Secretariat - Training Section

OSCE participating States regard training as an essential tool for enhancing the ability of the Organization's institutions and field operations to carry out their mandate, to strengthen the Organization's performance and to improve effectiveness in the field. Training can also be a tool for achieving OSCE goals in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.

Training efforts are geared towards ensuring that OSCE staff members maintain the necessary skills to fulfil their duties at the highest possible standard.

The training needs of OSCE staff members are managed through a network of training focal points in field operations and institutions led by the OSCE Training Co-ordinator in Vienna.

Training strategy

Training activities throughout the OSCE are guided by three-year strategic plans approved by the Permanent Council (PC). Every three years the PC revises the strategy to reflect the specific needs of the Organization at the time. The current OSCE Training Strategy is valid until the end of 2007. The new OSCE Training Strategy was approved by the Permanent Council in May 2007 and covers the years 2008 to 2010.

The main features of the strategy are:

• It is based on a joint management and staff-owned approach, incorporating an OSCE training network of focal points in institutions and in field operations, as well as internal consultation processes, quality control, mechanisms and so on;
• It seeks to enhance the co-ordination of training policies and activities as well as the development of synergies;
• It favours co-operation with participating States, other international organizations and training institutions.

Priorities

• Appropriate managerial and organizational orientation of all international OSCE staff through the General Orientation Programme;
• Ongoing training in OSCE field operations, institutions and the Secretariat;
• Management development across the OSCE;
• Improving institutional communication;
• Supporting Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams (REACT) and pre-mission training activities in the participating States;
• Strengthening international co-operation and supporting specific actions, such as gender mainstreaming.

Promoting gender awareness

The OSCE Training Strategy calls for the Section to implement the staff training dimension of other strategies and action plans approved by the Permanent Council or Ministerial Meetings.

Under the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality, the OSCE is tasked to expand existing training opportunities and create new training programmes for staff in accordance with the OSCE Training Strategies 2005-2007 and 2008-2010, and the Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

The Training Section aims to raise the gender awareness of current and incoming staff, increasing their capacity to mainstream a gender perspective into OSCE policies, programmes and activities through a series of modules.