assertions. As the ample body of commitments relating to implementation demonstrates, the OSCE has always understood itself as a forum that takes the verification of effective implementation seriously, through unbiased monitoring and reporting. The ODIHR has a particular role in this, and has been equipped with a specific mandate in this regard. The institutions alone, however, cannot substitute for an effective peer-review system that is based on the understanding that implementing human dimension commitments is the collective responsibility of all OSCE States. 162. Commitments must be known by those who stand to benefit from their implementation. As the participating States recognized in Helsinki more than thirty years ago, commitments undertaken within this framework are only as good as they are known to the wider public and accessible to citizens who want to see their governments abide by their own rules. Thus, the ODIHR’s assistance in implementing human dimension commitments has included the compilation and publication of all relevant undertakings by States, as well as their dissemination in several languages. In 2005, the ODIHR published the second edition of the OSCE Human Dimension Commitments, both in a chronological and a user-friendly thematic version in both English and Russian. Other language versions are currently under preparation. For the implementation of OSCE commitments to be more effective, it is essential for the OSCE and its participating States to make its body of norms and values available to the largest circle of readers possible by disseminating the relevant materials even more widely. 163. The ODIHR’s general monitoring mandate encompasses the entirety of the human dimension. In practice, the ODIHR focuses on areas that are not already covered by the mandates of either the High Commissioner on National Minorities or the Representative on Freedom of the Media. Also, where the OSCE has deployed large field operations with a human rights monitoring mandate, the ODIHR refrains from duplicating such efforts. It does, however, play a subsidiary and supporting role in both cases and liaises closely with the respective partners. Also, within the general human dimension framework, the ODIHR seeks to identify, in close co-ordination with the Chairman-in-Office, areas and issues that should be brought to the attention of the OSCE community within its focus on comprehensive security, early warning, and conflict prevention. Moreover, where valuable work is being carried out by other organizations, such as the Council of Europe or the United Nations, the ODIHR tries to avoid duplication. That is not to say, however, that serious human rights issues cannot be addressed at the same time by a variety of actors and institutions. On the contrary, issues at times require consolidated and co-ordinated efforts of the broader international community to receive the appropriate attention and be addressed effectively. 164. Systematic work with civil society is key to the ODIHR’s work across all of its programmes. Monitoring of, and assisting the implementation of, participating States’ human dimension commitments are among the ODIHR’s core activities. This has necessarily involved monitoring the capacity of human rights defenders and national human rights institutions to operate, especially in challenging circumstances. The ODIHR has also helped build the capacity of human rights defenders through education and training and is committed to enhancing its activities through a new focal point for human rights defenders and national human rights institutions. 165. The ODIHR has been called upon to engage in the monitoring of areas that have received particular attention from OSCE States. Such specific focus areas include elections, Common Responsibility: Commitments and Implementation 59