867 petitions to the Commissioner (including violation of the migration legislation and political rights — 67%, petitions regarding discrimination and spread of hate speech — 16%, petitions regarding domestic violence and trafficking in human beings — 13%, petitions regarding violation of the right to freedom of religion and belief, rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples — 4%)
157 legal and normative acts processed and proposals submitted
24 proceedings instituted by the Commissioner
24 proceedings completed
531 monitoring visits made
Key events, challenges and tendencies
The findings of the monitoring carried out during 2022 regarding compliance with the principle of no discrimination in various fields of public relations show that the matter of equal human and civil rights and freedoms remained relevant in the Ukrainian society despite the unprecedented armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During the parliamentary control carried out in 2022, the Commissioner detected numerous violations of equal rights and freedoms, including violation of political rights and the migration legislation, discrimination and spread of hate speech, domestic violence and trafficking in human beings, violation of the right to freedom of religion and belief, rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples etc.
The martial law materially imposed equality of human rights and freedoms. It is prescribed by Article 3 of Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 64/2022 of 24.02.2022 “On the Imposition of Martial Law in Ukraine” approved by Law of Ukraine No. 2102-ІХ of 24.02.2022 that constitutional human and civil rights and freedoms under Articles 30-34, 38, 39, 41-44, 53 of the Constitution of Ukraine may be limited.
At the same time, observance of equal rights and freedoms was subject to assessment within the framework of international human rights mechanisms during the reporting period.
On 9 February 2022, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted Concluding observations on the eighth periodic report of Ukraine on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The imposition of the martial law does not let fully meet the recommendations given in the Concluding observations, but certain matters that have caused the Committee’s concern and have been considered in the Commissioner’s reports for a long time should be mentioned.
The Committee is concerned about the lack of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in line with the provisions of the Covenant, and the lack of information about the steps taken to address stigma and discriminatory attitudes towards multiple groups, including ethnic minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities.
The Committee is concerned about reports of intolerance, prejudice, hate speech against members of vulnerable and minority groups in mass media. The Committee is also concerned about reports indicating that the majority of hate crimes against members of minority groups are not classified as such under article 161 of the Criminal Code as well as the reports indicating that amicable settlements have been mediated instead of prioritizing access to judicial remedy.
While noting the various measures taken to promote gender equality and combat gender stereotypes, the Committee remains concerned about the persistently low level of representation of women in the public sector, particularly at higher State and local levels, including of women representing vulnerable groups. It is also concerned about the persistent wage gap between men and women1.
On 1 November 2022, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women gave its Concluding observations on the ninth periodic report of Ukraine on implementation of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The Committee is concerned that the military attack against Ukraine has resulted in grave violations of human rights of Ukrainian women and girls, who are victims of attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary and extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, gender-based violence, including sexual violence, forced transfers and forced displacements of populations. It notes that the military attack by the Russian Federation against Ukraine has a particularly severe impact on women and girls in disadvantaged situations, such as internally displaced women, rural women, older women, women with disabilities, Roma women, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women and women from other minorities, including Crimean Tatar women.
At the same time, the Committee recognises the efforts of Ukraine in ensuring equal rights and opportunities of women and men, and also gives a number of recommendations how to improve elimination of discrimination of women in different areas of social relations with account of the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war2.
The State Strategy for Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men until 2030 was approved by Ordinance of the CMU No. 752-р of 12 August 2022, and the operational plan for implementation thereof for 2022-2024 was approved.
In pursuance of the plan and following the visit to Ukraine by Pramila Patten, the United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, with account of the present-day challenges associated with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, imposition of the martial law and temporary occupation of the new territories of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the Government of Ukraine has updated the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security until 2025.
The system for preventing and combating domestic violence and trafficking in human beings turned out to be unprepared for the challenges of the war time. The mechanisms for interaction of the entities working in the field of prevention and combating of domestic violence and trafficking in human beings, the systems for operation of the specialised support services for victims of domestic violence, including the ones in the deoccupied territories of Ukraine, as well as the procedure for assigning the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings need to be brought in line with the present-day challenges.
