Publications

On how to communicate and receive citizens of vulnerable categories. Published with the support of the OSCE Presence in Albania

This report provides an overview of school dropouts data from non-majority communities from the Kosovo education system between 2020 and 2023, analyses the causes behind individual cases and looks into successful initiatives to return children to school, as per the OSCE’s mandate to monitor and promote human rights.

The publication aims at uncovering the nexus between gender and corruption in natural resource management by focusing on women’s access to water, land, forestry and extractives. The preliminary findings of this research highlight the vital role natural resources play in the economic empowerment of women as well as the pervasive impact that corruption has on the environment. It finally brings to the attention of policy makers in the OSCE area essential data and recommendations for boosting gender-responsive policies in natural resources and women’s access.

The Green Paper on Social Economy in the Western Balkans is a key output of the OSCE/OCEEA extrabudgetary project Young Developers and Entrepreneurs Advancing Start-ups (YDEAS), which aims to provide opportunities for skills development, networking and job creation for young women and men in the Western Balkans, as well as promote an enabling environment for innovative, socially-impactful and green start-ups in the region through policy-relevant dialogue. The Green Paper analyses challenges and opportunities for social economy organizations in the Western Balkans, focusing on current trends, namely the digital and green transitions and the Common Regional Market. It concludes with a series of recommendations for key actors and policy makers on the international, regional and local levels, with the goal of fostering an enabling ecosystem for the social and green economy in the Western Balkans.

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.

The publication “Twenty years of parliamentary gender equality mechanisms in Serbia” was developed in 2023 on the occasion of the 20-year anniversary of the establishment of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Gender Equality, as well as the 20-year anniversary of the establishment of the gender equality mechanism in the Parliament of Vojvodina. It provides a detailed review of the status of the parliamentary gender equality mechanisms at national and provincial level, focusing on the role and effectiveness of the Committee for Gender Equality and includes recommendations for improvements of both mechanisms, such as measures to increase the representation and participation of women in parliament and its committees, and ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Committee. By highlighting the achievements and challenges of the mechanism, the publication serves as a valuable resource for members of the NA Committee for Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality, but also all MPs, authorities at state and local level, civil sector, general public and researchers. The publication is available in Serbian and in English.

ODIHR’s publications, factsheets, and practical guides are vital tools to assist all those working to strengthen democracy and human rights across the OSCE. The Office's 2023 publications covered a wide range of topics, including human rights, strengthening democratic institutions, parliamentary integrity, election observation, combating hate crime, combating human trafficking, Roma inclusion, and many more. Others were translated for the first time into other languages of the OSCE region.

This report provides an analysis of data collected by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo trial monitoring programme from January to December 2022 and identifies trends in prosecution, defence and court practices in relation to the imposition of detention measures on defendants with mental health needs in Kosovo. It analyses judicial practice for compliance with fair trial and international human rights standards.

This Handbook is a practical tool for regulatory and policy impact assessment at central and local governance and is intended to facilitate the process of incorporating the gender perspective in decision-making. The Handbook provides basic information and practical guidelines on how to assess the impact of gender equality on policies and adopted decisions and regulations. The methodology and the practical tools presented in this Handbook can be applied to other vulnerable groups in society, such as: people with disability, minority groups, etc.

This report analyses publicly available statistical data and factual observations collected about the functioning of the Kosovo justice system institutions in the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica region before and after the mass resignation of Kosovo Serb judges, prosecutors, and administrative staff in November 2022. It identifies the impact of the resignations on the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica justice system, with a focus on rule of law and fair trial standards, particularly the right to trial within a reasonable time and access to justice.