Source description last updated: 2 December 2021

In brief: Legislationline.org is an online platform maintained by OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), providing access to international and domestic norms and laws relating to human rights issues.

Coverage on ecoi.net:
National Laws (Laws).
Covered weekly on ecoi.net, for countries of priorities A-C.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“Legislationline.org provides direct access to international norms and standards relating to specific human dimension issues […] as well as to domestic legislation and other documents of relevance to these issues. These data and other information available from the site are intended for lawmakers across the OSCE region.” (Legislationline website: Home, undated)

“The database was designed as a drafting tool for lawmakers, not simply as an archive of domestic or international legislation. Its purpose is to provide assistance to those who prepare and draft laws at the working level. Through Legislationline, they can obtain examples and options from other countries' legislation that can help them make their own choices.
The activities involved in maintaining the database not only benefit lawmakers but also permit ODIHR experts to observe patterns in legislative activity, identify best practices, and monitor the application of international standards.
As a reference tool for a variety of users (primarily law drafters, legal professionals, government officials, parliamentary staff, and legal specialists in international organizations), it is the most comprehensive database on legislation related to issues such as human trafficking, elections, and citizenship.” (OSCE website: Legislationline.org, undated)

“ODIHR supports participating States by reviewing their law-making systems and relevant draft and existing legislation. In providing such support, the Office draws on legislative guidelines in specific areas, such as election, freedom of assembly and political party legislation, as well as the resources of Legislationline.org, ODIHR’s online legislative database.” (OSCE website: Legislative support, undated)

Funding:

Legislationonline is fully maintained by the ODIHR. ODIHR’s total unified budget of 2020 added up to 16,268,200 EUR without mentioning the amount spent on legislationonline.org. (OSCE/ODIHR: Democracy and Human Rights in the OSCE. The OSCE ODIHR's Annual Report 2020, p. 7)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Asia, Europe and North America (OSCE participating States)

Thematic focus: Legislation affecting or relating to human dimension issues: Administrative justice, Anti-discrimination, citizenship, elections, counter-terrorism, gender equality, migration, trafficking in human beings, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, political parties, access to information and data protection, fair trial (right to a), hate crimes, judicial and prosecution systems, freedom of religion, national human rights organisations, national minorities

Methodology:

“ODIHR’s Legislative Support Unit reviews legislation following requests from OSCE participating States.” (Legislationonline website: About us, undated

ODIHR reviews “individual pieces of draft and existing legislation to assess their compliance with OSCE human dimension commitments and international human rights standards. ODIHR legal reviews also include examples of good practices from other OSCE participating States and provides concrete recommendations for improvement. In certain circumstances, ODIHR prepares reviews jointly with other OSCE structures and international organizations, notably the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission).” (OSCE/ODIHR: Requesting Legal Assistance from ODIHR, undated, p. 1)

ODIHR prepares opinions and comments, notes and amicus curiae.

“Opinions and comments involve legal analyses of draft and existing laws to assess their compliance with OSCE commitments and international human rights standards, and provide recommendations for improvement. Opinions can be requested by the authorities or public bodies of OSCE participating States and comments by OSCE field operations.” (OSCE/ODIHR: Requesting Legal Assistance from ODIHR, undated, p. 1)

“A note is a brief outline or clarification of specific legal issues or a comparative overview of good legislative practices in a certain legal area. A note can be requested by authorities and public bodies of OSCE participating States or OSCE field operations.” (OSCE/ODIHR: Requesting Legal Assistance from ODIHR, undated, p. 1)

An Amicus Curiae is a form to provide “[l]egal assistance through furnishing information, analyses or advice on the applicability of norms of international law to the question(s) under review by national courts. Amicus Curiae may be requested by national judicial bodies, such as Constitutional or Supreme Courts.” (OSCE/ODIHR: Requesting Legal Assistance from ODIHR, undated, p. 1)

Language(s) of publications:
English and official language of selected national legislation.
 
 
Further reading / links:
OSCE – Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
http://www.osce.org
ODIHR - Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
http://www.osce.org/odihr
 

Methodological note:

ecoi.net's source descriptions contain background information on an organisation’s mission & objective, funding and reporting methodology, as well as on how we cover the source. The descriptions were prepared after researching publicly accessible information within time constraints. Most information contained in a source description was taken from the source itself. The aim is to provide a brief introduction to the sources covered regularly, offering information on relevant aspects in one place in a systematic manner. 

All links accessed 2 December 2021.