The milestone event in protection against violence was entry into force of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention), ratification of which had been the key recommendation by the Commissioner for the last years, for Ukraine. Owing to this document, protection against violence will have higher standards while offenders will face more severe punishment for their acts.
According to the National Social Service, the police and social protection authorities received 251,829 petitions regarding domestic violence in 2022, which was 11% less than during the equivalent period last year. In 2022, 244,381 petitions and reports on criminal offences and other events related to domestic violence were registered, which was 25% less than in 2021 (325,599 petitions and reports). 43,341 urgent restraining orders were issued by the National Police against the offenders in 2022 in order to stop the domestic violence immediately.
The mobile application for women called SOS Secret Button was introduced to protect rights of victims of domestic violence. After the button is pressed in the application, a message is sent to the police, which is directed in increasing performance of the combat against domestic violence and gender-based violence. 28 messages were received from the mobile application from 01.08.2022 until 31.12.2022.
The problem of trafficking in human beings is also gaining special significance now while risks of falling victim to exploitation abroad are growing. In an attempt to save their life, the Ukrainians sometimes left without adequate documents and were not sufficiently aware of the need of consular registration after they had arrived in another country. This situation is a precondition for falling victim to trafficking in human beings while getting a job, looking for accommodation and travelling. According to OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, the quantity of cases of trafficking in human beings has grown abruptly, and the war has severely aggravated the problem of sexual slavery as to the Ukrainian women3.
Ukraine also faces other challenges in the field of observance of rights of victims of trafficking in human beings in Ukraine. The persons in the occupied territories are the most vulnerable category for such situations since they may be used in the armed conflict or fall victim to labour and other exploitation4.
At the same time, the number of persons identified as victims of trafficking in human beings is going down abruptly. According to the National Social Service, in 2022, the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings was granted to 47 persons, which was 27% less than in 2021 (64 persons). At the same time, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office, 66 victims of the criminal offences (proceedings) under Article 149 (Trafficking in human beings) of the CrCU were registered in 2022.
Another acute problem is no opportunity to register civil partnership in Ukraine. During the war, the representatives of the LGBTQI community do their military service in the AFU, territorial defence forces etc. and do not have the same opportunities as heterosexual persons to formalise their relations and acquire mutual rights and duties. It is a matter of co-owned property, heritage, guardianship, social guarantees granted to family members, possibility to accompany the partner’s minor child abroad, the right to decide on possibility and scope of medical interventions and burial of a person etc.
Completion of the legislative reform of ensuring rights of representatives of national minorities (communities) as well as adoption of mechanisms for immediate and efficient implementation thereof is one of the points specified in the European Commission in its assessment of Ukraine’s application for the EU membership. In pursuance of the recommendation and based on the interests of the Ukrainian People, the Ukrainian citizens of all nationalities, as to development of the sovereign, independent, democratic, social and rule-of-law state, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine”.
The biggest challenge in observance of rights of the national communities and indigenous peoples in 2022 was the war launched by Russia against Ukraine. Representatives of all the nationalities residing in the territory of Ukraine were affected by the armed aggression of the RF. It was especially applicable to the regions with active hostilities. The compact settlements of the national minorities (communities) in the area of hostilities and under temporary control of the Russian army faced the humanitarian disaster, destruction and terror. The exact information on the numbers of representatives of the national communities who resided in those regions is not known since the local authorities use the data of the nationwide census of 2021 as the only official information. It is also impossible to calculate the exact number of the persons displaced to safer regions of Ukraine or abroad or killed as a result of the military aggression of the RF. Moreover, the local authorities do not have reliable information on the number of people left in occupation and on what has happened to them. At the same time, it is known from the social media that representatives of the national minorities are abducted in the occupied territories due to their pro-Ukrainian position.
