u Initiate regular meetings with international organizations involved in election observation to review current practice. III. Develop ‘geographical scope’ in ODIHR election activities In recent years, the ODIHR has expanded its election-related activities across the entire OSCE region. The ODIHR’s election missions are hence the most geographically diverse operational activities of the OSCE. The fact that all OSCE commitments are equally binding on all participating States is a firm foundation for all activities. While continuing to respond to concrete needs and requirements and focus on the situation in each State according to its merits, the ODIHR will further develop targeted activities across the entire OSCE region. The ODIHR will: u Assess mission capabilities and, resources permitting, enhance its capacities to attend to a broader range of States, particularly through an increase in the number of election assessment missions to longer-standing and transition democracies, funded by the OSCE Unified Budget; u Consider requesting a substantial and proportionate increase in the OSCE Unified Budget, which could permit the deployment of a needs assessment mission to each OSCE State with an election for state office in any given year. IV. Further diversify participation of observers/experts for EOMs In recent years, significant progress has already been made in order to increase diversity of participants in election-related activities. It is important to avoid a perception that observers are “representatives” of their home country or that they pursue agendas other than objectively observing an electoral process and correctly reporting about it, in line with the Code of Conduct. OSCE States are well aware that increased diversity is in their hands through the system of secondment. To assist countries that cannot second observers, the ODIHR facilitates increased diversity proactively. These efforts could be boosted by: u Increasing the number of observers funded by the extra-budgetary ODIHR Fund for Enhancing the Diversification of Election Observation Missions; u Regularly reaching out to participating States to remind them that a broad and diverse composition of election missions is only attainable through their support; u Maintaining and regularly updating a comparative table showing participating State support; u Highlighting the participation of men and women in all aspects of election observation, with a view to further enhancing gender balance; u Strengthening the training of observers (see VII below); u Continuing the trend of diversifying the composition of core teams. V. Further increase transparency of recruitment The ODIHR follows all relevant rules and procedures in contracting short-term experts for its election observation mission core teams, including the heads of mission as leaders of the core team, through Special Service Agreements. Unlike in any other part of the OSCE, such contractors are publicly identified on the Internet as soon as they are deployed. Due to the expansion of election-related activities and in an effort to strengthen the confidence among participating States that the identification and recruitment of such experts follows the highest professional standards, a number of measures will be taken, which include the following: Common Responsibility: Commitments and Implementation 51