ODIHR MANDATE - ASSISTANCE TO THE OSCE MISSIONS The importance of a close co-operation between the ODIHR and the OSCE Missions has been underlined in several OSCE Documents. The Rome Council Meeting of 1993 decided that "... the ODIHR will be given an enhanced role in the preparation of CSCE missions, inter alia, in providing information and advice to missions in accordance with its expertise". More recently, the 1994 Budapest Document provided that “the ODIHR will be consulted on a CSCE mission's mandate before adoption and will contribute to the follow-up of mission reports as decided by the Permanent Council. The ODIHR's knowledge of experts on the human dimension should be used to help to staff missions. These missions will also designate a mission member to liaise with the ODIHR and with NGOs on human dimension issues". It is the primary responsibility of the ODIHR Human Rights Unit (HRU) to maintain contacts with the OSCE Missions. In accordance with the provisions of the Budapest Document, the HRU advises Chairman-in-Office on the formulation of mandates before the creation of a long-duration mission, often sending experts as part of exploratory visits. The unit is also consulted by the Conflict Prevention Centre in Vienna on the appointment of Mission personnel. Once the Mission has been established the HRU is organising training courses for new members, on the human dimension, monitoring and on reporting techniques. The ODIHR regularly informs the missions of its projects, activities of other international organisations and those of non-governmental organisations in the regions. It supplies the missions with human rights documentation, international conventions and provides advise in cases of human rights violations. Frequently, the unit is requested to comment upon draft legislation concerning, for example, citizenship, the protection of minorities and national human rights institutions. In co-operation with the Missions, the HRU designs specific projects, which may relate to the rule of law, aimed at promoting the informal sector and strengthening grassroots organisation. Lately, several Missions have devoted much effort to assist states in establishing national human rights institution, such as ombudsmen. The ODIHR has consequently extended its technical assistance to these projects, including the evaluation of draft laws, training seminars for ombudsmen, promotion of study visits and formulation of comprehensive human rights programmes. The HRU has a pool of renowned international experts which, upon request, provide advise and participate in these projects. Since human dimension commitments are scattered over a great number of documents, it is often difficult for the individual to comprehend fully the implications of a specific fight. Therefore, the HRU has prepared compilations of commitments, concerning issues such as equal opportunities, racial discrimination, freedom of religion, the protection of minorities, international humanitarian law, etc. In this manner, the ODIHR wishes to give effect to the 1992 Helsinki Decisions which welcomed “The drawing up of compilations of existing CSCE Human Dimension commitments in order to promote greater understand for the implementation of these commitments”. Disseminating information also implies providing guidelines for human rights activities, giving lectures at universities and participating in public debates. The Unit is also consulted by Universities on the elaboration of human rights courses. OSCE ODIHR Bulletin Vol. 4 No. 3 25