News and press releases

VIENNA / WARSAW, 8 March 2016 – OSCE participating States must take more action to close the gender gap in the nearest future, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Representative for Gender Issues, and Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today, on International Women’s Day...

VIENNA, 8 March 2016- On the occasion of International Women’s Day, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier called on all OSCE participating States to reaffirm their dedication and to increase their efforts toward achieving gender equality and the equal participation of women in conflict prevention and peace processes...

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on both 5 and 6 March. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM did not observe any live-fire exercises. The Mission facilitated and monitored demining and repair work on both sides of the contact line, monitored the humanitarian situation near the contact line, and continued to observe signs of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM encountered numerous freedom-of-movement restrictions, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government, and reached six border crossing points not controlled by the Government. In Kyiv, approximately 1,000 people gathered on Maidan Square in support of Nadiya Savchenko and approximately 250 protestors later were observed in a protest in front of the Russian Embassy during which damage was caused to the building...

ULAANBAATAR, 7 March 2016 – A one-week advanced training course for 35 Mongolian law enforcement officers aimed at increasing their practical abilities to detect forged travel documents started today in Ulaanbaatar. The course is organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, at the request of the Mongolian authorities...

The SMM observed a decrease in the number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day and continued to observe an overall stable situation in Luhansk region. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons; some weapons were observed in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission facilitated and monitored demining and repair work on both sides of the contact line. In Ivano-Frankivsk, the SMM spoke to representatives of a veterans association. The Mission reached border areas not controlled by the Government*...

Rome, 5 March 2016 – An OSCE Security Days event on “Refocusing Migration and Security- Bridging National and Regional Responses” held in Rome on 4 March discussed short- and long-term approaches to both the current refugee crisis and structural drivers of mass migration, including conflict, economic imbalances, and climate change. Highlighting the added value of the OSCE, over 300 representatives of governments, parliaments, civil society, grassroots organizations, international and regional organizations, academics and journalists from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation agreed that only a combination of strong leadership, inclusive coalitions and a common long-term strategy can effectively address these challenges.

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations in Donetsk from the previous day and continued to observe a stable situation in Luhansk. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons; some of them were observed in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission facilitated and monitored demining and repair work on both sides of the contact line and monitored the simultaneous release of detainees. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions...