Support in the Czech Republic Republic to 1 November 2024 1 non-binary)

Seminar on Addressing Anti-Semitism in and through Education in Brussels, Belgium 4-5 November 2024 >100 (no sex disaggregated Belgium data available)

Training-of-Trainers on hate crimes for the Gendarmerie Nationale Paris, France 6-7 November 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated in France data available)

Meeting of the FoRB Roundtable, Brussels-EU Brussels, Belgium 11 November 2024 12 (1 women, 11 men)

74 Inaugural meeting of EU network of law enforcement contact points Vienna, Austria 13 November 2024 28 (no sex disaggregated on hate crime and hate speech data available)

Conference on anti-Muslim hatred and interfaith dialogue, Prague, Czech 14 November 2024 N/A organized by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute Republic for International Relations

Annual Meeting of the ODIHR National Points of Contact on Hate Vienna, Austria 14-15 November 2024 71 (42 women, 29 men) Crimes (NPCs) and joint meeting of the EC Working Group on hate crime recording, reporting and data collection and ad hoc Human Dimension Committee Meeting

TAHCLE hate crime training for Polish Police Legionowo, 15 November 2024 16 (5 women, 11 men) Poland

Under the Spotlight 7: event on hate crime victim support Online 18 November 2024 88 (38 women, 34 men, 2 non-binary, 14 other)

Presentation of ODIHR’s Hate Crime Report data for 2023 for civil Online 19 November 2024 59 (no sex disaggregated society organizations data available)

UNODC Conference on Legal Aid in Criminal Justice System Vienna, Austria 19-21 November 2024 N/A

Roundtable on Tackling anti-Muslim prejudice: lessons learned London, United 20-27 November 2024 26 (16 women, 13 men) from the OSCE region Kingdom

Conference on Combating Hate Crime and Hate Speech in Digital Online 21 November 2024 22 (no sex disaggregated and Physical Spheres in South East Europe, organized by the OSCE data available) Mission to Serbia

Training for civil society organizations from Croatia, Finland and Online 22 November 2024 45 (32 women, 9 men, Ireland on supporting hate crime victims, organized with Finland’s 2 non-binary, 2 other) Ministry of Justice

Tech for SHRINEs’ Hackathon and meetings related to the Rome, Italy 25-28 November 2024 100 (no sex disaggregated forthcoming Christian Security Guide data available)

Moving Beyond Victimhood: Roundtable with policymakers and London, United 26 November 2024 41 (32 women, 9 men) civil society Kingdom

Lecture for the MA course on Current Minority Issues: Roma Budapest, 2 December 2024 20 (15 women, 5 men) Inclusion in Europe, offered by the Eötvös Loránd University Hungary and online

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary London, United 2-5 December 2024 >150 Meeting Kingdom

Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice thematic Vienna, Austria 3-5 December 2024 approx. 90 (no sex discussions on implementation of the Kyoto Declaration disaggregated data available)

IHRA Plenary Meeting/3rd International IHRA Conference on the London, United 3-6 December 2024 >70 (no sex disaggregated Persecution and Genocide of Roma During the Nazi Era Kingdom data available)

3rd International IHRA Conference on the Persecution and London, United 6 December 2024 >70 Genocide of Roma During the Nazi Era Kingdom

UNESCO Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination Barcelona, Spain 9-11 December 2024 800 (no sex disaggregated data available)

Launch of the European Working Group on Antigypsyism and Brussels, Belgium 10 December 2024 >70 Transitional Justice for Roma

Consultations for engaging male allies from the Roma community Skopje, North 10-12 December 2024 30 (16 women, 14 men) in North Macedonia to support gender equality Macedonia

Policy dialogue meeting on Addressing antisemitism through Paris, France 11 December 2024 95 (45 women, 50 men) education in Europe: from practice to action

Webinar on Ensuring justice for hate crime victims through Online 12 December 2024 60 (37 women, 22 men, strategic litigation, organized with the support of the European 1 N/A) Commission

75  EXTRABUDGETARY PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS Implemented in 2024

HUMAN DIMENSION

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Enhancing the quality of OSCE region • Enhancing the online Meetings System at meetings.odihr.pl to facilitate participant ODIHR–organized events in registration, engagement and conference management in the human dimension. the human dimension • Supporting the organization and management of the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

Fund for NGO Participation OSCE region • Strengthening civil society inclusion at events in the human dimension. in OSCE Human Dimension Events

ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Fund for Enhancing the OSCE region • Deploying experts from eligible participating States —Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Diversification of Election Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Observation Missions Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine — as both long-term and short-term observers in ODIHR election observation activities. In 2024, the fund’s scope was expanded to promote greater inclusivity in ODIHR observation missions, specifically by supporting the deployment of observers with disabilities.

Election Observation OSCE region • Publication of the Handbook for the Observation of Information and Communication Development Programme Technologies in Elections and work on finalizing the Handbook on promoting and observing youth participation in elections.

Fund for Enhancing the OSCE region • Assisting institutions and civil society in addressing ODIHR electoral assessments Follow-up of ODIHR and recommendations through technical expertise. Electoral Assessments and Recommendations

Support to Electoral Reforms Western Balkans • Assisting institutions and civil society in addressing ODIHR electoral assessments in the Western Balkans and recommendations related to election administration, voter registration, the conduct of the media during election campaigns, the ability of parties and candidates to freely campaign, and the capacity and independence of electoral dispute resolution bodies.

