News and press releases

Hate crimes remain a serious threat to security across the OSCE region, with the potential to escalate into wider conflict and violence. To support states in strengthening their criminal justice response, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is relaunching its flagship hate crime training programmes for police and prosecutors.

HELSINKI/VALLETTA/BERN, 13 October 2025- Today, the OSCE Troika – Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE and Foreign Minister of Finland Elina Valtonen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta Ian Borg, and Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis – made the following statement:

A two-day high-level forum opened today in Dushanbe to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child. The event brought together young leaders, government officials, representatives of the United Nations, development partners, and civil society organisations from across Tajikistan to advance a shared vision for girls’ empowerment and leadership.

Foča, 13 October 2025 – Today in Foča, dedicated professionals from the police, judiciary, prosecution, and social welfare sectors, as well as psychologists and members of civil society from across eastern Republika Srpska (RS), joined the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) to address

As setbacks to gender equality become more visible across the OSCE region, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) emphasized the crucial role of strong human rights systems in reversing this trend at a side event of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.

The sharp rise in the number of war crimes trials being heard by local courts across the OSCE region was the topic of discussion during a side event at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference entitled “Beyond the Hague: the OSCE and current challenges in securing justice for victims of war crimes”, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group, a civil society partner from Ukraine.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission), Ambassador Rick Holtzapple, visited Mostar today for a series of high-level meetings with political leaders in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, discussing priorities in the region and reaffirming the Mission’s commitment to supporting reforms that strengthen democratic governance, the rule of law, human rights and inclusive and quality education.