Three decades of strengthening democracy and human rights: ODIHR at 30
This year, ODIHR marks 30 years since its establishment. But in 2021, as countries continue to struggle with the aftermath of the pandemic and we are witness to ongoing violations of human rights around the OSCE region, it is hard to know what to call this anniversary year. A celebration? A commemoration? A time for reflection, or one for looking forward?
Or perhaps there is no need to choose. After all, challenges and opportunities, progress and setback, are all part of the human experience. This also reminds us how important it is to honour our own achievements, never taking them for granted but nurturing them for future generations to enjoy.
Thirty years ago, ODIHR was created in a time of transformation, but also a time of aspiration and of purpose. When the authors of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe put pen to paper in 1990, they could hardly have imagined the world in which we now find ourselves. Yet their vision could have been written for today:
“Ours is a time for fulfilling the hopes and expectations our peoples have cherished for decades: steadfast commitment to democracy based on human rights and fundamental freedoms; prosperity through economic liberty and social justice; and equal security for all our countries.”
The states that signed the agreements in Paris and in Copenhagen earlier that same year were as far-sighted as they were courageous, reaching towards a future that lay beyond the immediate challenges. And make no mistake – there were plenty of them. The transformation of entire political and economic systems, the need to build public trust as people adjusted to the changes, the onset of the digital age and the revolution it has brought to both state power and civic engagement… The list goes on.
And yet there was a vision that by working together and meeting regularly in a spirit of dialogue and mutual accountability, the structures could be created that would enable our societies to move forward and become more secure, improving the lives of all citizens.
It is true that some of the challenges we are facing today are very different.
The Covid-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves through our societies, imposing unprecedented limits on many rights and freedoms. The temptation to perpetuate these restrictions following the period of emergency is in full view to us all, and is testing the resilience of democratic institutions across the OSCE region.
It is also alarming to see the way in which some of the most vulnerable in our societies are increasingly being targeted, with migrants, ethnic and religious minorities finding themselves accused for a global pandemic for which they have no responsibility.
At the same time, in many places we see that despite the recognition by all OSCE countries of the important role played by civil society, human rights defenders and civil society organisations are often regarded not as partners but as a risk. The use of excessively broad counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation to restrict the legitimate activities of NGOs is having an increasingly negative impact, and must be called out.
So some challenges are new. But not everything has changed. Now as 30 years ago, we see ordinary people across the 57 countries of the OSCE striving to live in dignity and freedom. Individuals who – rightfully – demand respect for their right to choose who represents them in freely held elections; respect for their freedom to gather in public to protest; and respect for their inalienable human rights.
Today’s challenges are not insurmountable. We have a strong international framework to protect our rights, and both national and international institutions to help ensure these laws and standards are upheld. We have the joint commitments made by all OSCE countries not only to protect human rights and democracy, but to make them grow and become stronger.
And just as 30 years ago, the expertise and experience gathered at ODIHR make us part of the solution. Our cooperation with countries across much of the region is also flourishing. And since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have worked tirelessly to strengthen democratic institutions, support democratic elections, assist in formulating transparent and inclusive legislation, build bridges between national authorities and civil society, and progress towards more tolerant societies in which each individual is valued equally.
That is why I can still look forward with optimism and a future in which dialogue will continue and grow. What is needed now is political will and a renewal of that sense of optimism that reigned 30 years ago. The challenges are undoubtedly there; but they can and must be overcome. By putting humans at the centre of our search for solutions to the challenges facing humanity.