76 DEMOCRATIZATION DEPARTMENT

Rule of Law

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and Georgia • Monitoring the transparency and fairness of the appointment of a new, non-judge Accountable Democratic member of the High Council of Justice. Institutions in the OSCE Region Moldova • Continued monitoring the processes of evaluation of integrity (pre-vetting and vetting) in Moldova. This includes the re-evaluation of candidates of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM), whose appeals regarding pre-vetting before the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) were successful, as well as the parallel vetting process for sitting judges and candidates seeking to become new judges of the SCJ.

Kazakhstan • Continued working to finalize the report on the right to a fair trial and the rights of victims and witnesses following ODIHR’s monitoring of trials related to the January 2022 events in Kazakhstan. • Organizing the Ninth Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Forum served as a platform for dialogue between criminal justice professionals and stakeholders (judges, prosecutors, attorneys, representatives of penitentiary and probation institutions, civil society and international experts) on good practices and human rights-compliant policies and reform initiatives in the field of criminal justice.

Legislative Support

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Legislation Review Fund OSCE region • Legal analyses of legislation, including on freedom of association and so-called “foreign agents”-type legislation (Georgia), judicial reform (Poland, Moldova), constitutional justice (Poland), suppression of gender quotas (Georgia), public security (Italy), anti-corruption (Ukraine), state of emergency (Moldova), constitutional amendment procedure (Moldova), political party and election campaign financing (Montenegro), status of Members of Parliament (Moldova), rights of indigenous people (Ukraine), the protection of the profession of lawyers, the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in “online spaces” (ongoing), the impact of new technologies on policing assemblies (ongoing). • Annual meetings of the ODIHR Core Group of Experts on Political Parties and of the ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association. • Follow-up events to present and discuss the main findings and recommendations from ODIHR’s legal analyses to key stakeholders of Montenegro (political party and elections campaign financing, lawmaking rules), Italy (public security and freedom of peaceful assembly), Moldova (criminalization of “separatism”), and experts of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Protection of Lawyers. • Country visit to discuss the ODIHR Final Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns.

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Legal analyses of legislation, including on judicial reform (Poland), re-evaluation of Accountable Democratic judges and prosecutors (Moldova) and on parliamentary integrity (Moldova). Institutions in the OSCE • Follow-up event to present and discuss the main findings and recommendations from Region ODIHR’s legal analyses on various aspects of the judicial and constitutional justice reform in Poland. • Publication, launch and presentations of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws (in English, Russian and Ukrainian). • Practical training for Ukrainian lawmakers on the key principles of lawmaking and launch of the Ukrainian version of the Guidelines on Democratic Lawmaking for Better Laws. • Launch of the Preliminary Opinion on the Legal Framework Governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro and publication of the ODIHR Comprehensive Assessment Report on the Lawmaking Process in Montenegro, which assesses both the law and the practice of lawmaking. • Technical maintenance, overhaul and updating of www.legislationline.org. • Publication of the Follow–up Assessment Report of the Lawmaking Process in the Republic of Uzbekistan and of the Preliminary Opinion on the Legal Framework governing the Legislative Process in Montenegro, and finalization of the Follow–up Assessment Report of the lawmaking process of Armenia. • Launch of the Assessment Report on the Legislative Process of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

77 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Stronger Democratic EU Eastern • Expert evaluation of the legal framework governing parliamentary oversight and Institutions in Eastern Partnership modalities of Parliament’s engagement with civil society and the public in Moldova Partnership Countries: an countries (ongoing). ODIHR project supported and • Preliminary assessment of the regulatory framework governing the lawmaking funded by the EU procedure within the Parliament of Moldova (ongoing). • Technical support to the Parliaments of Ukraine and Moldova to develop and/or strengthen the rules governing the ethics and conduct of Members of Parliament.

Democratic Governance

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Commissioning research on disability quotas in politics. Accountable Democratic • Organizing the annual meeting of ODIHR’s Advisory Panel on the Political Institutions in the OSCE Participation of Persons with Disabilities. Region • Organizing an event with Westminster on The UK Parliamentary Integrity System: Lessons Learned from the House of Commons . • Organizing the International School on Integrity in cooperation with Transparency International Lithuania. • Contributing to the International Anti-Corruption Conference. • Co-organizing the 6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp on the Integrity of Political Finance. • Developing a publication on Parliamentary oversight: political integrity and accountability. • Developing Tool 2 of the Public Ethics and Integrity Toolkit 2: Guidelines for Political Parties. • Organizing an expert meeting on the Political Participation Toolkit. • Organizing the International Anti-Corruption Day conference with OCEEA. • Preparation of a publication on Public Integrity and Lobbying. • Organizing a workshop and developing an assessment methodology for Youth Political Participation in Political Parties. • Organizing the School of Leadership and Advocacy for 23 young MPs and political party representatives from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries to enhance the capacity of young politicians and activists. • Conducting research on Young MPs and Integrity with case studies from Armenia and Finland.

Kazakhstan • Translation of the eLearning course on Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities: an interactive tool for parliaments and political parties into Kazakh.

Serbia • Presentation at the National Assembly of Serbia of a report on disability inclusion in the parliament and the Serbian language version of the eLearning course on Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities: an interactive tool for parliaments and political parties. • Publication of Recommendations on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Participate in Political and Public Life in the OSCE Region (Dublin Recommendations) in Serbian. • Delivering an introductory seminar and induction course for members of the National Assembly of Serbia on the Code of Conduct.

Bosnia and • Supporting the Field Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina with hiring a disability rights Herzegovina expert to support their work on promoting the political participation of persons with disabilities.

