ODIHR Online Dialogue on Harassment, Violence and Abuse within Armed Forces

The ODIHR online dialogue on sexual harassment, violence and abuse within armed forces aims to bring together relevant stakeholders from across the OSCE region to discuss how to best tackle the different forms of the crimes mentioned. The discussion will feature topics including, but not limited to:

• training
• policies and codes of conduct
• survivor and witness protection
• institutional mechanisms in support of duty of care
• systems for sanctions and perpetrator accountability

Participants

Stakeholders encouraged to join are, among others:

• personnel from conduct and discipline units
• military gender advisers
• medical and legal personnel providing victim counselling and support
• any other personnel with a key function in preventing and addressing harassment, violence and abuse within the armed forces

In addition, ODIHR will invite general inspectors or ombudsman institutions for the armed forces, national human rights institutions (NHRIs) working to support human rights compliance within the armed forces, representatives of international organizations and other key stakeholders working in related fields. 

Participants are expected to dedicate no more than one hour daily to participate in the dialogue. The dialogue does not require full-time participation, nor any participation at certain intervals.

Outcome

The online dialogue will provide a platform for different stakeholders from the OSCE participating States to discuss good practices and challenges to their implementation of the different forms of addressing harassment, violence and abuse within the military. The discussions will contribute to the development of a guidance tool on preventing and addressing sexual harassment, violence and abuse within the armed forces.

Questions