Publications

This Compendium presents an overview of legislation, policies, and mechanisms for ensuring the protection and enforcement of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of armed forces personnel. It includes many examples and good practices from across the OSCE region that have proven successful. It also contains recommendations which can help participating States ensure that their policies and practices are in full compliance with international human rights standards and OSCE human dimension commitments.

This Assessment is a baseline document for planning future steps in the complex digitalization process of the courts in North Macedonia. The courts' digitalization, intersectoral connectivity and interoperability of the courts with other judicial institutions and state organs is in line with judicial efficiency and transparency improvement, emphasizing quick, cost effective and qualitative access to justice. The Assessment is consisted of four main chapters: International standards and comparative experiences- focusing on the advantages and challenges in usage of electronic platforms and conducting on-line or hybrid hearings; Analysis of the current situation in utilization of ICT tools in all courts in North Macedonia and existence of adequate human and technical resources; Current national legislation and necessary legislative amendments to enable utilization of new ICT tools in court operations and protect the rights of the participants in court procedures; and Recommendations for future steps in regards to court digitalization.

This Occasional Paper is based on findings from a multi-method research project, including surveys, expert interviews, and expert group meetings carried out with participants from more than half of the OSCE’s participating States. By bringing together the voices of survivors, anti-trafficking experts, service providers, and law enforcement, this paper offers a comprehensive account of gender aspects in trafficking in human beings. It also provides a basis for discussion about possible ways to apply gender-sensitive approaches. The report, therefore, explores a range of gender aspects that are often not addressed in existing prevention, protection, and prosecution strategies.

This paper explores the intersections between human trafficking and terrorism by analysing activities of terrorist groups through the lens of trafficking in human beings. Through a critical analysis of legal and policy regimes, the paper provides a comparative study of two crimes – human trafficking and terrorism – based on a series of illustrative examples collected from throughout the OSCE region. The outcome is a set of targeted recommendations to challenge the trafficking practices of terrorist groups by leveraging existing preventative and protective mechanisms in the anti-trafficking field. The intent of these recommendations is to support participating States in preventing the crime of trafficking by terrorist groups, hold the perpetrators fully accountable and protect victims.

A handbook for prosecutors published by the OSCE Presence in Albania

This research was implemented by the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) with the OSCE Mission to Serbia's support. Paying particular attention to the goals of the Strategy of Development of System of Public Information in the Republic of Serbia (2020-2025), the research was conducted in order to better understand socio-economic position and working status of journalists and media workers in Vojvodina region, with special focus on position of female journalists, journalists working in minority language media, as well as freelancers and other journalists without permanent employment status.

‘The GAP analysis – possibilities of economic empowerment by applying sustainable business models following the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Serbia’, is intended to assist policy makers and businesses to make informed decisions about transitioning to circular economy. The publication maps potential entry points for circular initiatives, based on the findings of a survey, conducted among 80 companies across the country. The GAP analysis contains an Action plan aimed at building a resilient economy by introducing regulatory, promotional, economic and institutional changes. The publication is available in Serbian language.

The publication describes the roles and responsibilities for national focal points for child victims of trafficking in response to the MC Decision 6/18 on Strengthening Efforts to Prevent and Combat Child Trafficking, including of Unaccompanied Minors. It provides an overview of prerequisites and essential conditions for such focal points to foster enhanced information exchange between countries, and an inventory of the tools and procedures they will need to co-ordinate.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro supported the Office of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro in preparing an analysis of court verdicts for misdemeanors of domestic violence and violence against women in 2019, and during the COVID-19 pandemic for March- July 2020. The document analyzed 184 verdicts from the following courts: Misdemeanor court in Bijelo Polje (divisions in Pljevlja, Berane and Rožaje), Misdemeanor court in Budva (divisions in Ulcinj, Bar, Kotor and Herceg Novi) and Misdemeanor court in Podgorica (divisions in Nikšić, Cetinje and Danilovgrad). Some of the main conclusions of the Analysis are that vast majority of the victims of domestic violence are women, that the victims are often not aware of the possibility to initiate misdemeanor proceedings themselves and that the penalty policy is mild. The Analysis provides a good basis to integrate the principles of gender equality into courts’ procedures and practices in cases of domestic violence and violence against women.

Newsletter by the OSCE Secretariat