Georgia • Hiring disability rights experts to hold consultations with relevant stakeholders in preparation for the launch of the mentorship programme for youth with disabilities in Georgia, including the preparation of a handbook for the programme.

Poland • Presenting the 2023 Youth Progress Index and the State of Young People in Poland.

Stronger Democratic EU Eastern • Workshop in Chisinau, Moldova, to present the ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions Institutions in Eastern Partnership of the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and Ethics of the Members of Parliament of Partnership Countries: an countries the Republic of Moldova, good practices and ways forward. ODIHR project supported and • Organizing 6th ODIHR/TI Political Integrity Bootcamp: Integrity of Political Finance funded by the EU • Supporting the organization of the School of Leadership and Advocacy for 23 young MPs and political party representatives from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries.

78 Gender Equality in Politics

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Inclusive and OSCE region • Publication and promotion of ODIHR’s Gender-responsive governance Toolkit: Accountable Democratic Advancing gender equality in politics — National assessments and action plans; Institutions in the OSCE Transforming political parties from within — Gender audits and action plans; and Region Parliamentary bodies for gender equality — Overview and recommendations. • Organizing two webinars to promote the new methodologies contained in the Gender-responsive governance toolkit. • Training future facilitators of gender audits of political parties. • Preparing a workshop on Engaging Male Politicians as Critical Actors for Gender Equality in Politics.

Serbia and Albania • Conducting parliamentary gender audits.

Portugal and Latvia • Initiating gender audits of the national parliaments of Portugal and Latvia.

Denmark • Finalizing cooperation with six parliamentary political parties in Denmark, including the conduct of three full gender audits.

Montenegro • Supporting four parliamentary political parties in identifying barriers to women’s political participation and practical solutions to be applied by the party, based on the party-specific gender audits.

Migration

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Assistance for OSCE region • Final conference of ODIHR training series on human rights at international borders: Implementation of OSCE human rights principles, monitoring, safety and security. Organized for human rights Commitments on Migration defenders working in 26 countries (Central-Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, and Freedom of Movement Northern Mediterranean region and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation). • Three training courses on human rights at international borders: exploring new technologies, their risks and opportunities for human rights defenders working in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe; South-Eastern Europe and the Northern Mediterranean Region.

Armenia and • Training for civil society actors on facilitating open dialogues on migration, freedom Georgia of movement and social cohesion in Armenia and Georgia, including an in-person course and follow-up support for the implementation of public dialogue in their communities.

Bosnia and • Two training courses on good practices in migrant integration for local authorities in Herzegovina Sarajevo and Bihac.

Stronger Democratic Moldova • Training on good practices in migrant integration for the national authorities. Institutions in Eastern Partnership Countries: an ODIHR project supported and funded by the EU

79 HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human Central Asia/ • Two training courses on protecting human rights while countering terrorism Rights-Compliant and Uzbekistan effectively for law enforcement officers in Samarkand and Tashkent regions, Gender-Responsive Security Uzbekistan. Sector — Human Rights and Anti-Terrorism South East Europe • Training on protecting human rights while countering terrorism effectively for law enforcement officers in Pristina, Kosovo*.

Belgium • Training on protecting human rights while countering terrorism effectively for law enforcement officers in Brussels, Belgium.

OSCE region • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on the situation of ISIS-affiliated individuals in the camps and prisons in North East Syria and the responsibility of OSCE participating States for the repatriation of their nationals.

Protection of persons South East Europe • Training for Albanian- and Macedonian-speaking detention monitors on detention deprived of liberty in the monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering OSCE region — Human violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. Rights and Anti-Terrorism • Regional training course for monitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia on detention monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons.

OSCE region • Regional training course for monitors from selected European countries on detention monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. • Webinar on the role of independent detention monitoring and publication of Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors in French.

Promoting a Human Uzbekistan • Commander’s course on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies for Uzbek Rights-Compliant and law enforcement. Gender-Responsive Security Sector — Freedom of Ukraine • Training-of-Trainers on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies for Ukrainian Peaceful Assembly law enforcement. (Funded by Ukraine project).

OSCE region • Research into the role of municipalities in enabling the right to freedom of peaceful assembly to support the development of ODIHR’s compendium for municipal authorities on human rights-compliant facilitation of assemblies.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • ODIHR-CSOs Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Monitoring network meeting. strengthening enabling • Assembly monitoring training for monitors from France (Ligue des Droits de environment for human l’Homme) and Italy (Amnesty International) and for staff from the OSCE Mission to rights defenders — Freedom Moldova. of Peaceful Assembly • Meeting with assembly monitors from the ‘Viasna’ Human Rights Centre (Belarus). • Launch and roll-out of an e-Learning course on freedom of peaceful assembly monitoring. • Support to UNODC, OHCHR and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and association in developing a Handbook for Law Enforcement Officials on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests.

Protection of persons OSCE region • Launch of the ODIHR/Penal Reform International Introduction to the Nelson Mandela deprived of liberty in the Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual in Russian. OSCE region — Anti-Torture • Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the NPMs of Slovakia and France.

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

80 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human Bosnia and • Training on strategic human rights communication and coalition building on freedom Rights-Compliant and Herzegovina of religion or belief for human rights activists, supported by the OSCE Mission to Gender-Responsive Security Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sector — Freedom of Religion or Belief Kosovo* • A needs assessment exercise with various stakeholders across Kosovo* to customize ODIHR’s training on freedom of religion or belief, non-violent communication and dialogue, supported by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo*.

