Farah Karimi addresses HDC remotely, 14 May 2024VIENNA, 14 May 2024 – At today’s OSCE Human Dimension Committee Meeting in Vienna, Farah Karimi – Head of the Delegation of the Netherlands to the OSCE PA Special Representative on Central Asia – emphasized the role of parliamentarians in improving electoral processes in the OSCE area through election observation and inclusive reform.

“Through election observation we aim to demonstrate and reconfirm our belief, as well as our commitment, to uphold strong democratic institutions and the rule of law,” said Karimi. “This is the fundamental basis and objective of our observation activities. But even more than that, it is a way to reconfirm our belief in the spirit of democrats – individuals committed to upholding democratic values and processes.”

Karimi further highlighted that election observation is now more important than ever, as the OSCE region is facing a concerning rise of authoritarianism, and that a harmonized approach within the organization remains crucial. “I am convinced that only by combining the technical expertise of the OSCE/ODIHR, with the political experience of elected representatives who took part in elections and in campaigns themselves, who are used to address important political messages to the people, can we make the most accurate, fair and useful election assessments,” stressed Karimi.

When speaking about the added value of parliamentary observation, she underlined that not only the political expertise and judgment of parliamentarians provide visibility to election monitoring missions, they also help to enhance transparency, credibility and accountability of the election processes. Moreover, by observing in different countries, parliamentarians can assess and compare such processes, exchange best practices and directly impact the electoral legislation in their respective countries.

For more information about OSCE PA election observation, please click here.