Frequenly asked questions

1. What is the history of the OSCE in Ukraine?
2. What is the purpose of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine?
3. How to become an election observer?
4. What is the purpose of ODIHR?
5. What is the ODIHR's role in elections?

1. What is the history of the OSCE in Ukraine?

   The first OSCE Mission began its work on 24 November 1994 and was headquartered in Kyiv with a branch office in Simferopol. Its tasks included conflict prevention and crisis management in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. After the successful completion of its mandate, the OSCE Mission to Ukraine ceased to function in 1999. That same year, the OSCE and the Government of Ukraine agreed to establish a new form of cooperation.

2. What is the purpose of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine?

   The OSCE Project Coordinator is the second OSCE field operation to have been established in Ukraine. According to the Permanent Council Decision No.295 of 1 June 1999, an OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine was established for the purpose of carrying out tasks related to the new form of cooperation between Ukraine and the OSCE. This cooperation consists of planning, implementating and monitoring projects between relevant authorities of Ukraine and the OSCE and its institutions. Such projects may cover all aspects of OSCE activities and may involve governmental as well as non-governmental bodies of Ukraine.

3. How to become an election observer?

   The OSCE Project Coordinator's Office does not observe elections, this is the task of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The ODIHR does not recruit observers directly, they are generally seconded to the ODIHR by OSCE participating States.

   When a decision is made to observe an election, the ODIHR requests long and short-term observers by notifying delegations to the OSCE in Vienna.

   The procedure for recruiting observers varies from country to country, but the process is generally coordinated by the respective foreign ministries. As a rule it is the sending states that cover the costs of observers.

   For more information, please contact your Ministry of Foreign Affairs or respective embassy.

4. What is the purpose of ODIHR?

   In accordance with its mandate, the ODIHR:

   • Promotes democratic election processes through the in-depth observation of national and local elections and conducts election assistance projects that enhance meaningful participatory democracy;
   • Provides practical support in consolidating democratic institutions and uses long-term programs and targeted projects to strengthen civil society and democratic governance practices; program activities are divided into two primary areas: longer-term, multi-year, institutional and capacity-building programs; and shorter-term, high-impact projects;
   • Assists OSCE field missions in implementing their human dimension activities, including through training, exchange of experiences, and regional coordination;
   • Contributes to early warning and conflict prevention by monitoring the implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments by participating states; provides regular human rights training for government authorities, civil society, and OSCE staff;
   • Assists participating states with the implementation of international legal obligations and OSCE commitments on terrorism in line with human rights principles;
   • Serves as the OSCE Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues; promotes the full integration of Roma and Sinti groups into the societies in which they live;
   • Organizes regular meetings on the implementation of human dimension commitments, such as the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, the annual Human Dimension Seminar, and Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings

5. What is the ODIHR's role in elections?

   The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is based in Warsaw, Poland. It is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and rule of law.

   The ODIHR deploys election observation missions to OSCE participating states to assess the implementation of OSCE commitments relating to elections. The ODIHR also conducts technical-assistance projects and legislative reviews.

   The ODIHR's reputation as Europe's leading agency in the field of election observation is built upon its systematic, comprehensive, and verifiable election observation methodology.

   Based on the premise that an election is more than a one-day event, this methodology provides in-depth insight into all elements necessary for a democratic electoral process, including the legal and regulatory framework; the election administration; the election campaign, including the media environment; the complaints and appeals process; voting, counting, and tabulation; and the announcement of results.

   This methodology was first developed nearly a decade ago; it has also served as a model for other international organizations. The objectives of the ODIHR's election observation activities are twofold: (1) to assess electoral processes in accordance with OSCE election-related commitments; and (2) to offer recommendations, where necessary, to bring electoral processes in line with those commitments.