The Mission is the largest international civilian presence in Kosovo. It is mandated with the promotion of human rights and good governance. It focuses on:

• the protection of community rights, including returns and reintegration of displaced persons, safety and freedom of movement, property rights, non-discrimination, participation in public life, access to education and other services, and language and culture preservation;
• municipal governance reform with a view to bettering the quality of services and public participation in decision-making;
• rule of law and human rights monitoring within the municipalities, courts and the police;
• support to and further development of independent institutions working with human rights, rule of law and elections;
• supporting anti-trafficking efforts;
• enhancing Assembly procedures and the oversight role over the executive, as well as all the communities' participation therein;
• further development of the public safety sector, including the police, customs and correctional services;
• strengthening print and broadcast media regulators; and
• improving access to and quality of higher education for all communities.

The Mission also supports the work of the human rights units in various ministries in Kosovo and has helped to establish such units in the municipalities.

The Mission mandate was set out by OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 305 of 1 July 1999 and was extended annually. On 21 December 2007, the Permanent Council decided to extend the mandate until 31 January 2008. Since then, the mandate has been extended at the end of every month for a one-month period unless one of the Participating States objects in writing to the Chairperson of the Permanent Council (Permanent Council Decision No. 835, 21 December 2007).