News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
On the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, OSCE leaders stress its importance for progressing towards gender equality
Publishing date: 11 May 2021
STOCKHOLM/VIENNA/WARSAW, 11 May 2020- Marking the 10th anniversary of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, OSCE leaders today underlined the importance of this landmark treaty that provides legal standards so that women and girls can live their lives free from violence and abuse.
Addressing anti-Semitism through education: ODIHR and UNESCO propose policy and reforms to tackle intolerance and discrimination
Publishing date: 26 April 2021
Addressing anti-Semitism through education ODIHR and UNESCO propose policy and reforms to tackle intolerance and discrimination Addressing anti-Semitism through education is the focus of two events co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the United
Good lawmaking a cornerstone of democracy and human rights protection, OSCE leaders say
Publishing date: 26 April 2021
VIENNA/WARSAW, 26 April 2021 – Transparent, inclusive lawmaking is vital to underpin democracies and the principles on which they are built, OSCE leaders said as a two-day meeting to discuss topics including the challenges and opportunities of crafting laws in periods of crisis opened today...
Romania parliamentary elections 2020: OSCE/ODIHR Special election assessment mission final report
Publishing date: 23 April 2021
The 2020 parliamentary elections in Romania were competitive, respecting fundamental freedoms, and organized professionally, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the late adoption of a number of regulations. While the legal framework generally provided for the conduct of democratic
Enable Roma communities to recover from the pandemic, say human rights heads
Publishing date: 8 April 2021
WARSAW/VIENNA, 8 April 2021 – All societies still feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the challenges for Roma are particularly acute, say the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on International Roma Day
OSCE human rights head voices serious concerns over continued rights violations in Belarus, offers monitoring
Publishing date: 6 April 2021
WARSAW, 6 April 2021 – The numerous credible reports of criminal charges, administrative detention, intimidation and harassment targeting Belarusian citizens and human rights defenders simply for going about their lives or carrying out their work that have reached the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in recent months, are of increasing concern amid the ongoing human rights violations in the country.
Constitutional changes raise serious concerns over respect for democratic standards in Kyrgyzstan, Venice Commission and ODIHR say
Publishing date: 22 March 2021
STRASBOURG/WARSAW, 22 March 2021 – Kyrgyzstan’s draft constitution would result in a complete change of the country’s constitutional order if adopted and raises grave concerns over the lack of respect for the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers, and inherent lack of checks and balances, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe said in a joint legal opinion.