Publications

A new UNESCO and ODIHR co-publication takes up the challenge of educating learners to resist contemporary anti-Semitism at a time when the issue is becoming ever more crucial around the world.

This paper offers analysis and recommendations for building a more inclusive justice system in the OSCE region, drawing on results of a needs assessment study carried out by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 2017. The study, which relied on both desk-based research and the collection of field data, was structured around two separate but interlinked themes: a) gender and diversity among justice system actors, in terms of recruitment and selection of a diverse workforce and ensuring workplace equality; and b) the effects of gender and diversity among justice system actors on the fairness of outcomes, as perceived by end users of justice systems. This paper outlines specific challenges identified by the needs assessment study and highlights some of the good practice solutions used to address them.

Prosecuting Hate Crimes: A Practical Guide was written in cooperation with the International Association of Prosecutors to improve the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes across the OSCE region. The guide is relevant to different legal systems and legislative frameworks and complements ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT). This guide aims to explain the impact of hate crimes by highlighting their specific features compared with other crimes. It presents the most common issues that arise for prosecutors in dealing with these crimes, with an emphasis on evidence of bias motivation, which is the distinguishing factor in hate crimes.

News in Brief

Inside the magazine: ODIHR Director Janez Lenarcic on democratic elections; Human trafficking: when kidneys become commodities; Retrieving humanity: can war crimes courts reconcile?

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.

While the participation of persons with disabilities has already long been included in the general ODIHR election observation methodology, this handbook aims to establish a more systematic and comprehensive approach to this important topic. It provides information and a framework to assist ODIHR observers in assessing the participation of persons with disabilities, as part of the overall observation of an electoral process. The handbook may also be useful to a wider audience interested in the topic, including electoral management bodies, political parties, civil society organizations (CSOs) and international organizations. This resource has been developed on the basis of extra-budgetary contributions by OSCE participating States, as part of ODIHR’s continued efforts to improve its election observation methodology and to further increase the professionalism of those involved in the Office’s observation activities.

Newsletter by the OSCE Secretariat

ODIHR's annual report provides an overview of the Office's primary activities in the areas of elections, human rights, democratization, tolerance and non-discrimination, and Roma and Sinti issues.

This report aims to provide an objective, evidence-based and current assessment of the handling of domestic violence cases by Kosovo courts, based on an analysis of cases directly monitored by OSCE trial monitors, as well as legal submissions and court rulings, between 1 January and 1 December 2023.