News and press releases

On 17 and 18 October 2024, the OSCE hosted the second in-person meeting of women professionals from Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe working on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT). Established in February 2023 by the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Issues Programme WIN Project, in collaboration with the OSCE Secretariat's Transnational Threats Department, the two regional networks comprise 68 women professionals from diverse sectors including government agencies, civil society, academia, media and OSCE field operations.

On 15 and 16 October, the OSCE Secretariat with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and other OSCE Field Operations in Central Asia organized an international seminar that initiated the establishment of the Association of Women in Border and Law Enforcement Agencies in Central Asia. The international seminar, held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, builds on OSCE’s ongoing efforts to empower women officers and strengthen regional security.

The OSCE Gender Issues Programme, within the framework of the WIN Project, and the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia have jointly released a crucial study on domestic violence perpetrator programmes across Central Asia.

On 15 and 16 July 2024, 15 young women graduates of the OSCE Scholarship for Peace and Security training programme gather in Vienna for a capacity-building workshop on overcoming the barriers faced by young women working in conflict prevention and resolution. Jointly organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, the Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit and the OSCE Gender Issues Programme’s WIN Project, the two-day event featured a negotiation skills workshop on conflict prevention and resolution.  

Today, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid acknowledged the remarkable achievements of OSCE staff in advancing gender equality and empowering women in the Organization at the fifth award ceremony held at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.

On 5 and 6 June, the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, in collaboration with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), organized a regional meeting for women peacebuilders in Istanbul, Türkiye. The event that marked a milestone of the nearly three-year partnership brought together prominent women peacebuilders from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus and representatives from   the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), UNFPA and UN Women.

Recognizing the critical importance of addressing violence against women and girls in ensuring comprehensive security and stability, the OSCE hosted the third Regional Networking and Capacity Building Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 21 to 23 May 2024. The Conference that followed networking events in 2022 and 2023, further reinforced vital connections among women’s resource centers, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in the region and marked a significant milestone in the Organization’s efforts to support domestic violence survivors in the region.