- OSCE and Organization of the Islamic Conference need to work together to battle Islamophobia, says OIC leader

VIENNA, 6 May 2010 - Co-ordinated efforts are needed to battle the rise of Islamophobia, intolerance and discrimination against Muslims, the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, told the OSCE Permanent Council today.

"The goals and objectives of the OIC are not much different from those of the OSCE, as both our organizations are devoted to the cause of international peace and security," he said.

Strengthening the two organizations’ already existing co-operation would be beneficial, Ihsanoglu said, adding that Kazakhstan, which holds the 2010 OSCE Chairmanship and will chair the OIC in 2011, could help promote such co-operation.

A rise of hatred and intolerance was "among the gravest threats to stability and peace and a serious challenge to security", he said.

He also drew attention to the rise of Islamophobia.

"We cannot ignore the fact that religion has been drawn into the agenda of international relations by the extremist elements who are active in creating tensions and who threaten stability, harmony and even peace through provocation and incitement on religious grounds," he said.

He urged the OSCE to prioritize the "looming threat to stability, harmony and security" posed by intolerance and extremism and welcomed plans to address intolerance and discrimination against Muslims during an OSCE High-Level Conference on Tolerance and Non-discrimination, to be held in June in Astana.

"It is high time for the OSCE and OIC to put together tangible and result-oriented efforts to motivate the people, starting with those at the grassroots, to reject the extremists," he said, adding that this work should aim to develop "a culture of respect and tolerance for the whole range of civil and political, as well as economic, social and cultural rights of people of all beliefs and backgrounds."

The Permanent Council is one of the OSCE’s main decision-making bodies. It meets weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make appropriate decisions.

Direct link to the press release

- OSCE meeting on gender equality begins with calls for more action on increasing women’s participation in public life

VIENNA, 6 May 2010 - A special OSCE meeting on gender equality got underway today with participants calling for increased action by participating States to promote the participation of women in political and public life. 

Speakers at the opening of the two-day meeting, which is organized by Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), pointed out that progress on ensuring equality between women and men remained patchy and uneven.

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, ODIHR’s Director, said gender balance is a question fundamental to any democracy: "If the high degree of legitimacy that democracy enjoys is to be sustained, achieving de facto equality needs to top the agenda of policy-makers."

He added that democracy remains a mere aspiration if significant parts of the citizenry are in effect excluded from public affairs.

The representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Labour and Social Protection Gulshara Abdykalikova, stressed the importance of implementing the OSCE’s 2004 Action Plan on Gender Equality and made some concrete proposals on how to achieve this: "To effectively promote gender balance, it is useful to conduct joint training sessions for state officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations, introduce gender aspects into budgeting processes at all levels and develop mechanisms enabling men and women to balance work and family life." She also suggested considering the creation of a Eurasian OSCE Institute of Gender Equality in Astana as a catalyst for the active promotion of gender mainstreaming in the region.

Elza Pais, Portugal’s State Secretary for Equality and keynote speaker at the opening, highlighted the benefits of women’s equal participation in public life: "This is not about political correctness or a question of benevolence vis-à-vis women. It is about the efficient development of society."

She said women represent an indispensable resource that society cannot afford to waste, in particular in view of the current economic and financial crisis.

During the meeting, some 250 participants from the OSCE’s 56 participating States will review the progress achieved and identify outstanding challenges with regard to gender balance and the effective participation of women in public life. This includes discussions on empowering women as political party members and elected officials.

Direct link to the press release

- OSCE meeting on gender equality begins with calls for more action on increasing women’s participation in public life

VIENNA, 6 May 2010 - A special OSCE meeting on gender equality got underway today with participants calling for increased action by participating States to promote the participation of women in political and public life.

Speakers at the opening of the two-day meeting, which is organized by Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), pointed out that progress on ensuring equality between women and men remained patchy and uneven.

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, ODIHR’s Director, said gender balance is a question fundamental to any democracy: "If the high degree of legitimacy that democracy enjoys is to be sustained, achieving de facto equality needs to top the agenda of policy-makers."

He added that democracy remains a mere aspiration if significant parts of the citizenry are in effect excluded from public affairs.

The representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Labour and Social Protection Gulshara Abdykalikova, stressed the importance of implementing the OSCE’s 2004 Action Plan on Gender Equality and made some concrete proposals on how to achieve this: "To effectively promote gender balance, it is useful to conduct joint training sessions for state officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations, introduce gender aspects into budgeting processes at all levels and develop mechanisms enabling men and women to balance work and family life." She also suggested considering the creation of a Eurasian OSCE Institute of Gender Equality in Astana as a catalyst for the active promotion of gender mainstreaming in the region.

Elza Pais, Portugal’s State Secretary for Equality and keynote speaker at the opening, highlighted the benefits of women’s equal participation in public life: "This is not about political correctness or a question of benevolence vis-à-vis women. It is about the efficient development of society."

She said women represent an indispensable resource that society cannot afford to waste, in particular in view of the current economic and financial crisis.

During the meeting, some 250 participants from the OSCE’s 56 participating States will review the progress achieved and identify outstanding challenges with regard to gender balance and the effective participation of women in public life. This includes discussions on empowering women as political party members and elected officials.

Direct link to the press release