Publications

The purpose of this guide is to give Roma and Sinti activists an easily accessible overview of the relevant international and regional human rights standards on forced evictions, with a particular focus on the findings of international and regional human rights tribunals in relation to Roma and Sinti evictions. In addition, by including numerous references to the judgments and decisions of international human rights courts, Roma and Sinti activists can familiarize themselves with these decisions and draw them to the attention of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights lawyers with whom they cooperate. These can then be incorporated into their legal advocacy and litigation, rendering them more effective.

This factsheet explains the purpose of the Limited Election Observation Mission to Poland's 2023 Parliamentary Elections.

This publication has been developed to guide trainers leading 4-day in-person training courses for prison staff designed by the OSCE’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Penal Reform International (PRI) in partnership with the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (SPPS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Organizing elections and referenda is indisputably a challenging task. Bodies in charge of administering elections and referenda (EMBs) have the demanding function of ensuring that many complex election- and referenda-related processes are managed efficiently, impartially and transparently. The work of the EMBs has a direct impact on the quality and integrity of electoral and referendum processes and is one of the keys to ensuring the rights of voters and contestants. The EMBs are therefore one of the main guardians of democratic elections, and their activities are central to fostering public confidence.

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.

On average, Roma and Sinti life expectancy is between five to twenty years shorter than that of the mainstream population. This is mainly due to preventable risks such as malnutrition, inadequate housing conditions and the inability to afford healthcare services, as well as the impact of racist and discriminatory practices from healthcare institutions and professionals.

OSCE/ODIHR and Council of Europe joint training for law-enforcement officers on human rights and non-discriminatory policing.

June- July 2023

Intolerance and discrimination, including harmful discourse and stereotyping, have affected Indigenous communities for centuries, including those living in the OSCE region.