LIVE: 2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

The simultaneous interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. The OSCE and the interpreters decline any responsibility for any errors or omissions that may occur in the interpretation, and for any damages that might arise from the use of the interpretation. 

PREVIOUS SESSIONS

OPENING PLENARY SESSION

Chair: Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Opening statements:

Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovakia

Mr. Jacek Czaputowicz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland

Opening remarks: Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of ODIHR

Keynote Speaker: Mr. Lech Wałęsa, former President of the Republic of Poland

Opening statements:

Amb. Thomas Greminger, OSCE Secretary General

Mr. George Tsereteli, President, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

Amb. Lamberto Zannier, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

Mr. Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Technical information: Ms. Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director of ODIHR

Statements by Delegations

WORKING SESSION 1

Fundamental freedoms I, including:

– Freedom of expression, free media and information

Introducer: Ms Amy Brouillette, Research Director, at Ranking Digital Rights

Moderator: Mr Andrey Rikhter, Senior Adviser, OSCE Office of the RFoM

Rapporteur: Mr Boštjan Širnik, Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 2

Fundamental freedoms I (continued), including address by the OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media:

– Freedom of expression, free media and information

Introducer: Mr. Harlem Desir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Moderator: Mr. Andrey Rikhter, Senior Adviser, OSCE Office of the RFoM

Rapporteur: Ms. Rikke Høyer Hughes, Permanent Mission of Denmark to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 3

Democratic institutions, including:

– Democracy at the national, regional and local levels

– Democratic elections

Introducer: Ambassador Urszula Gacek, Head of EOMs, former Senator and Consul General

Moderator: Mr. Alexander Shlyk, Head, Elections Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Anna Pogwizd, Permanent Mission of Poland to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 4 (specifically selected topic)

Safety of journalists

Introducer: Mr. Tarlach McGonagle, Extraordinary professor of Media Law & Information Society, Leiden University

Moderator: Ms. Kristin Olson, Principle Adviser, OSCE Office of the RFoM

Rapporteur: Ms. Manon Philippet, Permanent Représentation of Belgium to OSCE

WORKING SESSION 5 (specifically selected topic):

Safety of journalists (continued)

Introducer: Ms.Nani Jansen, Director, Digital Freedom Fund

Moderator: Mr. Andrey Rikhter, Senior Adviser, OSCE Office of the RFoM

Rapporteur: Ms. Catalina Bolma –Dupont, Delegation of the EU to the International Organisations

WORKING SESSION 6

Fundamental freedoms II, including:

– Freedom of peaceful assembly and association

Introducer: Ms. Diana-Olivia Hatneanu, Independent lawyer

Moderator: Mr. Jennifer Croft, Deputy Head, ODIHR Human Rights Department

Rapporteur: Ms. Sorcha Casey, Permanent Mission of Ireland to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 7

Fundamental freedoms II (continued), including:

– Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief

Introducer: Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, former UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB and former Foreign Minister of the Maldives, Visiting Professor of Human Rights Practice at the University of Essex

Moderator: Mr. Kishan Manocha, Senior Adviser on Freedom of Religion or Belief, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Ms Tamara Ognjanović, Permanent Mission of Serbia to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 8

Tolerance and non-discrimination I, including:

– Equal opportunity for women and men

– Implementation of the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality

– Violence against women

Introducer: Ms. Elvira Surabaldieva, Member of Parliament of Kyrgyzstan

Moderator: Mr. Marcin Walecki, Head, Democratization Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Mr. Jürgen Heissel, Permanent Mission of Austriato the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 9

Humanitarian issues and other commitments, including:

– Combating trafficking in human beings

– Refugees and displaced persons

– Persons at risk of displacement

Introducer: Ms. Dalia Leinarte, Fellow-Commoner at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, and Professor at Vytautas Magnus University

Moderator: Mr. Valiant Richey, Special Representative, Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Rapporteur: Ms. Lucie Leauté, Permanent Representation of France to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 10

