Democratization ODIHR supports participating States in making their democratic institutions and processes more representative, transparent and accountable, in line with democratic standards and OSCE commitments. Accordingly, the Office’s democratization activities are aimed at supporting democratic governance and lawmaking, as well as legal reform, facilitating the emergence of multiparty landscapes, strengthening the rule of law and parliamentary institutions, ensuring freedom of movement and migrant integration, and promoting gender equality and women’s participation in political and public life. Through its democratization work, ODIHR provides policy advice and capacity-building assistance to executive, legislative and judicial institutions, and supports the full participation of civil society in all public and decision-making processes. Recommendations emerging from ODIHR’s election observation activities provide the basis for much of the Office’s work in this area. In addition, ODIHR has published numerous guidelines and tools that provide an overview of good practices that can be applied across the entire range of democratization-related issues in the OSCE region. ODIHR provides technical expertise in the sphere of democratization to various actors, either directly or with the support of OSCE field operations. The Office works in close partnership with state institutions and civil society organizations, recognizing the important role played by civil society in helping to ensure full respect for fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. As true democracy requires the active participation of all members of society, ODIHR promotes the equal participation of women and men, migrants, youth and other groups in all democratic governance processes. ODIHR Annual Report 2013  /   21