Human Rights T he ODIHR assists participating States in fulfilling their obligations to protect and promote human rights as they are set out in OSCE commitments and other relevant international standards. It monitors compliance with OSCE commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms and provides advice and assistance, including training and capacity-building. In practice, this involves working on a broad spectrum of issues, from the fundamental freedoms of assembly, association, and speech to sensitive and topical issues like capital punishment and respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism. In broader terms, monitoring provides indicators for the ODIHR’s institution-building activities by revealing areas where improvements to legislation or the functioning of state bodies could result in better protection of human rights for everyone. Thus, the ODIHR’s activities also contribute to early warning and conflict prevention as an integral part of the Organization’s comprehensive approach to security. environment potentially puts at risk a number of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to life, the absolute prohibition on torture, the right to a fair trial, the right to privacy, freedom of association, and freedom of religion or belief. k Trafficking in human beings: The fight against trafficking in human beings has to include adequate protection, support, and assistance for victims. A number of states fail to address the human rights of trafficking victims effectively, instead focusing on other issues, such as immigration control and priorities of law enforcement agencies. A weak commitment to a human rights approach is reflected in the inadequacy of anti-trafficking structures within states, insufficient inclusion of civil society and relevant state authorities in the development and implementation of anti-trafficking policies, and the disparity between the numbers of presumed trafficking cases and actual prosecutions for trafficking. ODIHR human rights officers speak to Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan following the 13 May events in Andijan. Main Issues k Protection of human rights in the fight against terrorism: Since 11 September 2001, countries throughout the OSCE region have instituted new anti-terrorism measures. This security ANNUAL REPORT 2005 ERIC GOURLAN k Threats to fundamental freedoms: In some countries, the fight against terrorism and extremism is being used as a pretext to reinforce the power of the authorities and to restrict human rights. Some governments have been restricting particularly the activities of human rights defenders, who are faced with a variety of obstacles while trying to conduct their activities, including restrictions on their freedoms of association, speech, and peaceful assembly. 51