Central Asia • Presentation of international FoRB standards during a conference on Religious Freedom and Security: Balancing Acceptable Restrictions in Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism, organized by the Association of Religious Organizations of Kazakhstan (AROK).

OSCE region • Pilot Training-of-Trainers on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security for freedom of religion or belief experts.

OSCE region • First draft of an explainer on Freedom of Thought.

OSCE region • Publication of Belief Dialogue and Security: Fostering dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries.

Promoting a Human Central Asia • Continued promotion of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Handbook, 2nd Rights-Compliant and edition across the OSCE region, including an online presentation to anti-trafficking Gender-Responsive Security stakeholders in Uzbekistan at a national roundtable on strengthening the Uzbek Sector — Anti-Trafficking NRM.

OSCE region • Two training sessions on Trafficking in Human Beings and Border Security and Border Management, in Dushanbe and Vienna for the Border Management Staff College of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. • Virtual launch of the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs) on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. • Launch of Out of the Shadows: Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National Minorities, a joint publication by ODIHR and the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. • Two meetings of the 2nd International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC). • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, three side events on: the Guidance on establishing and maintaining National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Councils (NSTACs); Enhancing a human rights-based and victim-centred approach to identification of and assistance to victims of human trafficking; and Out of the Shadows: Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including National Minorities. The last two events were co-organized with the OSR/ CTHB.

OSCE region • Finalization of the policy guidance on Survivor Informed Indicators to Identify Victims and Survivors of Trafficking of Human Beings.

Malta • Training on multidisciplinary approaches to the identification and referral of victims of human trafficking within the National Referral Mechanism.

Promoting a Human OSCE region • Participation in OSCE-led Regional Gender and Security conference. Rights-Compliant and • Pilot training on Human Rights and Gender Assessment in the Armed Forces for the Gender-Responsive Security UK, Belgium and Austria. Publication of Human Rights and Gender Assessment in the Sector — Human Rights Armed Forces — Facilitators Guide. Gender and Security • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on promoting human rights- compliant and gender-responsive armed forces. • Two online consultations with the Civic Solidarity Platform Working Group on Women and Gender Realities in the OSCE region. • Support to Poland’s evaluation of the Polish Women Peace and Security National Action Plan for 2018-2023 and development of their new NAP.

Central Asia • Training-of-Trainers on policing and human rights in the framework of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for the law enforcement of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

* There is no consensus among OSCE participating States on the status of Kosovo and, as such, the Organization does not have a position on this issue. All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

81 Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Protection of persons OSCE region • Publication of the Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender- deprived of liberty in the Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty. OSCE region — Human Rights Gender and Security Poland • Roundtable on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty with Polish state authorities. • Publication of the Quick Guide on Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender- Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty in Polish.

Serbia • Training and follow-up activities for national human rights institutions and civil society organizations from Serbia on Integrating the Issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Detention Monitoring.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • Further development of the FreedomLab platform, the online educational platform for strengthening enabling human rights defenders, prioritizing digital safety and data security. environment for human • Development workshops for FreedomLab with web developer and ODIHR team. rights defenders — Human Rights Defenders • Development of e-Learning course on Safety and Security in Human Rights Work, with a focus on risk management. • Testing, refinement and finalization of Starlight Stadium, ODIHR’s online educational game for human rights defenders. • Translation of Starlight Stadium into Russian and Ukrainian. (Funded by the Ukraine project). • Launch of Starlight Stadium during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. • Development of a Facilitator’s Guide for Starlight Stadium, to support the game’s use by educators. • Promotion of Starlight Stadium among human rights defenders and educators.

Poland • Testing Episode 3 of Starlight Stadium with students from the College of Europe, Natolin

Bosnia and • Human rights monitoring training that included Starlight Stadium as an interactive Herzegovina educational tool. • Two follow-up workshops on the findings of ODIHR’s assessment visit on the situation of human rights defenders and the implementation of ODIHR’s recommendations, held in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

Increasing effectiveness, OSCE region • Two online meetings with NHRI focal points on the NHRI resilience assessment, strengthening enabling resilience-building planning and follow-up. environment for human • Development of four step-by-step guides for NHRI focal points (Guides for rights defenders — National Facilitators) on: conducting a resilience assessment; developing a resilience-building Human Rights Institutions plan; conducting a risk assessment; and developing a risk management plan.

Human Rights Monitoring Ukraine • Four monitoring missions to Kyiv. Fund — Ukraine Monitoring • Planning visit to Kyiv (meetings with CSOs). Initiative (UMI) • Combined monitoring mission and planning visit (meetings with CSOs) to Kyiv.

Estonia • Monitoring mission to Tallinn.

OSCE region • Publication of the Fifth Interim Report on Reported Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in Ukraine. • Publication of the Sixth Interim Report on Reported Violations of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in Ukraine. • Development of e-Learning course on Documenting Human Rights Violations in Times of Conflict and Crisis.

82 TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Strengthening Targeted EU Member States/ • Presentations and training on hate crime victim support for law enforcement, Assistance and Response OSCE Region (Romania, Poland, France and at a course organized by CEPOL). Structures for Hate Crime • Organizing a Diagnostic Workshop for Assessing National Structures and Services Victims in the OSCE Region for Hate Crime Victim Support in the Czech Republic. (STARS) • Online training for civil society representatives from Croatia, Finland and Ireland on the provision of effective support to hate crime victims. • Two public webinars on different ways to support hate crime victims (psychological and legal support). • Seven online expert meetings on different aspects of hate crime victim support for members of ODIHR’s Expert Network on Hate Crime Victim Support.

