Faith Associates was invited by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to Oslo for the Consultative Expert Meeting on Understanding Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Muslim Communities. 

Deadly and painful anti-Muslim hate crimes are a fact in many participating States of the OSCE region.  Such attacks target Muslim individuals or persons perceived to be Muslims, Muslim allies or friends, and property owned by Muslims. In order to contribute to the solving of this problem, the ODIHR drafted a Guide on Understanding Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Muslim Communities.

Faith Associates, through our work on Mosque Security, took part in the consultative expert meeting with other civil society organizations, religious communities, national human rights institutions, inter-governmental organizations, as well as other stakeholders, (from across 57 OSCE participating States).

Challenges were addressed relating to the security needs of Muslim communities and responses to anti-Muslim hate crimes. Some of the resources produced from Faith Associates related to Mosque security and protecting places of worship will be developed further in partnership with institutions in the OSCE region to help protect places of worship.