ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Democratization Migration/Freedom of Movement gratory flows in accordance with human-rights stan- Main issues dards could be facilitated by the timely exchange of information between countries on the nature of these
The right to free choice of place of residence: flows. Sharing information is an integral part of cross- Since the collapse of communism in the early 1990s, So- border co-operation, and it is also a prerequisite for de- viet-era propiska regulations of civil registration have veloping joint policy responses that take into account not changed in a number of countries of the former the interests of states while safeguarding the rights of Soviet Union, restricting the freedom of individuals to migrants. choose their place of residence within their own countries. Moreover, the propiska system poses a significant Activities barrier to finding durable solutions for problems of internally displaced persons, leads to the denial of social services, and impedes access to jobs, as well as creates In 2004, the ODIHR’s activities focused on the following obstacles to migrants' participation in elections. areas:
I) Protection framework for internal migrants:
Assistance in reforming the propiska system;
Combating discrimination against the Combating discrimination against the most- vulnerable groups, such as internally displaced persons: The issue of internal displacement is one of most-vulnerable groups of migrants. the most acute problems in the OSCE region, where an estimated 3 million people have been displaced by conflicts and human-rights violations. Thirteen of the 55 II) Protection framework for migrants crossing international borders: OSCE participating States are affected by the problem
of internal displacement. Unlike refugees who cross in- Promoting interstate co-operation on labour migration, migration-related information, and the ternational borders, those who stay within their own human rights of migrants;
territories must rely upon their own governments to protect their security and well-being and to uphold Assistance in reforming legislation affecting citizens leaving their own country. their political and civil rights.
1. Protection framework for internal migrants Promoting co-operation on labour migration and human rights of migrants: Following new labour-migration trends and patterns in the OSCE re- Assistance in reforming the propiska system gion in the last few years, a number of states have become recipients of flows of migrant workers. Often, The Soviet-era propiska system – stamping a citizen's these states lack some of the necessary policy and legal internal passport to indicate his or her permanent ad- framework for protecting migrants. Therefore, there is dress – has left a legacy of restrictions on the freedom an urgent need for promoting dialogue and establish- of internal movement in a number of countries of the ing co-operative mechanisms among OSCE participat- former Soviet Union. The system requires every individ- ing States on the issue of labour migration to prevent ual who wishes to change his or her place of residence discrimination, ill-treatment, and other cases where within a particular country to obtain written permis- the rights of migrant workers are violated.
sion from the state to do so. Those changing their residence without this permission can find themselves cut Facilitating co-operation on migration-related off from state services and may also find it impossible information: The management of international mi- to exercise a number of rights, e.g., the right to accept 41