Understanding Anti-Christian OSCE region • Organizing international consultation meetings with representatives of civil society Hate Crimes and Addressing organizations and Christian communities on addressing anti-Christian hate crime the Security Needs of and the security needs of Christian communities in Armenia and Canada. Christian Communities • Organizing a series of bilateral, online consultation meetings with representatives of under the Programme for Christian communities, civil society activists and academic experts on issues relating Combating Hate Crime to intolerance against Christians. • Organizing expert discussions on the first draft of the practical guide on Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities. • Meeting with representatives of the Holy See in Rome to discuss the practical guide.

CONTACT POINT FOR ROMA AND SINTI ISSUES

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Promoting a Human OSCE region • Translation of Understanding Anti-Roma Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Rights-Compliant and Needs of Roma and Sinti Communities into Spanish. Gender-Responsive Security Sector Czech Republic • Training-of-Trainers course on Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, Sinti and Travellers: Towards effective and non-discriminatory policing.

Assisting Participating States OSCE region • Development of an advocacy handbook for Roma and pro-Roma women civil society to Effectively Implement the organizations. Action Plan on Improving the • Preparation of guidelines for providing balanced, accurate and responsible coverage Situation of Roma and Sinti of Roma and Sinti issues in the media. within the OSCE Area • Workshop and report on Exploring Achievements and Challenges of the Past and Present: What Lies Ahead for the Future of Roma and Sinti Human Rights in the OSCE Area.

Romania • Training-of-Trainers course on Police and Roma: Effective and Human Rights Compliant Policing in Roma and Sinti Communities.

Advancing the Human Ukraine • Mentoring and guidance to Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders to conduct Dimension of Security in human rights monitoring. Ukraine project • Preparation of a report on documented cases of human rights violations, challenges and persisting concerns facing Ukrainian Roma as a result of monitoring work carried out by Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders. The report was presented during the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. • Support for the participation of Roma civil society representatives and activists to OSCE human dimension events such as Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings I and III, and the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

83 UKRAINE 2024

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Programme on ODIHR Ukraine • Organizing a workshop and conference on Mapping the Challenges faced by Support for and Engagement Ukrainian Roma in War Time and Overcoming the Obstacles through Policy, in Ukraine Advocacy and Empowerment and publication and translation of the conference Project “Advancing the report. Human Dimension of • Publication and translation of the ODIHR Report on the Human Rights Situation of Security in Ukraine” Internally Displaced Roma People in Ukraine. • Organizing I-CHANGE Self-Advocacy training for 11 Roma women and feminist activists. • Organizing a consultative meeting with the Supreme Court of Ukraine on preparation of the handbook on the adjudication of war crimes. • Supporting a workshop on engaging the Ukrainian diaspora in reconstruction and development: human rights dimensions. • Organizing an ODIHR visit to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian stakeholders in the sphere of democratization and the rule of law. • Organizing a webinar series for Ukrainian law practitioners on the Application of International Law and Practices of Defence Counsel in Domestic War Crimes Cases. • Supporting the participation of Ukrainian Women’s Congress representatives in the XVI Polish Congress of Women in Gdańsk, Poland. • Supporting the Network of Gender Advisers in Ukraine. • Organizing a Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on the role of civil society and international actors in supporting adjudication of war crimes by national courts. • Holding a consultation with Ukrainian human rights defenders to contribute to the revision process of the Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. • Organizing a side event during the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on addressing Roma human rights concerns in Ukraine through dialogue between government, civil society and the international community. • Training on digital safety and security for Ukrainian Roma and pro-Roma human rights defenders. • Commissioning a map of Roma and Sinti civil society organizations and related stakeholders in Ukraine. • Conducting a Training-of-Trainers workshop for the National Police of Ukraine on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies. • Organizing training for the ODIHR CSOs and Frontline Responders Platform on strengthening identification of victims of trafficking. • Conducting a series of online meetings of the CTHB platform for CSOs and frontline responders.

84 CHANGE 2024

Fund/Programme/Project Region/country Included work on:

Capitalizing on the Human OSCE region • Preparing a publication on the experiences and coping strategies of women in Dimension Mandate to politics as part of the Addressing Violence Against Women in Politics in the OSCE Advance Gender Equality Region Toolkit. (CHANGE) • Producing educational and awareness-raising videos on the institutional mechanisms that political actors in the OSCE region use to address Violence Against Women in Politics.

OSCE region/ North • Designing and delivering training on addressing Violence Against Women in Politics. Macedonia

Poland • Organizing a meeting to assess the status of human rights and fundamental freedoms and advances in gender equality in Poland. The meeting discussed policy priorities and opportunities for making further progress on gender equality through dialogue and collaborative action by institutional counterparts, civil society organizations and human rights defenders.

Georgia and Poland • Organizing a study visit and peer exchange by human rights defenders and civil society organizations from Georgia with counterparts in Poland.

North Macedonia • Organizing a study visit and peer exchange by political actors, NHRIs, human rights and Poland defenders and civil society organizations from North Macedonia with counterparts in Poland.

Georgia, North • Creating the CHANGE Transnational Network to Prevent, Address and Reverse Macedonia and Gender Backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland. Poland • Designing the CHANGE Network’s methodology to monitor gender backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland. • Drafting a pilot monitoring report on gender backsliding in Georgia, North Macedonia and Poland.