Another consequence of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation is worse attitude of the Ukrainians to the Russians and Belarussians5.
The situation of the Roma community, who are always in the focus of the Commissioner’s attention, became even worse during the war.
Lots of Roma families have stayed in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as they had no money and evacuation opportunities. According to the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), around 100 thousand Ukrainians of Roma origin have been forced to leave their home since February 20226. Half of them went abroad. The Roma families, mostly women with children, tried to leave Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, for other countries. The Roma who have left without documents cannot get an IDP status, humanitarian assistance, and have no subsistence means. According to International Charitable Organisation “Roma Women Fund Chiricli”, most of those who went abroad at the beginning of the war are coming back home7 because they cannot find adequate shelter in the countries of Eastern Europe and face prejudiced attitude8.
On 21 July 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the Strategy for Promoting the Enjoyment of Rights and Opportunities of Persons Belonging to the Roma National Minority in the Ukrainian Society for the Period Until 2030, but the Action Plan for the Strategy was not approved. With account of the military aggression of the RF against Ukraine, it can be stated that this document needs to be updated, and the corresponding action plan needs to be approved.
According to the studies of the social, economic, public and legal aspect of the Roma communities of Ukraine, the level of education of the Roma population is extremely low: 24% of the Roma have no education at all. Almost every fourth of them cannot read and write in Ukrainian. The share of those who have a university degree is minor, only 1%. At the same time, the Commissioner’s recommendations given during the previous years to initiate amendments to the Electoral Code of Ukraine to promote the enjoyment of the electoral right by illiterate citizens, in particular by Roma, have not been fulfilled.
Response to violations of human and civil rights
Prevention of discrimination
According to Article 14 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Articles 21 and 24 of the Constitution of Ukraine, everyone is guaranteed the right to exercise right and freedoms without discrimination on any grounds. However, the problem of discrimination of vulnerable social groups remains relevant, and cases of homophobia, sexism, anti-Semitism etc. still are registered.
Lack of the uniform approach to definition of the hate speech, the efficient mechanism for monitoring, interaction and responsibility for spreading the hate speech prevents adequate response to such cases and preconditions the feeling of impunity.
In July 2022, the Commissioner received the petition regarding publication of the notices with signs of hate speech against representatives of the Roma national minority on the websites of the information agencies.
In order to prevent discrimination on ethnic grounds and facilitate compliance with the professional ethical standards by journalists of the information agencies, the corresponding letter was sent to the Journalist Ethics Commission.
The Journalist Ethics Commission considered the letter received from the Commissioner’s Secretariat and adopted the resolution where it was established that the challenged material contained elements of violations of points 6, 9 and 15 of the Code of Ethics of Ukrainian Journalists, so a warning was issued to the Internet publication and the author of the materials.
Moreover, the Journalist Ethics Commission gave official recommendations to the journalists and editors on non-discrimination in the journalist activity.
Imperfection of the mechanism for imposing liability for discriminatory actions, in particular, lack of administrative liability for discrimination, prevents protection of rights of the persons being discriminated. Although Article 16 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Principles of Prevention and Countering Discrimination in Ukraine” provides for civil, administrative and criminal liability, the CUAO still does not contain a corresponding Article. In the end, the persons who commit discrimination avoid adequate punishment for years.
It was established during the monitoring carried out by the Commissioner that in 2022 the investigative units of the National Police of Ukraine had 434 criminal proceedings instituted based on elements of the criminal offences under Article 161 (Violation of citizens’ equality based on their race, nationality, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds) of the CrCU, including the ones instituted in 2022 (303 as of 01.01.2022 and 131 registered in 2022).
However, indictments were forwarded to court for consideration on the merits only in 8 criminal proceedings (∼2%) during the year (with account of the criminal offences of the past years). Agreements on pleading guilty were sent to court in the criminal proceedings based on 4 criminal offences, and a motion to apply involuntary medical measures was filed to court in connection with 1 criminal offence.
