Publications

Survivors need to have confidence in the systems designed to identify and protect them, to give them the best chance of accessing services, staying with them and remaining safe. Therefore, NRMs should provide a structural set up for trauma-informed frameworks and procedures, and function as a natural ‘home’ for professional, trauma-informed methods of working. NRMs must ensure respect for the human rights and dignity of all adults and children who are victims of trafficking. There should be clear recognition in anti-trafficking law, policy and related guidance — and therefore recognition across all relevant NRM sectors and by all service providers — that victims of human trafficking should be treated as a distinct category of vulnerable people in need.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide better guidance to ODIHR election observation missions and teams on how to assess the resolution of election disputes as part of the overall observation of an election.

As a public authority, the election administration should be representative of the wider society. Within its structure, there should be no disparity between men and women or a preponderance of one gender at any level, including in senior positions. The EMB has the greatest responsibility for ensuring the inclusive participation of eligible voters in elections.

Almost all OSCE participating States use some form of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their electoral processes. These technological developments inevitably bring certain benefits but also many challenges that were not common for traditional, paper-based elections.

Launched in 2021, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) CHANGE project employs a transformative approach to promoting gender equality, women’s human rights and safety. It integrates a broad range of elements from across ODIHR's mandate to address obstacles to achieving gender equality.

In 2019, in response to numerous requests for guidance on issues related to judicial independence falling outside the geographic and thematic scope of the Kyiv Recommendations, ODIHR initiated a comprehensive consultative and expert-driven process to ensure that its recommendations on judicial independence respond effectively to current challenges. The inaugural meeting of a core group of experts convened in Warsaw, followed by extensive further assessment of the thematic areas in focus. The Recommendations on Judicial Independence and Accountability (Warsaw Recommendations) are the result of this review process.

This handbook sets out ODIHR’s approach and practices in assisting participating States in the follow-up of electoral recommendations. While ODIHR has conducted follow-up activities for several years, this handbook aims to establish a more systematic approach that provides clarity and consistency and promotes greater attention to the implementation of recommendations. It has been developed on the basis of generous extra-budgetary contributions as part of ODIHR’s continued effort to improve its methodology and to increase professionalism in election observation activities. The handbook is primarily intended for actors in OSCE participating States addressing ODIHR’s electoral recommendations, but it will also be of use to those following up on recommendations outside the OSCE region.