32  //  HUMAN RIGHTS Political changes in some OSCE participating States in 2017 raised hopes that the human rights situation would improve. However, across the region, human rights challenges remained complex and numerous. In some cases, the space for public expression of dissent was restricted and the environment for human rights defenders was hostile and risky, limiting their ability to freely carry out human rights work. Terrorist acts in some states triggered responses that negatively impacted on human rights. The impunity for human rights violations committed during the conflict in Ukraine continued to cast a shadow on the human rights situation in the OSCE region. Responding to these challenges, ODIHR continued to provide advice, assistance and capacity-building training to participating States, national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and civil society. ODIHR co-operated closely with civil society organizations when carrying out its activities in the area of human rights protection and promotion, and civil society partnerships were strengthened. > Dirck Ackermann from the German Armed Forces' Office of the Protestant Chaplaincy makes a presentation during a side event on freedom of religion or belief in the armed forces co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) on 14 September 2017, during the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw. (OSCE/Maria Kuchma)