28  //  DEMOCRATIZATION Christine Hirst, Deputy Head of the ODIHR Democratization Department, addresses participants at the ODIHR event on migrant integration in Poland, as Anna Rostocka, Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Warsaw, and Pawel Wierdak, Director of the Council of Europe Office in Warsaw, listen. Warsaw, 15 December 2017. (OSCE/Maria Kuchma) Compendium of Good Practices in Identity Management in the OSCE Region ODIHR also supported OSCE participating States by organizing six thematic policy meetings in 2017, in Belgium, Latvia, Moldova and Poland, which brought together 418 participants (130 men, 288 women) from national authorities, civil society, academia, international organizations and OSCE institutions. These meetings provided platforms for the exchange of good practices on the integration, protection and rights of migrants. They addressed the issues of the removal or return of irregular migrants in line with international standards, the role of local government in integration, migrants’ civic and political participation, and partnerships for migrant integration. ODIHR also published three policy papers on the co-ordination between local and central government on migrant integration, and the civic and political participation of migrants. Strengthening identity management and supporting cross-border travel OSCE participating States have committed to promoting freer cross-­border travel and increased human contact across the region, although the right of non-citizens to enter and move freely within a state remains at the discretion of that participating State. Travel documents are an essential element of cross-border travel, closely linked to identity ­documents and population registration systems. More secure travel and identity documents means more secure cross-­border travel and reduced visa requirements. ODIHR’s work in this field in 2017 included providing technical assistance to participating States and producing guidance documents.