The above shows the complexity of examination and confirmation of the probable motive of intolerance in the offences committed, and also conforms the need to divide liability for discriminatory acts into criminal and administrative one.
In July 2022, the mass media monitoring found the information on the Jewish family from Khmelnytskyi who were regularly insulted and humiliated by the neighbour, who probably did that because of his intolerance based on religious beliefs and ethnic origin of the family. As a result of the constant pressure, the father had to take his children to a safer place. In order to protect their rights, the family often applied to the law-enforcement authorities, but no data were registered in the URPTI.
The right of the persons affected by displays of anti-Semitism to adequate response by the law-enforcement authorities and further qualification of the offence with account of the intolerance motive was restored.
The Khmelnytskyi District Police Department of the Main Department of the National Police in Khmelnytskyi Oblast commenced the pr-trial investigation within separate criminal proceedings under Article 161(1) of CrCU (Violation of citizens’ equality based on their race, nationality, religious beliefs, disability and other grounds) of the CrCU.
Rights of persons with disabilities
The rights of persons with disabilities, accessibility of services and universal design remained in the focus of the Commissioner’s response in 2022.
In August 2022, the Commissioner was approached by citizen K., a persons with eyesight disabilities of group I, regarding violation of the right of persons with disabilities to free rides in municipal transport by the carriers in Bila Tserkva, inadequate level of carriage services as well as discrimination on the basis of disability.
Following the response by the Commissioner’s Secretariat:
- the employers imposed administrative penalties, namely the dismissal and warning, upon the drivers against whom the petitioner had complained;
- explanations were given to the carriers and drivers regarding the work place discipline and passenger service culture/policy;
- the personnel was partly changed;
- the bus fleet of one of the carriers was upgraded.
The right of the persons with disabilities to beneficial/free rides in municipal transport, which is guaranteed by Article 38-1 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Fundamentals of Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Ukraine”, was restored.
Equal rights and opportunities of women and men
Insufficient equality of rights and opportunities of women and men in different areas of social relations, including displays of sexism, still persists in the Ukrainian society although the women in Ukraine, in particular, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, keep destroying the well-established stereotypes of social roles of women and men.
The Commissioner considered the petition received from the female military servant regarding humiliation and discrimination of female military servants in the basis of gender by the commanders (heads) of the division in one of the military units.
The work was performed by 2 independent work groups from the command of the Air Force of the AFU and the Main Department for Moral and Psychological Support of the AFU, during which interviews and anonymous surveys of the female military servants in the military unit were conducted, and information and awareness raising work with the personnel was performed. Moreover, it was established that the master sergeant of the military unit had violated the requirements of the Internal Service Charter of the AFU. The officials against whom the petitioner had complained apologised to her in public.
Moreover, in order to increase efficiency of organisation of the officials’ work, improve the moral and psychological condition of the personnel, and prevent violation of gender equality and displays of gender-based discrimination in the military unit, the Main Department for Moral and Psychological Support of the AFU recommended the Command of the Air Force of the AFU to perform the information and awareness raising work and conduct the meeting of the Board of Master Sergeants and Certification Committee, followed by the HR decisions in the military unit.
Although Law of Ukraine No. 1750-IX of 10.09.2021 “On Amending Law of Ukraine ‘On Advertising’ as to Prevention of Gender-based Discrimination” entered into force in 2022, the Commissioner still establishes the spread of such advertising.
In 2022, the Commissioner considered 5 petitions regarding the advertising of gender-based discriminatory nature.
In order to ensure proper response to the petitions, the Commissioner’s Secretariat asked the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection to take response actions within its competence in accordance with Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising” and the Procedure for Imposing Finds for Violation of the Advertising Legislation approved by Resolution of the CMU No. 693 of 26.05.2004.
The cases in connection with violation of the advertising legislation were considered, and 4 entities spreading discriminatory advertising were imposed penalties in accordance with Article 27 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising”; it was resolved to cease distribution of the above-mentioned advertising, and the discriminatory was removed in one case.
