Publications

The bulletin is a summary of information obtained from the first instance courts in relation to discrimination cases, and from the annual reports of the Anti-discrimination Commission, and the Ombudsman Institution from 2017. It provides data on cases of discrimination and activities of the state institutions and civil society organizations in the field of prevention and protection against discrimination, and it also provides the institutions with recommendations for improvement of the current situation. Not available in English.

This publication reflects on civil and political rights, including the right to life and prohibition of torture, the right to fair trial, the right to equality and prohibition of discrimination, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to freedom of expression, and the right to freedom of assembly and association. The aim of the publication is to provide assistance to legal practitioners, the judiciary and academia regarding the implementation of those human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to provide them with practical tools to identify human rights violations. The publication is not available in English.

The aim of the publication is to facilitate the application of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) model as a European quality management instrument for the public sector in the country. It provides practical information on the structure of the CAF model, the benefits from its application and the process of its implementation. Thousands of organizations in many countries apply the CAF model and have proven that it can yield results, contributing to having a modern, efficient and professional public administration.

This publication examines the effectiveness of the national programs and measures for the employment of persons with disabilities. It does so through a step-by-step analysis of the legal, policy, institutional and infrastructural framework, focusing on the outcomes, effects and results of each, as well as on their joint overall impact. The conclusions and recommendations, in line with the obtained data, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Council Directive 2000/78/EC for Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation, provide an outline for undertaking future steps in order to increase the overall inclusion of persons with disabilities in the open labour market. The publication is not available in English.

The Mission, together with the National Anti-Trafficking Commission, the Bureau for Development of Education, the Skopje-based NGO Open Gate ‒ La Strada, and UNITAS Fund Serbia, launched the #OpenYourEyes campaign aiming to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking among young people through the use of new technologies.

The first Youth Strategy of the Municipality of Kichevo 2017-2022 was developed by the Kichevo Youth Council with the support of the OSCE Mission to Skopje. The strategy, which was unanimously adopted by the Kichevo Municipal Council on 23 November 2016, is an advocacy document that aims to establish the strategic commitment of the Municipality of Kichevo and the municipality’s Youth Council to work on the promotion of youth issues.

This comparative study complements the efforts of the OSCE Mission to Skopje to support the transition in practicing the new adversarial model of criminal procedure in the country, largely based upon similar legislative transitions in countries across Europe. It is comprised of inputs from seven different researches on the implementation of the in dubio pro reo principle and the standard beyond reasonable doubt in various judicial systems both historically and in present day.

The publication gives an overview of both domestic and European legislation on the admissibility and use of actio popularis mechanism, the practice of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union as well as the practice of the region. This publication also provides insight on the specific methodology for use of actio popularis, in order to provide proper guidance for citizen associations in terms of the cases and ways they should use this mechanism.

This publication includes case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in relation to hate crimes and hate speech cases. This collection analyzes cases when it comes to speech that incited hatred with particular reference to the case-law of some of the extreme forms of speech that were problematized before the ECtHR. The purpose of this collection is through brief comments on the most interesting judgments and decisions on hate speech and hate crimes, to clarify the standards that the Court has set before the States Parties to the Convention. Not available in English.

The advancement of technology requires law enforcement agencies and public prosecutors offices in particular to be well-prepared to meet the challenges it presents. The process of obtaining cyber data to be used as evidence in a criminal procedure is not as straightforward as one might think. However, there are worldwide initiatives to establish common standards and facilitate the exchange of information through improved protocols among the law enforcement sector worldwide. This short guide, which is the result of a joint initiative between the Mission and the Public Prosecutors’ Association, aims to contribute to that direction. The publication is not available in English.