64 Partners in Implementation PART I Recommended action by OSCE institutions and structures: (…) 117. The HCNM will continue to exercise his mandate of conflict prevention at the earliest possible stage. Sofia 2004 (Decisions: Annex to Decision No. 14/04, 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality) V. Supporting OSCE participating States in implementing relevant commitments to promoting equality between women and men (…) (d) Ensuring equal opportunity for participation of women in political and public life (…) • The High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) will address specific issues relating to the participation in public and private life of women belonging to national minorities and, in policies and projects developed by his/her office, take steps necessary to counter the double discrimination suffered by these women, as appropriate within the context of his/ her conflict prevention mandate; C. The Representative on Freedom of the Media Copenhagen 1997 (Annex 1: Permanent Council Decision No. 193, Mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media) 1. The participating States reaffirm the principles and commitments they have adhered to in the field of free media. They recall in particular that freedom of expression is a fundamental and internationally recognized human right and a basic component of a democratic society and that free, independent and pluralistic media are essential to a free and open society and accountable systems of government. Bearing in mind the principles and commitments they have subscribed to within the OSCE, and fully committed to the implementation of paragraph 11 of the Lisbon Summit Declaration, the participating States decide to establish, under the aegis of the Permanent Council, an OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. The objective is to strengthen the implementation of relevant OSCE principles and commitments as well as to improve the effectiveness of concerted action by the participating States based on their common values. The participating States confirm that they will co-operate fully with the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. He or she will assist the participating States, in a spirit of co-operation, in their continuing commitment to the furthering of free, independent and pluralistic media. 2. Based on OSCE principles and commitments, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media will observe relevant media developments in all participating States and will, on this basis, and in close co-ordination with the Chairman-in-Office, advocate and promote full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments regarding freedom of expression and free media. In this respect he or she will assume an early-warning function. He or she will address serious problems caused by, inter alia, obstruction of media activities and unfavourable