Counteraction to domestic violence and trafficking in human beings
Response to each case of domestic violence without any exceptions is the main pre-condition for observing the victims’ rights and imposing liability upon offenders. In 2022, the Commissioner received 95 oral and written petitions regarding domestic violence.
Citizen S. informed of domestic violence committed against her by her daughter and grandchildren, in the form of physical injuries, destruction of food products, prevention of use of housing and utility services and deliberate deprivation of communication means and personal belongings.
The Commissioner sent the requests to the OSA, the MD NP and the prosecutor’s office in order to check the facts of domestic violence and respond within their competence. As a result, the right of the victim to protection and assistance was restored:
- the report on the administrative offence under Article 173-2(1) of the CUAO (Commitment of domestic violence, gender-based violence, non-compliance with an emergency restraining order or failure to notify of the place of temporary stay) was drawn up in respect of the grandson of citizen S. and forwarded to court. He was registered with the police authorities for preventive purposes;
- the data were recorded in the URPTI based on the fact of the bodily injuries inflicted upon citizen S. by her daughter, and the pre-trial investigation was commenced based on the elements of the criminal offence under Article 125(1) of the CrCU (Intended minor bodily injury);
- the data were recorded in the URPTI based on the fact of stealing the mobile telephone and money from citizen S., and the pre-trial investigation was commenced based on the elements of the criminal offence under Article 185(1) of the CrCU (Theft);
- the social services registered citizen S. as a victim of domestic violence and provided her a package of social service and psychological assistance.
The efficient means of response to domestic violence is the National Hotline for Prevention of Domestic Violence, Trafficking in Human Beings and Gender-Based Discrimination.
During the expert consultation at the National Hotline9 for Prevention of Domestic Violence, Trafficking in Human Beings and Gender-Based Discrimination, the employee of the Commissioner’s Secretariat received the petition from citizen M. regarding protection of her and her minor daughter from domestic violence.
Citizen М. informed of regular physical, psychological and economic violence allegedly committed by her husband. The woman also informed that her husband had inflicted bodily injuries and cuts upon her, stolen her documents and mobile phone, and disappeared together with their minor daughter.
The Commissioner sent the inquiries to the oblast military administration and the Main Department of the National Police in one of the oblasts to take actions in order to guarantee observance of rights of the victim and her child to protection and help.
Following the Commissioner’s response, the bodies of the National Police established the perpetrator’s location, took away the child and returned her to her mother.
Citizen M. was informed of the procedure for getting social services, addresses of specialised support services for victims of domestic violence, and she was provided legal aid.
The rights of the victims of domestic violence to information, protection and help were restored.
During the reporting period, the Commissioner received 14 petitions regarding trafficking in human beings. The vast majority of the petitions received by the Commissioner in connection with trafficking in human beings were related to the persons held captive by the occupying army of the RF.
The Commissioner was approached by citizen K. regarding observance of her child’s right to be assigned the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings.
In her petition, the petitioner informed that her minor son had been illegally deprived of his liberty by the occupying army of the RF. When the child was in captivity, he was subjected to physical violence.
The Commissioner took actions to restore the child’s rights to necessary aid as to the person who had fallen victim to trafficking in human beings. The requests were sent to the executive authorities to take actions within their competence to respond and prepare necessary documents and grant necessary aid to the minor child.
Following the Commissioner’s response, the affected person was granted the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings, which gave him the right to free medical, psychological, social, legal and other necessary aid.
Moreover, according to the effective legislation, the person granted the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings has the right to one-time monetary assistance in the amount of 3 subsistence wages for the respective category of persons as established as of the date of application for the financial assistance.
The right of the child affected by trafficking in human beings were restored.
The citizens filed petitions regarding violation of their rights to being assigned the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings, to getting guaranteed free information, medical, social, legal and other types of aid.
The Commissioner took actions based on each fact to assign the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings to such persons as promptly as possible, to grant them necessary aid, including financial one.
