III. Background and mandates rights of Roma and Sinti, and their integration into society. The OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area (Action Plan), adopted in 2003 in Maastricht, provides ODIHR with a comprehensive set of commitments and proposed measures, “to eradicate discrimination against them and to bring about equality of opportunities, consistent with OSCE commitments”. 28 Furthermore, OSCE participating States committed through the 2003 Action Plan to be “(…) proactive in ensuring that Roma and Sinti people, (…) have all necessary documents, including birth certificates, identity documents and health insurances certificates” and to “work in partnership with Roma and Sinti civil society organizations (…) in resolving problems related to the lack of basic documents”. 29 Within the framework of the 2003 Action Plan, particular attention is also given to the circumstances of Roma in crises and post-crisis situations by tasking the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues to respond effectively “by, inter alia, co-operating with relevant governments, inter-governmental bodies and international organizations, in particular the UNHCR, to ensure protection of Roma communities at risk.” 30 In crises and post-crisis situations, the commitments also underline the need to pay particular attention to Roma and Sinti women and children and to provide them with access to health care, housing and schooling. To that end, ODIHR has been raising awareness about the vulnerability of Roma and their difficulties in accessing birth certificates and identification documents, in particular in South-Eastern Europe and Ukraine. Strategies and action plans for Roma integration do recognize the need for targeted action to ensure civil registration documents for all. Furthermore, ensuring access to documents has been flagged as a fundamental aspect of the return and reintegration of displaced Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians from Kosovo*.31 At its 1992 Helsinki Summit, the OSCE established the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) as an instrument of conflict prevention at the earliest possible stage in regard to tensions involving * All references to Kosovo should be understood in full compliance with Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo. 25