The two-day meeting is organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, together with the Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan and the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law.

All OSCE participating States have committed themselves to respect the freedom of association, including the right of individuals and groups to establish, in full freedom, their own political parties or other political organizations, as well as to form, join and participate effectively in non-governmental organizations.

The meeting will review how this commitment is implemented in law and practice across the region. Participants will also identify ways how existing obstacles to the full enjoyment of the right to freedom of association can be removed, in line with international standards.

"Without freedom of association, other freedoms lose their substance. It is possible to defend individual rights only if citizens are able to organize around common needs and interests," noted Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, Head of the OSCE Centre. "The diversity of regional and international expertise at this meeting provides an excellent framework for interaction and peer-review of freedom of association across Central Asia." Denis Petit, Deputy Head of ODIHR’s Democratization Department, said: "Freedom of association, a long-standing OSCE commitment, is what makes pluralism and democracy a living reality." He said that the roundtable provided a forum for government representatives and civil society actors to take a fresh look at the challenges faced in upholding this fundamental freedom, and to examine ways to address them in the light of good practices tested successfully across the OSCE region. "With the aim of protecting freedom of association I will continue to work in close co-operation with civil society. My role as Ombudsman is to be a mediator between the authorities and civil society. I am confident that today’s OSCE roundtable will help improve even further the constructive interaction between stakeholders in the matter," said Tursunbek Akun, Kyrgyzstan’s Ombudsman. The report of the roundtable meeting will be posted on ODIHR webpage in December 2009.