Michael Georg Link (l), Director of ODIHR, and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin (r) met in Kyiv to discuss the final election observation mission report on the 25 May early presidential elections and the situation in eastern Ukraine, including the situation ofRoma there, July 14. Foreign Ministry of Ukraine throughout, as it was an exceptional focus in 2014. Election observation missions in Ukraine were the largest and most visible on record and the Human Rights Assessment Mission conducted by ODIHR in March and April, jointly with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, shed light on a number of serious human rights violations in the country. The Office also closely monitored and reported on the situation and plight of Roma in Ukraine during the crisis. As part of its established work in the area of human rights, in October the Office co-organized a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Economic Crisis with the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. Participants discussed economic, social and cultural rights, the protection of vulnerable groups as well as rights and responsibilities of governments during times of economic crisis. They stressed that the commitment to defend and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms remains just as relevant – if not more so – in the face of decreasing resources and competing demands. ODIHR’s Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, published in June, are another example of ODIHR’s human rights work. The guidelines concentrate on the protection of those who are at risk as a result of their human rights engagement, and on measures to create and consolidate a safe and enabling environment in which human rights defenders are empowered to carry out their vital work. The year also saw a broad range of activities by ODIHR in the area of democratization. In the spring, the Office published the Baseline Study on Cross-Border Mobility in the OSCE Region. The study informs national experts and responsible government institutions in their efforts at visa facilitation and the promotion of cross border people-to-people contact. Likewise, the newly published Handbook on Women’s Participation in Political Parties aims at encouraging political party leaders, men and women alike, to support the integration of gender aspects into internal political party decision-making processes. As part of its activities to strengthen capacity for legal reform, over the year ODIHR reviewed 23 laws and draft laws from a number of participating States. The reviews, performed upon requests from the respective states, included legislation on judicial independence, prosecution reform, criminal procedures, freedom of association, gender equality, national human rights institutions and political party financing. Eight of the reviews were prepared jointly with the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. ODIHR’s Contact Point on Roma and Sinti Issues worked throughout 2014 to enhance the public and political participation of Roma and Sinti, especially women and youth. The Roma and Sinti Youth ODIHR Annual Report 2014 7