OSCE region • Designing an inventory of tools in use to prevent, address and reverse gender backsliding in the OSCE region. • Designing a guide on how democratic institutions and civil society organizations can respond to mobilization against gender equality and gender equality backsliding. • Warsaw Human Dimension Conference side event on Engaging Men to Support Gender Equality: From Awareness to Action, co-organized with the OSCE WIN project. • Finalizing the report and recommendations of the OSCE Conference on Engaging Men to Support Gender Equality. • Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting for Europe and Central Asia side event on the potential of transnational peer networks to reverse gender backsliding, co-organized with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the UN. • Designing a policy brief on working with religious actors to combat violence against women and girls.

North Macedonia • Consultation, constructive exchange and building support among male allies from the Roma community in North Macedonia in support of gender equality.

Poland • Supporting the launch of the Polish Women’s Congress Flying Academy online platform for easy learning about gender equality basics in Polish. • Supporting the XVI Polish Women’s Congress.

North Macedonia • Reviewing the previous parliamentary Gender Action Plan (GAP) and drafting a new GAP for 2025-2027.

OSCE region • Designing and delivering online webinar on the safety and resilience of women online as part of the ‘16 days of activism against gender-based violence’ campaign.

85  ODIHR PUBLICATIONS IN 2024

Title Month of Description Languages publication

Holocaust Memorial Days January This publication provides information on when, English where and how OSCE participating States promote the commemoration and study of the Holocaust, including the genocide of Roma and Sinti, in line with their OSCE commitments.

Handbook for the February This handbook updates the ODIHR methodology for English Observation of Information the observation and assessment of ICT used during and Communication voting and counting processes and includes new Technologies in Elections aspects such as electronic registration, verification of voters and candidates, and cybersecurity issues.

Democracy and Human March This report highlights the impact of activities carried English Rights in the OSCE: The out by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions ODIHR Annual Report 2023 and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 2023.

Comprehensive Support April The STARS initiative contributes to improving English for Hate Crime Victims existing standards on hate crime victim support and — Factsheet enables criminal justice institutions, government representatives and civil society organizations to provide effective support to hate crime victims.

Election Administration April This toolkit is designed for assessing the gender- English Gender Audits – a toolkit responsiveness of election administrations across the 57 OSCE participating States. Conducting gender audits of EMBs is good practice for ensuring that women and men participate and benefit from the election administration and the electoral processes on equitable terms.

ODIHR Election Observation May This factsheet explains the purpose of the special English to the 2024 European election assessment mission to the 2024 European Parliament Elections Parliament Elections. — Factsheet

86 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Including the voices of June This guide examines the experience and practices English hate crime victims in of national stakeholders and sets out practical policymaking and policy guidelines to follow when engaging with hate crime implementation — a victims for policymaking or policy implementation practical guide purposes. It draws inspiration from the work that practitioners across the EU and OSCE region have done to support and protect victims of domestic violence, trafficking in human beings and war crimes.

Guidance on establishing July This guidance provides practical information for English and maintaining National OSCE participating States on how to establish and Survivors of Trafficking structure National Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Advisory Councils (NSTACs) Councils (NSTACs).

Fifth Interim Report on July Interim Report on reported violations of international English reported violations of humanitarian law and international human rights international humanitarian law in Ukraine Українська law and international human rights law in Ukraine Русский

ODIHR support for September This factsheet describes how ODIHR works in English parliaments on advancing multiple areas to advance gender equality in gender equality — Factsheet political and public life. Русский

Gender Responsive September This publication explains gender equality in political English Governance Toolkit, Tool 1: life in terms of access, voice and transformation and Advancing gender equality provides guidance on how to conduct a national Русский in politics — National assessment of gender equality in political life and on assessments and action how to develop a national action plan based on the plans findings of the assessment.

Gender Responsive September This publication complements ODIHR’s online English Governance Toolkit, Tool gender audit tool and provides practical guidance 2: Transforming political on how to conduct gender audits and implement Русский parties from within — gender action plans. Gender audits and action plans

Quick Guide on Preventing September This is a quick reference book containing practical English and Addressing Sexual and information about the problem of sexual and Gender-Based Violence in gender-based violence (SGBV) in criminal justice Русский Places of Deprivation of facilities. It proposes various safeguards to prevent Liberty and respond to such violence. This guidance is for Polski practitioners working in criminal justice systems, " especially those involved in arresting, investigating, interviewing or detaining suspects, those accused of a crime and prisoners or detainees.

87 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Human Rights and Gender September This publication offers comprehensive guidance English Assessment in the Armed on how to conduct human rights and gender self- Forces — Facilitators Guide assessment in the armed forces to contribute to proper respect for, protection and promotion of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of armed forces personnel.

OSCE/ODIHR Election October This factsheet explains the purpose of the Limited English Observation to the 2024 Election Observation Mission to the United States General Election in the General Elections. United States of America

The Right to Monitor October ODIHR regularly facilitates exchanges between civil English Assemblies in the OSCE society organizations, academia and OSCE field Region: Experiences from operations on conducting assembly monitoring. the Field This report builds on these exchanges, focusing on the work of civil society actors in particular, and makes recommendations for participating States on how to facilitate the work of assembly monitors.

Belief, Dialogue and Security October This guide responds to calls from participating English — Fostering dialogue and States for guidance and practical tools to help joint action across religious them create an environment that enables fruitful Srpski and belief boundaries dialogue and joint action across religious and belief boundaries.

Including the voices of October This factsheet outlines ten guiding principles for English hate crime victims in the meaningful and considerate inclusion of hate policymaking and policy crime victims’ voices in policymaking and policy implementation — factsheet implementation processes. It summarizes the key points from the practical guide on Including the Voices of Hate Crime Victims in Policymaking and Policy Implementation.

