The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional body that promotes peace and human rights in Europe. The Organization comprises 57 participating countries, most of which are in Europe. The OSCE originates from the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) which was established in 1975 to promote human rights and decrease tensions between Western Europe and the Communist Bloc. Following the end of the Cold War, the CSCE reformed into the OSCE and expanded its role as a formal organization to cover more issues. These issues are divided into the politico-military dimension, the economic and environmental dimension, and the human dimension. The politico-military dimension concerns arms control, terrorism, and conflict prevention. As the main focus of the organization, the OSCE also implements conflict observers and election watchers to ensure that member states are implementing agreed-upon principles. The economic and environmental dimension is centered around migration and managing hazardous waste. Lastly, the human dimension is concentrated on human rights and implementing policies to combat human trafficking.

It has been three years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began the Ukrainian War. Since then, the country’s humanitarian situation has been in a severe decline. About 14.6 million Ukrainians (approximately 40 percent of the population) need urgent humanitarian support. 3.5 million Ukrainians have been displaced internally while 6.5 million have fled Ukraine altogether. Additionally, 80 percent of the displaced people are women and children, demonstrating the disproportionate effects. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) must act to address border management, conflict resolution, human rights, and human trafficking of displaced persons in Eastern Ukraine. Previously, the OSCE’s support to Ukraine has been limited to supportive statements and humanitarian aid. The OSCE has launched several reporting missions under the Moscow Mechanism to assess the situation in Ukraine and has noted several violations against humanitarian and international law. With this information, delegates of the OSCE must consider how to develop a comprehensive approach to the situation developing in Eastern Ukraine.

Arms control has been a constant challenge that has plagued the United Nations since its creation. One of the major goals of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is to reduce the risk of conflict and contribute to the openness and trust between the member states of the committee. The UN has set most of its efforts on reducing the existence of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Since 2022, the reported deaths from chemical and biological weapons have risen to over 100,000. In 2023, nuclear world powers had an estimated over 12,000 warheads. In recent years, digital weapons have also grown prevalent. Without direct physical damage, these weapons can destabilize economic, political, and social structures. It is now of major concern to the OSCE to accelerate the development of control policies against digital weapons and other such technology. This includes methods to attribute attacks to their source, setting clear thresholds for determining if an attack could be considered an act of war, establishment of international norms and/or law that govern states’ behavior and response to such attacks. With the current state of conflicts around the globe, it has become relevant to further improve arms control. Technologies are continuously developed at an outstanding rate, as there is now a further lack of regulation. With that in mind, it has become clear that rapid adaptability is needed. Considering the urgency of a variety of arms races, delegates must consider how the OSCE can handle and combat further issues that will arise from the matter.