Genuine commitment to democracy and human rights is vital to overcome the challenges we face, OSCE conference underlines

WARSAW, 30 September 2024 – Strengthening our commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law through dialogue will allow us to overcome current challenges to the rights and freedoms at the heart of the principles on which the OSCE was founded, speakers and participants stressed as governments, international organizations, and civil society came together for a 10-day conference to take stock of the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the 57 participating States of the OSCE region.

The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference is organized by the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship of Malta, with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and brings together more than 1,500 registered participants from across the OSCE region, representing governments, international organizations, civil society, media, academia, and more.

“The priorities of Malta’s OSCE Chairpersonship mirror its dedication to addressing conflicts and the causes of conflict across our region. This work must continue.  At the present time more than ever respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms should not be just our aspiration. It is our responsibility, and it has to have our full commitment,” said H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta. “Participating States have to come to the table with a willingness to engage in critical dialogue and compromise. Our impact in the human dimension of society is only as strong as the collective political will of participating States. We must step-up our efforts to this end.”

Almost 50 years ago in Helsinki, all OSCE states recognized “the universal significance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an essential factor for the peace, justice and wellbeing necessary to ensure the development of friendly relations and co-operation among themselves as among all States.” However, human rights are at risk throughout the OSCE region, from armed conflict as well as from restrictions to fundamental freedoms and rising intolerance both online and offline.

ODIHR notes the acknowledgement by the OSCE’s founding states that strong human rights protection is vital for our democracies and our peoples to flourish. The Office will continue to work on the mandate it was granted more than three decades ago to promote the rights and freedoms of every individual across our region and to support states in strengthening their democratic institutions.

Sustainable security is only possible on the basis of respect for human rights. Plenary sessions on each day of the conference will focus on a large range of topics, such as democratic institutions, including democratic elections; gender equality and combating violence against women; the rule of law, including independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial; fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and media freedom as well as the freedoms of assembly and association, of religion or belief, and of movement; eradicating torture and combating human trafficking; countering intolerance and discrimination; and the rights of national minorities as well as challenges faced by Roma and Sinti communities. The unconditional obligation to respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law and accountability for violations will also be discussed.

All 57 states of the OSCE have recognised that civil society plays a vital role in the promotion of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Almost 800 civil society organisations and human rights defenders are due to attend the conference, and a wide range of topics will be discussed at close to 100 side events hosted by OSCE states, civil society organizations, ODIHR, and other OSCE institutions.

The full programme and additional information about the conference are available here. Other high-level speakers at the event include Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski and Finnish Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Outi Holopainen, with keynote speeches from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Manfred Nowak, Professor of Human Rights and Secretary General of the Global Campus of Human Rights, and Hugh Williamson, Director of the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch. The conference can be followed on social media at #WarsawHDC.