The Commissioner instituted the proceedings based on the petition of citizen S. regarding observance of her rights as a person who considered herself to be a victim of trafficking in human beings.
In her petition, she informed that she was illegally deprived of her liberty while the settlement was occupied by the Russian army. She was subjected to psychological violence while she was in captivity. The petitioner was also forced to perform some work.
Within the proceedings, the Commissioner took actions to restore the petitioner’s rights to necessary aid as to the person who had fallen victim to trafficking in human beings. Several requests were sent to the central and local executive authorities to take actions within their competence to respond and prepare necessary documents and grant necessary aid to citizen S.
Following the Commissioner’s response, the petitioner was granted the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings, which gave her the right to free medical, psychological, social, legal and other necessary aid and the right to use shelter services.
Moreover, according to the effective legislation, the person granted the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings has the right to one-time monetary assistance in the amount of 3 subsistence wages for the respective category of persons as established as of the date of application for the financial assistance.
The right of the person affected by trafficking in human beings were restored.
A number of petitions received regarding the right to one-time financial assistance to the person holding the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings should be separated. It was established by the Commissioner that, according to the National Social Service, only 22 persons out of 36 persons granted the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings in 2022 received the guaranteed one-tome financial assistance for this category of citizens.
The Commissioner instituted the proceedings based on the petition of citizen K. regarding observance of his right to one-time financial assistance to the person holding the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings.
In his petition, the petitioner informed that he had been issued a certificate of the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings in August 2022. Then citizen K. applied to the corresponding structural subdivision of the territorial community for one-time financial assistance for such category of persons, but did not receive it for 3 months.
Within the proceedings, the Commissioner took actions to restore the petitioner’s right to the guaranteed payment. Several requests were sent to the central and local executive authorities to take actions within their competence as prescribed by the legislation.
Following the Commissioner’s response, the petitioner received the financial assistance in the amount of 3 subsistence wages. The right of the person affected by trafficking in human beings was restored.
Observance of the right to citizenship and political rights
The Commissioner received 579 petitions, including the ones on documentation of the Ukrainian citizens — 224 petitions (23 of them were related to documentation of the Ukrainian citizens abroad); on border crossing — 158 petitions, on documentation of foreigners and stateless persons — 79, acquisition of citizenship of Ukraine, renunciation of citizenship of Ukraine — 31, granting of the refugee status — 18, and other issues — 69.
According to Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons”, confirmation of a lawful stay in the territory of Ukraine beyond the terms of visa restrictions is a permanent or temporary residence permit, which is issued as prescribed by the legislation of Ukraine. Amendments must be made to the legislation of Ukraine to simplify acquisition of citizenship of Ukraine by the foreigners who are defending Ukraine and its sovereignty from the armed aggression. The Commissioner initiated and held the work meetings, sent initiative letters, processed the information and submitted the Commissioner’s Opinions on legislative regulation of acquisition of citizenship of Ukraine by the foreigners who are defending Ukraine and its sovereignty from the armed aggression.
The Commissioner considered the petition from the citizen of the Republic of Belarus who was wounded during the hostilities against the aggressor state as a member of the AFU and asked to help him get the documents and formalise his residence in Ukraine. Following the Commissioner’s response and based on the corresponding letters of response, the petitioner was invited to the regional authority of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, and his legal stay in the territory of Ukraine was registered.
The SMS has temporarily suspended operation of its own information systems and work of all the territorial bodies and units of the SMS since 24 February 2022 in connection with the armed aggression of the RF and the martial law in Ukraine. In this regard, a large number of foreigners and stateless persons were unable to extend their documents on legality of their stay in the territory of Ukraine.
The Commissioner received the petition from citizen of Ukraine R.-S. for the benefit of his wife, citizen of the RF R.-S., regarding violation of his wife’s rights to obtain the permit for permanent residence in Ukraine.
