Support for implementing European standards relating to anti-discrimination and rights of national minorities in Ukraine
This project aims at supporting Ukraine in the earlier phases of EU accession negotiations, notably by following up on the 2022 Opinion on Ukraine's application for membership of the European Union by aligning legislation and policy related to the protection from discrimination and rights of persons belonging to national minorities with European standards.
The project started on 1 July 2023 and will be implemented until June 2026.
- To raise awareness, at the institution and societal levels, on issues related to diversity and combating intolerance and stereotypes against vulnerable groups, including in the context of the EU accession process.
- To better protect the rights of victims of discrimination and hatred, notably those belonging to vulnerable groups within the minority communities.
- Citizens and people living in Ukraine;
- Vulnerable groups;
- Civil society organisations;
- Public authorities both at central level, notably Ministries and Ombudsperson’s Office, and local level.
- A combination of tailored policy/legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising actions.
- Initiatives to foster inter-institutional cooperation, and improve dialogue between institutions, civil society organizations and minority communities.
- Support to civil society organisations by 10 grant schemes, to enhance their capacities to tackle discrimination and stigmatisation at local level.
- Increase capacities of Institutions, including the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) and Ombudsperson's Office staff in Ukraine, to address discrimination and hate crime at legal and policy level, in line with the EU acquis and other European standards and the ECtHR case law.
- Ensure that law and policies relating the rights of persons belonging to national minorities are in line with the EU acquis and other European standards.
- Raise awareness of tolerance and non-discrimination standards at general public level.
The total budget of the project is 1 999 997.00 EUR.
Steering Committee Meeting on Combating Discrimination and Protecting Minority Rights in Ukraine
Kyiv, 5 September – The Steering Committee of the joint European Union and Council of Europe project, "Supporting the implementation of European Standards on combating discrimination and the rights of national minorities in Ukraine," convened in Kyiv. Representatives from the Council of Europe,...
EU-Ukraine Integration: Key Chapter 23 Screening Completed
Ukraine and the European Union recently concluded bilateral meetings in Brussels to advance Ukraine's EU membership negotiations. A key focus was Chapter 23, "Judiciary and Fundamental Rights." The Ukrainian delegation presented detailed reports and proposals, highlighting progress made in...
Advancing on the European path by consolidating the legal framework on equality
On 5th September, a bilateral meeting was held between Denys Maslov, Chair of the Committee on Legal Policy of the Ukraine Parliament, Volodymyr Vatras, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Organization and Activities of the Bar and Legal Aid Bodies and Hallvard Gorseth, Head of the...
Supporting the Ukraine Parliament in harmonizing legislation with European standards on equality
On 6 September, a meeting took place at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (hereinafter referred to as "the Parliament") between Oleksandr Kornienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Parliament, and Hallvard Gorseth, Head of the Anti-Discrimination Department of the Council of Europe's Directorate General...
Observing and protecting rights of the most vulnerable in Ukraine: a special Ombudsperson report on national minorities
On September 5, 2024, the Special Report of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the observance of the rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples under the time of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was presented at a conference in Kyiv....
Duration: 3 years (July 2023 - June 2026)
Beneficiaries:
- Vulnerable groups;
- Civil society organisations;
- Public authorities both at central level, notably Ministries and Ombudsperson’s Office, and local level.
- Citizens and people living in Ukraine.
Funding: Joint Programme Provision
- Angela Longo, Project Manager, Strasbourg
- Zemfira Kondur, Project Manager, Kyiv
- Viola Popenko, Project Officer, Kyiv
- Yuliia Melnychuk, Project Officer, Kyiv
- Iryna Tyshkevych, Project Assistant, Kyiv
- Nataliia Oliinyk, Project Assistant, Kyiv
