CONTACT POINT FOR ROMA AND SINTI ISSUES  PROMOTING PARTICIPATION OF ROMA AND SINTI, INCLUDING WOMEN AND YOUTH The participation of Roma and Sinti in public and political life was the thematic focus of one the working sessions of the 2018 HDIM in Warsaw. Roma and Sinti civil society representatives had the opportunity to present good practices, lessons learned and their concerns on this topic, as well as those on the human rights situation of their communities within the framework of the implementation of the OSCE Action Plan. ODIHR supported the participation of three Roma activists as speakers at the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) on Countering Violence against Women – Everyone’s Responsibility, in July in Vienna. The Office also organized a side event on “Access to quality education for Roma and Sinti children and youth” during the SHDM in October, in Vienna. Experts from civil society organizations presented and discussed the challenges faced by Roma and Sinti children and youth throughout Europe with regard to their access to quality and non-segregated education at all levels. Particular attention was given to good practices, lessons learned and catalysing action by OSCE participating States in line with their relevant commitments. ODIHR continued to promote the participation of Roma and Sinti youth within the Roma and Sinti Youth Initiative, including by co-operating with AEGEE (the European Students’ Forum) to support the participation of two young Roma short-term observers in their election observation mission to Hungary in April. Warsaw, 14 September 2018. Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), addresses the participants of the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting during the working session devoted to Roma and Sinti issues. (OSCE/Piotr Markowski) Combating racism and discrimination During HDIM, ODIHR, in co-operation with the European Roma Rights Centre and the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, organized a side event on racism, intolerance and violence against Roma and Sinti in the OSCE area. The event provided a space for discussion with representatives of participating States and civil society and other international organizations about the pervasive racism, intolerance and hate-motivated attacks and violence against Roma and Sinti, as well as examples of measures undertaken to tackle them and prevent hate-motivated violence. Women made up 51% of the 330 participants at Contact Point for Roma and Sinti events in 2018. : :  47