The Human Dimension of the OSCE: An Introduction This complex structure of summits, meetings, conferences, and seminars generates two important effects. First, it enables the participating States to embark on a dynamic norm-creating process. The participating States can react quickly to new needs and build on previous OSCE commitments to specify their application. Second, it provides a forum for discussing the actual implementation of human dimension commitments by OSCE participating States. This reflects the principle that compliance with OSCE commitments is a subject of direct and legitimate concern for all OSCE participating States and does not belong to the internal affairs of any particular State. An important feature of OSCE human dimension meetings is that they are open to the active participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Thus, NGOs can and do participate in addressing concerns about the actual implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments and make suggestions on how to solve problems. 3. The human dimension mechanism In addition to these regular meetings, the OSCE has also created a so-called human dimension mechanism, the Vienna Mechanism 5 and the Moscow Mechanism, 6 the latter partly constituting a further elaboration of the Vienna Mechanism. Together, they set out a process for supervising the implementation of human dimension commitments to be invoked on an ad hoc basis by any individual OSCE participating State. The Vienna Mechanism allows a participating State, through a set of procedures, to raise questions relating to the human dimension in another OSCE participating State. The Moscow Mechanism builds on this and provides for the additional possibility to establish ad hoc missions of independent experts to assist in the resolution of a specific human dimension problem. This includes the right to investigate alleged violations of human dimension commitments, in exceptional circumstances even without the consent of the accused state. In practice, the human dimension mechanism is only rarely applied, partly due to the development of the OSCE into a permanently functioning organization and partly due to the political considerations involved in invoking such ad hoc mechanisms.7 4. OSCE institutions with relevance to the human dimension Departing from the conference approach of its early years, the OSCE has established a number of permanent institutions to assist participating States with the implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments. These institutions play an increasingly important role. The following gives a very basic overview about these institutions without giving a full account of their activities. 5 6 As established in the Vienna Concluding Document of 1989. The Moscow Mechanism was agreed upon at the last meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE in Moscow (1991). 7 Nevertheless, the responsible OSCE institution, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, continues to maintain an active list of experts as required by the Moscow Mechanism. OSCE Human Dimension Commitments xxi