A ppendi x 1 ODIHR Annual Report on Police-Related Activities for 2017 Submitted as appendix to the SG Annual Report on Police-Related Activities, in accordance with Decision 9, paragraph 6, of the Bucharest MC Meeting, 4 December 2001 Introduction The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provides police-related assistance to governments and civil society in participating States in close co-operation with other OSCE executive structures and international organizations. General Police Development and Reform Human Rights and Police Accountability On 28 March, ODIHR organized a workshop in Vienna for representatives of 36 participating States (35 women and 25 men) on the prevention of torture in the early stages of police custody and during investigation. The workshop aimed at addressing and sensitizing authorities to the important role that procedural and substantive safeguards play in the prevention of torture and other ill-treatment during police custody. Participating States were also invited to support the development of a “universal protocol on humane investigative interviewing” (adopting the so-called PEACE model). ODIHR received very positive feedback from a number of delegations who expressed interest in further exploring the use of the PEACE model and the development of a universal protocol. Gender and Ethnic Mainstreaming On 29 and 30 May, ODIHR conducted a training seminar in Kyiv for the recently established Human Rights Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine. The training seminar was organized upon the request of the Directorate and focused on the integration of human rights complaint approaches and gender perspectives into internal police oversight. The event gathered 24 participants (17 women and 7 men) from the central and provincial offices of the Directorate. Two members of the cabinet of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine were also present. The sessions focused 138 on strengthening control over police conduct both externally (human rights compliant security delivery) and within the police forces (addressing and preventing harassment, discrimination and misconduct). The sessions were positively received, informing the audience on international good practices of integrating a gender perspective into internal oversight and lead to specific follow-up capacity-building exercises. In particular, ODIHR received a request to conduct a training seminar on gender-based violence and handling of domestic violence cases, which was delivered in November (see section on gender-based violence below). On 10 November, ODIHR participated as a keynote speaker at the Conference “Gender, Police and Society”, organized by the Basque Police (Ertzaintza) in Bilbao, Spain. The conference gathered more than 100 participants, of which approximately 75% were women, from different police structures present in the Basque Country. Representatives from the Basque Institute of Women’s Rights Emakunde, Basque political parties and NGOs were also present. ODIHR’s presentation explained the importance of integrating a gender perspective into police work and concrete ways to achieve this, by providing examples from various participating States. The presentation was well-received, stirring a lively debate on how to proceed in the Basque context. As a result, the Gender Working Group of the Basque Police asked for further expert advice from ODIHR in capacity-building on gender aspects of police work; in the revision of existing policies, plans and strategies through a gender lens; in the formulation of a gender action plan; and the creation of a policy of zero tolerance towards sexual harassment and abuse within the police.