Workshop on tolerance and nondiscrimination

In the framework of the 2014 Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, the Analytical Centre for Interethnic Cooperation and Consultations (ACICC) has organized a two-day workshop for the Civil Society Organizations from the South Caucasus on 3-4 September, 2014. Eastern Partnership Minorities Network has contributed to the conference by facilitating the working groups and further elaborating specific recommendations on tolerance and nondiscrimination policies at the second day of the workshop. The session has been opened with the presentation of the OSCE commitments of its member states presented by the Civil Society Advisor from Tolerance and Nondiscrimination of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) A brief presentation on minorities’ situation and an overview on nondiscrimination policies in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia followed in the second session by the EaP Minorities Network. Working Groups on hate speech/freedom of expression, tolerance and nondiscrimination polices and on monitoring of hate crimes have developed specific recommendations for implementation of the OSCE and other international commitments. The outcomes of the workshop in Tbilisi, as well as three other regional conferences will be compiled in a set of Recommendations for the Civil Society Conference in Basel, November 2014.