ODIHR trains Egyptian NGOs on human rights, election observation

Fifteen civil society representatives from Egypt arrived in Warsaw on 26 July for a three-day training workshop on election monitoring and human rights organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the OSCE’s Lithuanian Chairmanship.

Douglas Wake, ODIHR’s Deputy Director, said at the opening that the workshop is designed to pass on relevant experience gathered by ODIHR in its work assisting participating States and civil society with transition processes in the OSCE area.

Sessions focus on applicable international human rights instruments, human rights monitoring, election observation, women’s participation in political life, and addressing intolerance and hate crimes. 

ODIHR organized the training event in follow-up to the visit of Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, Asta Skaisgiryte Liauškiene to Cairo in June 2011, where consultations with the civil society were held.

Egypt is not a participating State of the OSCE, but one of the Organization's Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation.