Representatives from Jewish communities and civil society in the OSCE region met in Warsaw to share good practices in collecting data on anti-Semitic hate crimes, as well as effective responses, during a workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 18 December 2012.
The 13 participants explored the impact of hate crimes on communities and shared their experiences in dealing with anti-Semitic hate crimes.
“Data submitted to ODIHR by governments and civil society shows that anti-Semitic hate crime persists in the OSCE region,” said Anne Giebel, ODIHR’s Adviser on Combating Anti-Semitism. “Since non-governmental and community organizations are based locally and work directly with citizens, they are well-suited to support victims and record incidents of hate crime when they occur.”
During the workshop, participants were familiarized with ODIHR’s work and publications in this area, such as Preventing and Responding to Hate Crimes: A Resource Guide for NGOs in the OSCE Region and the recently published annual report on hate crimes in the OSCE Region. Participants were also provided with an understanding of the OSCE commitments related to combating hate crime and anti-Semitism.
“Governments can implement their commitment to prevent and respond to anti-Semitism by co-operating with civil society in collecting data related to anti-Semitic hate crimes,” said Melissa Sonnino, Community Affairs Coordinator at CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, a Brussels-based non-governmental organization.
This, the first workshop organized by ODIHR focusing on anti-Semitic hate crimes, is part of the Office’s broader programme to enhance the capacity of civil society to prevent and respond to crimes motivated by intolerance.