Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting: Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Economic Crisis

The third Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Economic Crisis organized by the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights will take place in Vienna from 30 to 31 of October 2014.

The meeting will provide a forum for the discussion of how the economic crisis has impacted on the enjoyment of human rights in the OSCE area. The topics will include economic, social and cultural rights, the protection of vulnerable groups as well as rights and responsibilities in times of economic crisis. The discussion will focus on the role of the OSCE and other actors in safeguarding and promoting relevant OSCE commitments in the face of decreasing resources and competing demands.

The meeting will address the topic through the following three sessions:

• Rights and responsibilities in times of economic crisis;
• The impact of the economic crisis on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights;
• The impact of the economic crisis on vulnerable groups.

The meeting will be attended by the participating States as well as other relevant actors including civil society and international organisations. Recommendations may be addressed to participating States, the OSCE at large, OSCE institutions, including the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE field operations, other inter-governmental or non-governmental organizations, as well as other civil society actors in OSCE participating States.

Registration

On-line registration for all participants is available at http://meetings.odihr.pl. Participants are advised to register by Wednesday, 15th October 2014. The registration will also be available online after the deadline and during the Meeting on the spot, however, to facilitate the preparation for the meeting the earliest possible registration would be highly appreciated.

Modalities

The meeting will take place in the Hofburg Congress Centre. It will start on Thursday, 30 October, at 15.00 by the opening session, will be followed by three working sessions and the closing session will finish on Friday, 31 October at 17.30.

The modalities of the meeting are set out in accordance with the decision of the Permanent Council (PC.DEC/476, 23 May 2002).

It will be interpreted into the six official OSCE languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

Side events

Side events may be held over the course of two days during the SHDM. Participants wishing to organise a side event should send a side events’ checklist by 17th October 2014 to Mr. Ireneusz Stepinski, ODIHR at Ireneusz.Stepinski[at]odihr.pl.  Additional information on the content and objectives of any side event, as well as timing and duration are available on the SHDM website, in the ‘Side events check-list’ document.

More information about the meeting is available in the following attachments: ‘Agenda’, ‘General Guidelines’, ‘Information for Civil Society’, ‘Side events check-list’ and the ‘List of selected hotels in Vienna’.

Detailed annotated agenda will be available soon on the website.

In case of any questions, you may contact:

Substantive content matters: Ms. Irina Urumova, ODIHR at Irina.Urumova[at]odihr.pl or +48 22 5200 705

Organizational matters: Ms. Kamila Czerwinska, ODIHR at Kamila.Czerwinska[at]odihr.pl or +48 22 5200 657

Organization of side events: Mr. Ireneusz Stepinski, ODIHR at Ireneusz.Stepinski[at]odihr.pl  or +48 22 52 00 658

Registration of participants: Ms. Anna Sierant, ODIHR at Anna.Sierant[at]odihr.pl or +48 22 5200 627