primary task of seeing that commitments such as those mentioned here are more than mere words. It does this both by monitoring their implementation by respective states and by conducting its own programmes that are aimed at helping states develop and uphold a democratic culture that will in and of itself respect and promote the ideals expressed in those commitments. To do this, the ODIHR develops and implements a broad range of programmes aimed at protecting human rights, strengthening democratic institutions, respecting the rule of law, promoting democratic electoral processes, combating intolerance and discrimination, and fostering civil society in all participating States. There is one underlying value behind all of the ODIHR’s programmes: namely, that of protecting and promoting the human rights of every individual in the OSCE region. To achieve this goal, the ODIHR employs more than 130 staff members from some 30 different countries who are dedicated professionals in an array of areas of expertise, including lawyers, elections experts, and anti-trafficking specialists; individuals with experience in the fields of human rights education, monitoring places of detention, and minority rights, including staff with both academic and hands-on field experience. This diversity of backgrounds and experience are what make the ODIHR the flexible, responsive, and dynamic institution that it is. Recent years have witnessed internal reforms that allow the ODIHR to provide long-term, country-specific programmes that meet the needs of individual participating States, while never losing sight of individuals at the heart of our efforts. One example of how this works in practice is the use of experts and consultants with local knowledge and language skills, who provide a tremendous resource for implementing any programme, not only in terms of their expertise but also with respect to their ability to gain the trust of their target group, which more often than not includes individuals with similar backgrounds. When conducting legal-reform activities in the Commonwealth of Independent States, for example, the ODIHR relies almost exclusively on lawyers with training and experience in the CIS, most of whom come from Russia. This practice has no doubt added to the effectiveness of our efforts. But this rule applies equally to the full-time staff of the Office. Of the professional staff members, more than one-third come from countries of the CIS, while the rest come from all parts of Europe, as well as North America. This internal community of nations is a reflection of the make-up of the greater organization and represents the common values of all 56 of the OSCE’s participating States. The ever-growing demand for ODIHR support from participating States is a clear expression of this shared sense of common value, and of common responsibility. Annual Report  7