ODIHR holds meeting of national focal points for election observation

Good practices related to the secondment and deployment of election observers was the focus of a meeting with national focal points for election observation held by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 28 and 29 June 2018.

The meeting – the first of its kind organized by ODIHR – brought together the focal points responsible for seconding observers to ODIHR election observation missions. The main topics of discussion were the selection and training of observers, the conduct and professional behaviour of observers, and options to evaluate long-term observers.

“Our Office has a long history of working with OSCE participating States to facilitate the secondment of observers to our election missions,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “With this meeting, we hope to build on these effective relationships and ensure that all observers are fully prepared for their work and exercise the highest levels of professional behaviour when carrying out their important duties.”

OSCE participating States have tasked ODIHR to ensure the independence, impartiality and professionalism of its election observation activities, while also emphasizing that participating States play an important role in contributing to the integrity of electoral processes by seconding observers.