Comprehensive Support for Hate Crime Victims Strengthening Targeted Assistance and • Develop further policy guidance on hate crime Response Structures for Hate Crime Victims victim support; in the OSCE Region (STARS). • Train first responders and support providers to meet hate crime victims’ needs; and Protecting and supporting hate crime victims is an • Build platforms for dialogue and facilitate essential part of a comprehensive response to hate the exchange of good practices. crimes and is often overlooked. The criminal justice system often fails to uphold hate crime victims’ OSCE participating States have committed to rights and respond effectively to their specific putting in place a range of measures to record, needs. At the same time, the availability of specialist collect, report, investigate and prosecute hate hate crime victim support remains limited. crimes as well as to support victims. In parallel, European Union Member States have to comply ODIHR facilitates the exchange of good practices, with legislation that specifically identifies hate standards and capacity-building activities to crime victims as needing enhanced protection improve hate crime victim support across the 27 and support and sets out minimum standards countries of the European Union, which are also for the measures that should be made available. part of the OSCE region. ODIHR directly supports the implementation ODIHR works with experts, criminal justice of these commitments and laws by sharing professionals and policymakers in OSCE knowledge and good practices with organizations participating States and internationally to: and professionals working in this field and by • Enhance the support to hate crime victims developing standards and capacities on hate crime across the region; and and hate crime victim support. • Increase understanding and implementation of OSCE standards and EU laws on effective “The STARS initiative will contribute to hate crime victim support. improving existing standards on hate crime victim support. It will also enable The STARS initiative builds on the success of ODIHR’s earlier project, Enhancing Stakeholder criminal justice institutions, government Awareness and Resources for Hate Crime Victim representatives and civil society Support (EStAR) and aims to achieve the following: organizations to provide effective support to hate crime victims.” Tea Jaliashvili, ODIHR First Deputy Director Activities The STARS initiative is implemented in ODIHR will develop policy guidance and work close cooperation with the European closely with partners to deliver strengthened hate Commission and funded through the crime victim support across 27 European Union European Union initiative: “Support countries, which are part of the OSCE region. to the Organization for Security and Policymaking Co-operation in Europe (Office for • Managing the Working Group on Hate Crime Democratic Institutions and Human Victim Support under the European Union’s Rights) for knowledge sharing and High Level Group On Combating Hate Speech standard setting on hate crime including And Hate Crime hate crime victim support” (CERV-2023- • Drafting two, new guidance documents on hate crime victim support IM-CRAC/RIGH/2), with additional funding provided by the Ministry of Foreign Building capacity Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. • Organizing a workshop to address gaps in national approaches to hate crime victim support Resources • Training to ensure the sensitive and respectful For tools, policy briefs and training courses, please visit the treatment of hate crime victims by law Enhancing Stakeholder Awareness and Resources for enforcement Hate Crime Victim Support (ESTAR) project webpage: • Training to improve the quality of the specialized • Hate Crime Victims in the Criminal Justice System • Understanding the Needs of Hate Crime Victims hate crime victim support delivered by civil • Hate Crime Victim Support: Policy Brief society organizations • Diagnostic Tool for National Hate Crime Victim Support Systems Raising awareness • Hate Crime Victim Support Building Blocks • Sensitive and Respectful Treatment of Hate Crime Victims: • Building platforms for dialogue and exchange Training Course for Criminal Justice Professionals of experiences by organizing informal, • The Senstive and Respectful Treatment of Hate Crime Victims online discussions, networking spaces and • Quality Specialist Support Services for Hate Crime Victims: in-person events Training Course • Organizing two public webinars featuring leading Partners experts and practitioners in the field of hate Combating hate speech and hate crime – crime victim support European Commission (europa.eu)
For invitations to expert webinars or for further information about the initiative, please visit: www.osce.org/odihr/stars or contact ODIHR directly at hcvictimsupport@odihr.pl
With funding from the OSCE Office for Funded by the European Union Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
With funding from With funding from the Italian Ul. Miodowa 10 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs 00-251 Warsaw of the Republic of Bulgaria and International Cooperation Poland Office: +48 22 520 06 00 Follow ODIHR Fax: +48 22 520 06 05 office@odihr.pl www.osce.org/odihr