ANNUAL REPORT 2004
Democratization Migration/Freedom of Movement
documents and the right of citizens to leave their coun-
The seminar will focus on various aspects of integra-
try. Following this, a workshop took place in Minsk in
tion policies targeting migrants and will provide an
October, where the draft laws of both countries were
opportunity for an OSCE-wide forum for sharing best
presented. Both laws represent progress in comparison
practices on integrating migrants into receiving soci-
with existing regulations and, if adopted, would bring
eties. Recommendations from this meeting will be
both countries closer to compliance with international
used as guidelines for the ODIHR’s future work on the
standards.
issue.
The Office will also continue its work on facilitating
interstate co-operation on labour-migration issues
Future priorities
and the human rights of migrants. Specific training
programmes, workshops, and seminars will be organ-
In the coming years, the ODIHR will continue activities
ized in order to raise awareness among relevant gov-
aimed at facilitating cross-border co-operation and
ernment officials, law-enforcement personnel, and
exchange of experience among OSCE participating
the public at large of the international and domestic
States on migration issues, as well as at protecting
human-rights standards with regard to the treatment
various groups of migrants.
of migrants, as well as of the enriching contribution
In the field of propiska reform, there should be con-
of migrants and migrant workers to society. The
solidation of the progress achieved thus far and fur-
ODIHR will assist OSCE participating States in devel-
ther sharing of positive experiences. The Office will
oping concrete bilateral and multilateral co-operation
continue its work on assisting legal developments in
mechanisms in the field of labour migration and ex-
the countries of the former Soviet Union. In particu-
change of migration information. Moreover, the Of-
lar, given the interest of the countries concerned, the
fice will also continue to work on issues related to tol-
ODIHR will continue providing expert assistance in de-
erance and non-discrimination of migrants through
veloping new legislation on free choice of place of
analysing the practical work of government bodies
residence, as well as in establishing centralized popu-
dealing with labour-migration issues and migrant
lation registers. In addition, a regional conference for
workers, including specific training programmes for
the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and
law-enforcement personnel.
Central Asia is planned on the experience gained in
the region during the process of civil-registration reform in order to share information among other
states in those regions.
In the field of internal displacement, the ODIHR is
looking forward to further co-operation with the
newly appointed Representative of the UN Secretary
General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced
Persons, Walter Kälin, to find durable solutions to the
problem of internal displacement in the OSCE region.
Upon the request of a number of OSCE participating
States, a Human Dimension Seminar on Migration
and Integration is planned for May 2005 in Warsaw.
45
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