Rule of law I, including:

– Independence of the judiciary

– Democratic law-making

– Ensuring equal enjoyment of rights and equal participation in political and public life

Introducer: Ms. Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender (Ombudsperson) of Georgia

Moderator: Mr. Marcin Walecki, Head, Democratization Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Mr. Leonard Reil, Global Affairs of Canada

WORKING SESSION 11

Rule of law II, including:

– Prevention of torture

– Exchange of views on the question of abolition of capital punishment

– Protection of human rights and fighting terrorism

Introducer: Ms. Marie Struthers, Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Amnesty International

Moderator: Mr. Omer Fisher, Head, Human Rights Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Mr. Eurico de Matos, Permanent Mission of Portugal to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 12

Tolerance and non-discrimination II, including address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

– Rights of persons belonging to national minorities

Introducer: Ms. Petra Roter, Associate Professor, University of Ljubljana

Moderator: Mr. William Romans, Senior Legal Advisor, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

Rapporteur: Ms. Daria Mosina, Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 13

Tolerance and non-discrimination II, including:

– Combating racism, xenophobia, and discrimination

– Combating anti-Semitism and discrimination against Christians, Muslims and members of other religions

Introducers:

Imam Yahya Pallavicini, President, COREIS (Islamic religious community)

Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism

Professor Ingeborg Gabriel, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions

Ambassador Mehmet Paçacı, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims

Moderator: Ms. Cristina Finch, Head, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Ms. Magnar Aaberg, Permanent Mission of Norway to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 14 (specifically selected topic)

Hate crime

Introducer: Ms. María Teresa Verdugo Moreno, UN CERD committee member

Moderator: Ms. Christie Edwards, Deputy Head, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Mr. Brian Breuhaus, United States Department of State

WORKING SESSION 15 (specifically selected topic)

Hate crime

Introducer: Ms. Draginja Nadaždin, Director, Amnesty International Poland

Moderator: Ms. Cristina Finch, Head, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Mr. Arne Brandsma, Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 16 (specifically selected topic)

Roma and Sinti

Introducers:

Ms. Zola Kondur, Council of Europe in Ukraine

Mr. Romeo Franz, Member of the European Parliament for the Green Party, member of the Sinti community from Germany

Moderator: Mr. Dan Pavel Doghi, Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues, Chief of the Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI), ODIHR

Rapporteur: Ms. Helen Teasdale, Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 17 (specifically selected topic)

Roma and Sinti

Introducers:

Ms. Daniela Mihaylova Lawyer, Equal Opportunities Initiative Association, Bulgaria

Ms. Eniko Vincze Professor, Researcher, Social activist

Moderator: Mr. Dan Pavel Doghi, Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues, Chief of the Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues (CPRSI), ODIHR

Rapporteur:Ms. Olga Rakic, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the OSCE

WORKING SESSION 18

Discussion of human dimension activities (with special emphasis on project work)

Introducers: Mr. Adam Rogers, Strategic Communications Advisor, former UNDP Senior Advisor for the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) Development Impact Group

Ms. Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Ms. Deniz Yazici, Adviser, Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Moderator :Ms. Kateryna Ryabiko, Project Co-ordinator, ODIHR

Rapporteur: Ms. Christine Harper, Permanent Missionof the United States to the OSCE

As part of the session, a short video on a trial monitoring project implemented by the OSCE field operation in Ukraine will be displayed.

Closing reinforced plenary session (reinforced by the participation of human rights directors, OSCE ambassadors and heads of OSCE institutions):

– Any other business

– Closing of the meeting

Chair: Ms. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of ODIHR

Closing speech on behalf of the OSCE Secretary General:

- Amb. Paul Bekkers, Director, Office of the OSCE Secretary General

Closing speech by OSCE Chairmanship:

- Amb. Katarína Žáková, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the OSCE

Closing speech by Director of ODIHR - Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir

Closing