It was established from the petition that the petitioner was married to the citizen of the RF and had lived with her and their children in Mykolaiv since 2016. After the broad-scale military aggression of the RF against Ukraine had started, the petitioner’s family stayed in Mykolaiv because of his disease. The SMS ceased its operations in Mykolaiv Oblast in connection with the martial law. The family could not leave for another city since the petitioner was in hospital in the grave condition during the period when the documents had to be submitted. The petitioner applied to the territorial bodies of the State Migration Service of Ukraine for a long time, but his requests for documents were rejected.
Only after Resolution of the CMU No. 1202 of 21.10.2022 had entered into force, the petitioner’s wife was given the right to receive a certificate and confirm legality of her stay in Ukraine.
In order to restore the petitioners’ violated rights and prevent the equivalent violations, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner started consultations with the public authorities, including the State Migration Service of Ukraine, non-governmental civil society organisations (Charitable Foundation “Right to Protection”, Civil Society Organisation “The Tenth of April”), Charitable Foundation “Rokada”), and sent initiative letters to the SMS, the MFA and the Ministry of Reintegration.
On 21.10.2022, the CMU adopted Resolution No. 1202 “Certain Matters of Implementation of Legislative Acts in the Field of Migration during Martial Law”, which enabled entry and lawful stay of foreigners and stateless persons, except for citizens of the Russian Federation, in Ukraine based on the temporary or permanent residence permit that expired or was subject to exchange after 24 February 2022. This rule is in effect during the martial law and for 30 days after it is terminated or revoked. The Commissioner’s proposals and comments were partly considered, and the work is continued to improve the rule.
A separate matter is the status of foreigners being citizens of the Russian Federation in the territory of Ukraine. In 2022, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner received more than 50 petitions from the citizens of the Russian Federation and their family members, including the Ukrainian citizens, regarding denial of the bodies of the State Migration Service of Ukraine to accept and consider documents on the migration permit, confirmation of lawfulness of stay of citizens of the RF in the territory of Ukraine.
The Commissioner considered the petition of citizen of the RF B. regarding a temporary residence permit in Ukraine.
As it was established from the petition, the petitioner was a citizen of the Russian Federation who resided in the territory of Ukraine on a legal basis and was married to the Ukrainian citizen. On 24.06.2022, he applied to the territorial body of the SMS of Ukraine to exchange his temporary residence permit in connection with the forthcoming expiration of the permit, but his documents were rejected.
The matter required additional check and legislative regulation.
The Commissioner initiated the inter-agency meeting in order to develop mechanisms for resolving the issues raised without limitation in the petition, for amending the effective legislation of Ukraine and regulating relations with the persons connected with the aggressor state who were in the territory of Ukraine on a legal basis.
Following the Commissioner’s response, on 1 November 2022, the CMU adopted Resolution No. 1232 “Certain Matters of Provision of Administrative Services by the State Migration Service during the Martial Law”, which enabled certain categories of the citizens of the RF to exchange their temporary residence permit if it expired from 24.02.2022 until the effective date of the resolution. The Commissioner’s proposals and comments were partly considered, and the work is continued to improve the rule.
The matter to be resolved is completion of the procedure for acquisition of the Ukrainian citizenship by the citizens of the RF who received a temporary certificate of the Ukrainian citizen and assumed the obligation to renounce their Russian citizenship within 2 years.
In 2022, the Commissioner’s Secretariat received 28 petitions on that matter. Also, one meeting was held with representatives of that category of citizens, and it was noted there that there were more than 230 persons like that. According to the SMS of Ukraine (from open sources), there are around 175 thousand persons with the citizenship of the RF in the territory of Ukraine in general. These data do not include temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Thus, the Commissioner considered the collective petition from the former citizens of the RF, which was signed by 76 petitioner who had acquired the Ukrainian citizenship as prescribed by the effective legislation of Ukraine, but could not complete the procedure for acquisition of the Ukrainian citizenship because they could not renounce citizenship of the aggressor state.
