Cross-Dimensional Approaches to SSG/R

The OSCE’s work as a regional organization is founded on a broad understanding of security. Already in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, participating States acknowledged the importance of addressing security holistically, through three indivisible dimensions: the politico-military (first) dimension, the economic and environmental (second) dimension, and the human (third) dimension.

Security was no longer seen narrowly as the result of preventing conflicts between states or through the use of advanced intelligence and defence systems, but rather as a matter of concern of all institutions – from legislative bodies to the justice systems – and of all citizens, individually and as members of civil society. In this respect, the OSCE’s approach to security is in itself cross-dimensional.

To effectively support participating States in ensuring good governance of the security sector, Executive Structures and its departments and units in all three dimensions need to contribute and have the expertise to do so. The need for a cross-dimensional approach is acknowledged in numerous OSCE commitments, which are of direct relevance to SSG/R and highlight its importance.

Several Ministerial Council decisions recognize that gender equality, human rights protection and non-discrimination all require mainstreaming across all three dimensions, which naturally involves judicial, prosecutorial and law enforcement actors within the security sector. A cross-dimensional approach therefore integrates the work of the various actors and components of the security sector across all three dimensions, thereby implementing the OSCE comprehensive concept of security.