Employment: The Right November This explainer offers OSCE participating States, English to Freedom of Thought, businesspeople, unions, civil society organizations Conscience, Religion or and religious or belief groups practical Belief of Women at Work recommendations to ensure respect for, and the protection of women’s right to FoRB in employment.

Hate Crime Prosecution November This guide outlines the legal and conceptual English at the Intersection of Hate differences between hate crime and criminalized Crime and Criminalised ‘hate speech’ and the consequences of misapplying ‘Hate Speech’: A Practical ‘hate speech’ provisions to prosecute hate crime, Guide providing practical guidance on how to avoid this; and making recommendations on how to improve practice at the national level.

88 Title Month of Description Languages publication

Sixth Interim Report on December Interim Report on reported violations of international English reported violations of humanitarian law and international human rights international humanitarian law in Ukraine law and international human rights law in Ukraine

Gender Responsive December This tool shows how parliamentary bodies English Governance Toolkit, Tool for gender equality are one of the key gender 3: Parliamentary bodies for mainstreaming mechanisms available to national gender equality — Overview parliaments, and assesses their role and function and recommendations within parliaments.

TRANSLATIONS OF EARLIER PUBLICATIONS

Title Original Languages publication date

Warsaw Recommendations 2023 Русский on Judicial Independence Bosanski

Guidelines on Democratic 2023 Русский Lawmaking for Better Laws Українська

Protecting Human Rights 2021 Français in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors

89 Title Original Languages publication date

Introduction to the Nelson 2023 Srpski Mandela Rules International Training Programme, Trainer’s Manual

Freedom of Religion or 2019 Italiano Belief and Security: Policy Guidance

Addressing Violence against 2022 Русский Women in Politics In the OSCE Region: Toolkit

Anti-Semitic Hate Crime 2019 Español factsheet

Anti-Christian Hate Crime 2018 Español factsheet

The Sensitive and 2022 Čeština Respectful Treatment of Hate Crime Victims Español

Handbook for the 2023 Русский Observation of Election Administration

90 Title Original Languages publication date

Disability Hate Crime 2016 Español Factsheet

Gender-Based Hate Crime 2021 Español Factsheet

91  LEGISLATIVE REVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS Released in 2024 (available on ODIHR’s website and at www.legislationline.org)

Country Full Name of Legal Review or Legislative Assessment Publication Date

1 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and 26 March 2024 Ethics of the Members of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

2 Poland ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on the Bill Amending the Act on the National Council of 8 April 2024 the Judiciary of Poland

3 Serbia ODIHR Urgent Opinion on Draft Amendments to Several Pieces of Election-related 15 April 2024 Legislation of Serbia

4 Ukraine ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Law of Ukraine on the Status of the Crimean Tatar People 16 May 2024

5 Italy ODIHR Opinion on Certain Provisions of the Bill no. 1660 Relating to Countering 27 May 2024 Terrorism, Public Security, Protection of Personnel in Service and Prison Regulations in Italy

6 Uzbekistan Joint ODIHR-OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Opinion on the Draft 29 May 2024 Information Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan

7 Georgia ODIHR Urgent Opinion on the Law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence” of Georgia 30 May 2024

8 Georgia ODIHR Opinion on Two Organic Laws of Georgia Amending the Election Code and the 21 June 2024 Law on Political Unions of Citizens in Relation to Gender Quotas

9 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Law on Partial Implementation of the Postal Vote in the 21 June 2024 Republic of Moldova

10 Slovak Republic ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on Article I of the Draft Act on “Some Measures to 25 June 2024 Improve the Security Situation in the Slovak Republic”

11 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Law on the External Evaluation of Judges and Candidates for 1 July 2024 the Position of Judge of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Moldova

12 Montenegro ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities 31 July 2024 and Elections Campaigns

13 Poland ODIHR Note on the Effects of Decisions of Judges Appointed in a Deficient Manner 12 August 2024

14 Poland ODIHR Urgent Note on Judges and Prosecutors’ Security Clearance, Access to 13 August 2024 Classified Information and Respect for Judicial Independence and Prosecutorial Autonomy and Independence

15 Poland ODIHR Opinion on Two Bills of the Republic of Poland on the Constitutional Tribunal 24 August 2024 (as of 24 July 2024)

16 Cyprus ODIHR Urgent Opinion on Draft Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of 3 October 2024 Cyprus

17 Montenegro ODIHR Final Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on Financing Political Entities and 8 October 2024 Elections Campaigns

18 Moldova ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Law on the Status, Conduct and Ethics of the Members of 10 December 2024 Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

19 Montenegro ODIHR Comprehensive Assessment Report on the Lawmaking Process in 30 December 2024 Montenegro

20 Ukraine ODIHR Preliminary Opinion on the Draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative 30 December 2024 Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Rules of Ethical Conduct of Members of Parliament of Ukraine (Code of Ethics)”

21 Poland ODIHR Final Opinion on the Act Introducing Amendments to the Act on the National 31 December 2024 Council of the Judiciary of Poland

92  ODIHR ELECTION REPORTS AND STATEMENTS Released in 2024

Early parliamentary elections, Spain, 23 July 2023 Presidential election, Iceland, 1 June 2024 1. ODIHR EET Final Report 20. ODIHR NAM Report

