22 September 2009
OSCE REGION: OSCE commitments on freedom of religion or belief

By John Kinahan, Forum 18 News Service <http://www.forum18.org>

As the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) approaches its Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) in Warsaw, Forum 18 News Service has gathered together some of the OSCE's most important and relevant commitments in the field of freedom of religion or belief. Human dimension commitments, including the commitments listed here, are agreed unanimously among all 56 participating States. All these countries have publicly promised to implement their commitments, and they have also agreed that the implementation of commitments is a legitimate matter of concern for all participating States and civil society. As has been repeatedly emphasised at OSCE meetings, a particular responsibility rests on the country holding the function of Chairperson-in-Office to set a good example in implementing commitments; in 2010, this country will be Kazakhstan.