News and press releases

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan supported a series of online discussions as part of the “Newcomer Fest on Human Rights”, which was launched on 27 October 2020. The Fest will see a number of awareness-raising and learning activities held for local community representatives on the importance of human rights and their protection.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized a training course for judges from 22 to 24 October 2020 on best practices and challenges in the field of countering gender-based violence, and State and judicial responses to combating domestic violence and human trafficking amid the COVID-19 pandemic...

KYIV, 26 October 2020 – Ukraine’s local elections were conducted under a substantially revised legal framework which, despite some improvements, requires further refinement to address remaining shortcomings, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today. The Central Election Commission administered the elections professionally and efficiently, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the work of territorial commissions was often politicized, and was negatively affected by frequent replacements of their members.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in co-operation with the civil society organization (CSO) "Zašto ne?" Sarajevo launched a new web platform, www.glasometar.ba, on 22 October 2020, to support the development of a Voting Advice Application (VAA) in Brčko District. The VAA is designed to help voters make informed decisions in the run-up to, and during elections...

VIENNA, 21 October 2020- The OSCE’s vital role in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda was the focus of the high-level event “OSCE enhancing the UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Gender equality for a more peaceful world”.

PRAGUE / VIENNA, 16 October 2020 – Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, opening speakers of an online OSCE Security Days event commemorating this historic document called on States to revive the spirit of the 1990 Paris Summit in overcoming today’s challenges, distrust and heightened tensions in European security...

From 1 to 15 October 2020, political parties, coalitions, and independent candidates participating in the 2020 local elections signed an election pledge in 25 local communities across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). With the support of the OSCE Mission to BiH, the election pledge was developed by representatives of the municipal/city election commissions, municipal/city administration and civil society organizations...