Early parliamentary elections, Slovakia, 30 September 2023 Local elections, Serbia, 2 June 2024 2. ODIHR EAM Final Report 21. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 22. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement Parliamentary elections, Poland, 15 October 2023 23. ODIHR Final Report 3. ODIHR LEOM Final Report Federal elections, Belgium, 9 June 2024 Federal elections, Switzerland, 22 October 2023 24. ODIHR NAM Report 4. ODIHR EET Final Report European Parliament elections, 6-9 June 2024

Local elections, Moldova, 5 November 2023 25. ODIHR NAM Report 26. ODIHR SEAM Preliminary Statement 5. ODIHR EOM Final Report 27. ODIHR SEAM Final Report Early parliamentary elections, Serbia, 17 December 2023 Early parliamentary elections, Bulgaria, 9 June 2024 6. ODIHR EOM Final Report 28. ODIHR NAM Report 29. ODIHR EET Final Report Early presidential election, Azerbaijan, 7 February 2024 7. ODIHR EOM Interim Report General elections, San Marino, 9 June 2024 8. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 30. ODIHR NAM Report Early parliamentary elections, Portugal, 10 March 2024 Parliamentary elections, Mongolia, 28 June 2024 9. ODIHR NAM Report 31. ODIHR NAM Report 32. ODIHR Interim Report Presidential election, Slovak Republic, 23 March 2024 33. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 10. ODIHR NAM Report 34. ODIHR EOM Final Report 11. ODIHR EET Final Report Early parliamentary elections, France, 30 June 2024 Early parliamentary elections, Croatia, 17 April 2024 35. ODIHR NAM Report 12. ODIHR NAM Report 13. ODIHR EAM Final Report General elections, United Kingdom, 4 July 2024 36. ODIHR NAM Report Presidential and parliamentary elections, North Macedonia, 24 April and 8 May 2024 Early Parliamentary elections, Azerbaijan, 14. ODIHR NAM Report 1 September 2024 15. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 37. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 16. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement (presidential) 17. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement (presidential 2nd round and parliamentary) Parliamentary elections, Austria, 29 September 2024 18. ODIHR EOM Final Report 38. ODIHR NAM Report

Presidential election, Lithuania, 12 May 2024 19. ODIHR NAM Report

93 Local elections, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 October 2024 Parliamentary elections, Uzbekistan, 27 October 2024 39. ODIHR NAM Report 49. ODIHR NAM Report 40. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 50. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 41. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement General elections, United States of America, Presidential election, constitutional referendum, Moldova, 5 November 2024 20 October and 3 November 2024 51. ODIHR NAM Report 42. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 52. ODIHR LEOM Interim Report 43. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement 53. ODIHR LEOM Preliminary Statement 44. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement, 2nd Round Presidential election, Romania, 24 November 2024 and Parliamentary elections, Georgia, 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections, Romania, 1 December 2024 45. ODIHR NAM Report 54. ODIHR NAM Report 46. ODIHR EOM Interim Report 47. ODIHR EOM Preliminary Statement Early parliamentary elections, Ireland, 29 November 2024 48. ODIHR EOM Final Report 55. ODIHR NAM Report

Parliamentary elections, Tajikistan, 2 March 2025 56. ODIHR NAM Report

NEEDS ASSESSMENT MISSIONS CONDUCTED IN 2024

Country Election type Election date

1 Portugal Early parliamentary 10 March 2024 2 Slovakia Presidential 23 March 2024 3 Croatia Early parliamentary 17 April 2024 4 North Macedonia Parliamentary and presidential 24 April and 8 May 2024 5 Lithuania Presidential 12 May 2024 6 Iceland Presidential 1 June 2024 7 Belgium European Parliament and parliamentary 9 June 2024 8 Bulgaria Early parliamentary 9 June 2024 9 San Marino Early general 9 June 2024 10 Mongolia Parliamentary 28 June 2024 11 United Kingdom General 4 July 2024 12 France Early parliamentary 30 July 2024 13 Austria Parliamentary 29 September 2024 14 Bosnia and Herzegovina Local 6 October 2024 15 Georgia Parliamentary 26 October 2024 16 Uzbekistan Parliamentary 27 October 2024 17 United States of America General 5 November 2024 18 Romania Presidential and parliamentary 24 November and 1 December 2024 19 Ireland General 29 November 2024 20 Liechtenstein Parliamentary 9 February 2025 21 Germany Early parliamentary 23 February 2025 22 Tajikistan Parliamentary 2 March 2025 23 Albania Parliamentary 15 May 2025

94 ELECTION FOLLOW-UP VISITS IN 2024:

Country Follow-up type Dates

1 Montenegro Presentation of the Final Reports on the 2023 presidential and parliamentary 6-9 February 2024 elections

2 Estonia Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 parliamentary elections 20-23 February 2024

3 Uzbekistan Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 early presidential election 25–27 March 2024

4 Armenia Follow-up joint Opinion on the electoral reform of Armenia 25-26 March 2024

5 Poland Meeting with the National Election Commission in anticipation of the full-fledged 27 June 2024 follow-up visit

6 Poland Presentation of the Final Report on the 2023 parliamentary elections 11-13 September 2024

7 Montenegro Presentation of Preliminary Opinion on the Law of Montenegro on the Financing 4-6 September 2024 of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns

8 Serbia Presentation of Final Report on the 2023 early parliamentary elections 24-26 September 2024

9 North Macedonia Consultation visit following the publication of ODIHR EOM Final Report on the 15-18 October 2024 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections

10 European Parliament Presentation of the Final Report on the 2024 elections 26-27 November 2024

95