Fields of work

Gender equality

Equal rights and opportunities for women and men are essential to peace, stability, democracy and sustainable economic and environmental development. The OSCE actively pursues this agenda across its entire region.

Factsheet

Factsheet: Gender equality

13 January 2020

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

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Our approach to security

Many factors can affect security and stability, often across borders, population segments or the OSCE’s three dimensions.

Gender equality has increasingly been found to be directly correlated with the state of security and stability in a society. States that have lower levels of gender inequality are less likely to resort to the use of force, for example. On the other hand, where conflict persists, gender equality is often eroded. In other words, gender equality is a marker of peace and security. Consequently, the OSCE recognizes that equal rights and opportunities for women and men are essential to peace, democracy and sustainable economic and environmental development.

The full and equal exercise by women of their human rights is essential to achieve a more peaceful, prosperous and democratic OSCE area. We are committed to making equality between men and women an integral part of our policies, both at the level of our States and within the Organization.

Charter for European Security, Istanbul, November 1999

Building on our comprehensive and co-operative approach to security, we work on strategies to tackle the issue head-on.

The OSCE is taking a strong stance on gender equality. Not only is gender mainstreamed into all our programmes, projects and activities, but we also run a whole gamut of activities to promote the meaningful participation of women in public and political life. This includes supporting the role of women in peace efforts and security institutions; initiatives to promote non-discriminatory laws and policies and increase women’s participation in politics and electoral processes; and addressing imbalances by promoting gender-responsive socio-economic and environmental policies. We also work with our participating States on action to combat violence against women and support victims and survivors of such crimes.

Women, peace and security

Supporting women’s full participation in peace and security

Gender equality in economic and environmental activities

Supporting women in economic and environmental matters

Combating gender-based violence

Helping prevent and combat gender-based violence

Gender equality within the OSCE

Making gender equality a reality in the OSCE

Our institutions, field operations and offices bring to the task expert skills and knowledge to develop tailor-made solutions for each challenge.

Our institutions and offices

All OSCE offices and institutions have incorporated the commitments on gender equality into their work programmes and their own structures. While the team working under the Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues has an umbrella function over this entire work area and develops the operational tools, guidelines and training materials to support staff members and stakeholders in integrating a gender perspective into their activities.

Other OSCE bodies have mandates to tackle more specific gender-related tasks. This includes the fight against gender-based violence, which is an important work area for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and the gender element in relation to economic empowerment and environmental security, a focus of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office has also appointed a Special Representative on Gender.

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Gender Issues Programme

Bringing gender equality to the OSCE and its activities

Our operations on the ground

Most field operations also work with their host countries on initiatives that aim at fostering men's and women's equal rights and opportunities and preventing discrimination in public and political life.