The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) consists of 56 States drawn from Europe, Central Asia and the Western Hemisphere.  The structure of the organization is divided into three “dimensions”-- the political-military dimension; the economic and environmental dimension; and the human dimension.   It is this last dimension that makes it one of the most important and effective mechanisms for promoting democracy and human rights in the world.  The OSCE is a consensus organization and through its parliamentary assembly and the presence of the participating States’ missions in Vienna, it provides an essential forum for bilateral communication and coordination, especially with less democratic regimes.  The OSCE began as the Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1973 and was formalized with the Helsinki Final Act in 1975.  In these early days it was an important tool for dialogue with the countries behind the Iron Curtain. 

 

Within the human dimension, the OSCE holds at least three meetings every year focusing solely on human rights and democracy issues, the major one of which is called the HDIM (for Human Dimension).  This meeting is unique in that equal time and importance are given to civil society actors and government representatives.  The OSCE offers a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, and puts the political will of the participating States into practice through its unique network of field missions.  Another essental Human Dimension activity is election monitoring which is one of the OSCE’s strongest areas of institutional expertise. 

 

These fundamental Human Dimension principles were strengthened through the Copenhagen Document of 1990, which will have its 20^th Anniversary during the Kazakhstani Chairmanship in 2010.  It is critical that the participating States reaffirm this commitment to human rights and democracy now in the face of increasing challenges from authoritarian regimes. That is why we have launched the OSCE Monitor project and invite you to regularly visit these pages for updates.