Addressing Violence against Women in Politics in the OSCE Region – The Launch of New ODIHR Toolkit

ODIHR organizes this online event as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender-based Violence. Members of parliaments and leading experts will discuss current challenges and opportunities in preventing violence against women in politics.

The event will also launch a new ODIHR toolkit, “Addressing Violence against Women in Politics”, which aims to raise awareness and strengthen knowledge and capacities of the OSCE participating States to prevent this type of violence.

The event will be held in English and Russian with international sign language interpretation.

The Toolkit

The new ODIHR Toolkit is the latest example of the Office’s increased efforts to prevent violence against women in politics and encourage their participation in public life, which is crucial to ensure that all members of society are represented at the political level.

The Toolkit draws on existing definitions, the international normative framework, OSCE and regional commitments and examples of promising practices to prevent and address violence against women in politics. This practical guide is designed for politicians, parliaments, political parties and civil society representatives.

Registration

The event will be held online and livestreamed on the OSCE/ODIHR Facebook page.

Please register here to join the event.

Background

Violence against women in politics is a growing problem for women across the OSCE region and around the globe. As a human rights violation and a barrier to women’s political participation, violence against women in politics presents a serious challenge to democracy and the peace and security of OSCE participating States.

In line with the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision 15/05, OSCE participating States “have an obligation to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and punish the perpetrators of violence against women and girls and to provide protection to the victims, and … failure to do so violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

To address violence against women in politics effectively, targeted action and collaborative intervention is required. Challenges and solutions to the issue will be discussed at the event.

Contact

In case of questions, please reach out to Sara Haapalainen, ODIHR Adviser on Gender Issues, at sara.haapalainen@odihr.pl.