Ingibjrg Slrn Gsladottir Director of OSCE / ODIHR osce.org/odihr - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladottir Director of OSCE / ODIHR

• sce.org/odihr

The OSCE Comprehensive Approach to Security Regional security based on three dimensions, all of equal weight and importance:

• 1. Politico-military dimension: Confidence-building, arms

control, security sector reform, national minorities

• 2. Economic and environmental dimension: Good

governance, tackling corruption, promoting environmental awareness

• 3. Human dimension: Human rights and fundamental

freedoms, democratic institutions, freedom of the media

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

• Established in 1991 as OSCE Office for Free
• Elections. Now OSCE’s main human dimension

institution

• More than 170 professionals from 34 participating

states.

• Assisting governments and civil society in the

participating states in the implementation of human dimension commitments

Our main activities

• Rule of law and legislative support
• Democratic governance and gender
• Migration and freedom of movement
• Human rights monitoring and promotion
• Human rights and security
• Address discrimination, hate crimes, anti-Semitism,

intolerance against Muslims & Christians

• Training police, prosecutors, civil society and educators
• Data collection on hate crimes
• Strengthening capacity of Roma and Sinti.

And - elections

• Observation: assess whether elections respect

fundamental freedoms and are characterized by equality, universality, political pluralism, confidence, transparency and accountability, in line with OSCE commitments.

• Follow-up: assist states in improving electoral

processes based on recommendations of our

• bservation missions, with expertise and legal reviews
• Additional support: enhancing capacity of citizen
• bserver groups, training observers, publishing

handbooks to build technical expertise.

6

Election observation: Objectives

• To assess whether OSCE participating States are

meeting OSCE commitments, international obligations and other standards for democratic elections

• To offer concrete and concise recommendations to

support participating States to improve their electoral processes For both objectives:

• Strong methodology for long-term and election day
• bservation is needed

7

Electoral follow-up and assistance

• Election observation not an end in itself
• OSCE participating States committed to follow-up promptly

ODIHR’s election recommendations

• Many States requested support from ODIHR and reported on

their activities

• Examples of Follow-up activities:

 Legal reviews and expertise on drafting legislation  In-depth assessments of specific electoral components  Technical advice on implementation of recommendations  Support to citizen observer groups

8

Elections and security: AFG example

• ODIHR worked in close

co-operation with NATO

• Overall security and

electoral integrity were closely linked

• Electoral assistance and
• bservation helped

mitigate some of technical and political problems and preserve security

9

Election observation – joint endeavor

• ODIHR can and should

cooperate with parliamentary partners

• Hope we can extend our

joint efforts beyond election day

• Need to sharpen attention
• f governments to the

importance of prompt and effective follow-up

THANK YOU!

• sce.org/odihr