National minority issues
Discrimination and exclusion of national minorities can lead to ethnic tensions that may endanger peace, stability and security. The OSCE seeks to identify such problems and tries to head them off early by promoting the rights of persons belonging to national minorities.
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Our challenge
Many factors can affect security and stability, often across borders, population segments or the OSCE’s three dimensions.
Ethnic conflict and tensions between majority and minority groups can be critical sources of large-scale violence, a fact that became evident to the OSCE participating States in the early 1990s, when fighting raged in South-Eastern Europe and violent clashes erupted in several parts of Central Asia and the Caucasus. If states deny, restrict or fail to provide access to justice, national minorities may become alienated, which undermines social cohesion and increases the risk of inter-ethnic tensions. On the other hand, if the rights of minority groups are respected, persons belonging to such groups are more likely to participate effectively in the political and economic life of the state.
Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, democracy, the rule of law, economic liberty, social justice and environmental responsibility are our common aims.
Our action
Building on our comprehensive and co-operative approach to security, we work on strategies to tackle the issue head-on.
We consider the protection of national minority rights a function of good governance and a way to promote integration. Our activities include monitoring the situation of minority groups in our participating States, alerting to and working towards containing possible conflict, integrating minorities better into the States' public life, preventing discrimination and building trust between communities.
Our teams
Our institutions, field operations and offices bring to the task expert skills and knowledge to develop tailor-made solutions for each challenge.
Our institutions and offices
Our lead institution on national minority issues is the High Commissioner on National Minorities. The High Commissioner works to contain and de-escalate tensions involving national minorities and acts as a ‘tripwire,’ alerting the OSCE when tensions between majority and minority groups could develop into conflict.
Our operations on the ground
Several field operations work on national minority issues. Their focus, among other issues, is to better integrate national and ethnic minorities into public life, help reform the education system, strengthen the use of minority languages, curb discrimination and help build confidence among communities in their host countries.
Mission to Moldova
Mission to Moldova
Established on 4 February 1993 to facilitate the achievement of a lasting political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict in all its aspects.
Mission to Serbia
Mission to Serbia
The Mission, set up on 11 January 2001, is based in Belgrade and assists Serbia in building accountable democratic institutions.
Mission to Skopje
Mission to Skopje
Established on 18 September 1992, the Mission’s key priorities are constructive inter-ethnic relations and the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement.
Events
Upcoming conferences, meetings and training events
Studies and reports
Reports, studies and analyses for policymakers, researchers and all those interested in this field of our work
Manuals and guides
Practice-oriented manuals, guides, handbooks and recommendations for policymakers and practitioners working in this field
OSCE stories
Read up on the OSCE, our people on the ground and our work
