Publications

The concept of countering chemical threats is highly relevant for Ukraine, which has a large number of high-risk chemical facilities. Potential risks are significantly higher today, when plants, enterprises and storehouses can be targeted or even accidentally damaged during hostilities.  A resulting spillage (release) of hazardous chemicals poses a threat to human health, life, and to the environment. This leaflet produced by the OSCE projects in Ukraine provides a number of practical tips that will help civilians to recognize chemical threat, take safety measures and provide first aid in case of poisoning. 

This analytical report presents findings from the conducted comparative analysis of the existing national legislation, international legal framework and semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Recommendations contained in this report pertain to regulation of sexual extortion as a form of corruption in the Criminal Code, Law on Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interests and in the Law on Prevention and Protection of Women from Violence and Domestic Violence. Incrimination of sexual extortion in the national legislation would make North Macedonia among the few countries in the OSCE region to have legislatively recognized and institutionalized gendered forms of corruption, leading to reducing its impact on women.

This report highlights the impact of activities carried out by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 2021, the year that marked the Office’s 30th anniversary.

Hate crime is a manifestation of discrimination and intolerance that has a profound impact on victims, communities and societies. Victims of hate crimes require specialist services to support them in their recovery from these crimes, to enable them to effectively participate in the criminal justice process and to regain a sense of agency. This support includes practical help, emotional and psychosocial support, and advice relating to legal and financial issues, as well as community work. Such specialist support is tailored specifically to each individual who is a victim of or a witness to a hate crime, has experienced a hate incident or is affected by a hate crime committed against someone else.

The publication is aimed at helping ombudspersons to use effective and credible approaches in their everyday work, in promoting fairness, equality, clarity and innovation, as well as in protection of human rights. It offers recommendations to ombudspersons in their efforts to ensure that their institution is well regarded within the local and peer communities, such as the Association of Ombudspersons in Serbia, but also within other independent institutions in the country, as well as other regional and international independent institutions and organizations they co-operate with. Due to the important oversight role of ombudspersons, as independent institutions, the OSCE Mission to Serbia supports the Association of Ombudspersons in Serbia (AOS) in its efforts to help local ombudspersons in fulfilling their mandate of setting the standards in the work of democratic institutions and through continuous protection of the rights of citizens. The publication is available in Serbian language.

The report provides an analysis of how technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings has been approached from the perspective of policy and legislation across the OSCE participating States. While looking primarily at the accelerating shift toward government-led responses, the report also examines the policies and practices adopted by the private sector and civil society organizations. In addition, the report offers recommendations for policy and legislative responses by OSCE participating States to the misuse of technology to exploit victims.

The report provides an analysis of how technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings has been approached from the perspective of policy and legislation across the OSCE participating States. While looking primarily at the accelerating shift toward government-led responses, the report also examines the policies and practices adopted by the private sector and civil society organizations. In addition, the report offers recommendations for policy and legislative responses by OSCE participating States to the misuse of technology to exploit victims.

This Compendium has been created by the the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in partnership with the Association of Counselling Centers for Victims of Right-Wing, Racist and Antisemitic Violence in Germany (VBRG).

Research Study Position of Women in Trade Unions in Serbia prepared by CSO Women Association FemPlatz, in 2020, with the OSCE Mission's support. According to the Research, there are still existent gaps in the living standards and in the well-being of men and women in Serbia. Gender inequalities at labor market exist in different important aspects, such as segregation in occupation and employment sectors, existence of glass ceilings, and, in addition, it shows, that, although women workers have played a key role during COVID-19 epidemic, they have been more exposed to economic consequences of the epidemic than men. Research also highlights the need to address serious representation gaps in trade unions, especially at leadership positions, as well as the need to review and adapt policies in order to genuinely serve men and women alike, underlining the fact that gender equality is an important union matter. It contains recommendations for a gender-responsive approach in economic area in order to avoid further reproducing or accentuating of economic and gender inequalities and in order to improve future approach in use of women’s resources.