Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 27 October 2022, a round table was held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) on Best Practices for Implementing OSCE/ODIHR Recommendations, organized by the OSCE/ODIHR.

Representatives of the central electoral bodies of Albania, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, employees and experts of the OSCE/ODIHR, as well as civil society institutions took part in its work.

The purpose of the roundtable is to discuss issues and best practices related to follow-up to OSCE/ODIHR recommendations on elections and the implementation of related commitments in general.

The participants of the round table were welcomed by former Director of the OSCE/ODIHR Audrey Glover, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan Nurzhan Shaildabekova, Senior Election Adviser of the ODIHR Alexei Gromov.

The importance of implementing the recommendations of the ODIHR based on the results of election observation was noted, at the same time, the role of the Office in assisting participating States in their implementation was emphasized.

During the first session, the practice of the electoral bodies of Kyrgyzstan, Albania and Armenia on the introduction of an electronic voting system, biometric identification of voters and other information and communication technologies in the electoral process was discussed.

The second thematic session of the round table was devoted to the issues of inclusiveness of the electoral process. The practice of the electoral bodies of Kazakhstan, Moldova and Uzbekistan was heard.

The CEC of Uzbekistan presented an overview of measures aimed at ensuring the inclusiveness of the electoral process on the example of the 2021 presidential election.

Deputy Chairman of the CEC B. Kuchkarov in his report paid special attention to active cooperation with the OSCE/ODIHR. The changes taking place in recent years related to the improvement of the national legislative framework for the conduct of elections by implementing the acceptable recommendations of the Bureau, reflected in the final reports on the observation of national elections, were given.

B. Kuchkarov also informed the participants in detail about the measures taken to create the necessary conditions for the participation of persons with disabilities in the election campaign, cooperation in this direction with various organizations to protect their interests.

In continuation of the topic, CEC member G. Rakhimova spoke about the experience of our country in expanding women’s participation in elections. Issues of guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men in the exercise of electoral rights, as well as in the formation of electoral bodies, were raised.

At the end of the round table, its participants visited the CEC of Kyrgyzstan, where a presentation of advanced technologies introduced into the electoral process took place.