ODIHR meeting examines role of monitoring in ensuring respect for human rights of security sector personnel

The importance of monitoring the armed forces to ensure that the human rights of security sector personnel are protected was the focus of a two-day meeting in Warsaw, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 4 and 5 March 2013.

Twenty-four representatives from civil society, military associations, ombudsman institutions and academia from across the OSCE region shared experiences and good practices in monitoring and protecting the rights of service personnel.

“External and independent monitoring of human rights compliance in the armed forces helps to foster security and safety, not fear,” said Snježana Bokulić, the Head of ODIHR’s Human Rights Department.

Andrey Kuvshinov, a Research Officer at the London School of Economics, noted that “effective monitoring can raise awareness of the need to discontinue practices that amount to violations of the human rights of armed forces personnel”. 

Participants also underlined the importance of international co-operation and networks in the effective monitoring and protection of these rights.

The meeting will be followed by a one-day training session for civil society representatives on identifying and reporting on gender-based discrimination in the armed forces.

The events are organized as part of ODIHR’s Human Rights, Gender and Security Programme, which works with the OSCE’s 57 participating States to mainstream human rights and gender in the security sector.