Gender equality
The participating States have declared their commitment to gender equality in the 1999 Charter for European Security, the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality and related decisions.
The Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and all other OSCE executive structures work to implement the OSCE’s commitments on gender equality.
Security
The OSCE supports the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. The organization works to ensure that peace agreements and security measures reflect the different perspectives and protect the human rights of both men and women. The OSCE promotes the meaningful participation of women in peace efforts and security institutions, thereby improving their effectiveness.
Public and political life
The OSCE works to promote non-discriminatory laws and policies and increase women’s participation in politics and the electoral processes. Women are equal members of society and have a strong role to play in public and political life.
Economic and environmental activities
The OSCE considers men and women's equal rights and opportunities as a cornerstone to build prosperous and cohesive societies. It addresses imbalances by promoting gender-responsive socioeconomic and environmental policies while fostering men and women's equal participation in decision-making processes. The aim is to ensure that men and women can contribute equally to a peaceful and stable OSCE region."
Combating violence against women
The OSCE works with participating States to combat violence against women by collecting data, assisting with the development of robust policies and providing information and legal assistance to potential victims and survivors and enhancing the capacities of law enforcement and service providers. Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and a threat to the life of communities.
Within the OSCE
The OSCE mainstreams gender into all of its programmes, projects and activities. It is implementing measures to achieve gender parity in all levels of staff and management and has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on sexual discrimination and harassment within its executive structures.