The Commissioner considered the petition from citizen of the RF Ch. born in 1985 regarding exercise of her right to acquire the Ukrainian citizenship. According to the petition, the petitioner was born in Ukraine, which was confirmed by her birth certificate. She left for the RF together with her parents and returned to Ukraine in 1998. She had been permanently living in Ukraine since 2007. In 2020, together with the son born in her first marriage, she received a certificate of registration as the Ukrainian citizenship, but she could not complete the procedure for acquiring the Ukrainian citizenship since the broad-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine started. The term of her certificate of registration as the Ukrainian citizen expired in April 2022. As of the date of the petition, the petitioner’s status had not been determined, and there was no information on actions taken to acquire the Ukrainian citizenship.
According to the information received from the petitioners, the consular and diplomatic missions of the RF in Ukraine unreasonably refused to accept their documents on renouncing citizenship of the RF, returned their documents without consideration and any records, explanations and written responses since October 2021.
After the full-scale war had started, diplomatic relations with the aggressor state had been severed, and the consular missions of the RF in the territory of Ukraine had closed down, the citizens who had received the temporary certificate of the Ukrainian citizen and assumed the obligation to renounce the foreign citizenship of the RF had the only way out: to renounce the citizenship of the RF outside Ukraine.
One of the proposals of the SMS for such category of citizens was to apply to foreign consular and diplomatic missions of the RF outside Ukraine. However, in case a citizen has no residence permit in the country where he or she applies to the consular mission of the RF, there are no grounds for accepting his or her application for renouncing the citizenship of the RF in accordance with the legislation of the RF. The declarative renunciation of the citizenship of the aggressor state is not a solution as well since the consular missions of the RF in Ukraine have suspended their operations, and a motion to renounce the foreign citizenship of the RF cannot be submitted to consular missions of the RF outside Ukraine.
Therefore, the only opportunity to renounce the citizenship of the RF is to go to the RF and apply to the authorised bodies there. However, in this case, such citizens are under threat of prosecution and detention in the territory of the RF.
Observance of the right to freedom of religion and belief, rights of national minorities (communities) and indigenous peoples
Observance of rights of national minorities (communities) is one of the key activities of the Commissioner, especially in the context of Ukraine’s admission to the European Union. The important step on the path to that was adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine”, which was developed with participation of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the work group. Given the importance of the matter, in order to enhance protection of rights of representatives of national minorities (communities) and indigenous peoples of Ukraine, the Commissioner’s Secretariat has established the department of rights of national minorities, indigenous peoples and religious beliefs.
Since September 2022, the department has received 18 petitions regarding violation of rights and freedoms of representatives of national minorities (communities); use of ethnic profiling by the law-enforcement authorities regarding representatives of the Roma national minority (community); violation of the right to freedom of worldview and religion; violation of the right to use and dispose of the complex of buildings and constructions of orthodox churches of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
One of the most vulnerable national communities in Ukraine is the Roma. The Commissioner keeps receiving petitions regarding discrimination of representatives of this minority on an ethnic ground.
The Commissioner received the petition from the Coalition of Roma Non-Governmental Organisations of Ukraine regarding application of ethnic profiling by the law-enforcement authorities to representatives of the Roma national minority (community).
In August and September 2022, the armed security guards stopped the representatives of the Roma community at the checkpoints of Zaporizhzhia and Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast without any official explanations and transferred them to the police departments.
Ethnic profiling was applied to the representatives of the Roma national minority (community) in the police departments, which was a gross violation of human rights.
Following the response to the actions of the department officers, the police conducted the official investigation in those regions and gave information on no violation of human rights on ethnic or any other grounds. Then prosecution of the Roma at the checkpoints stopped.
The military aggression of the RF against Ukraine also caused numerous violations of religious rights of citizens10. The Commissioner emphases that religious organisations cannot be used in the actions against national security of the country, prosecution of representatives of religious organisations for political reasons, duty of the law-enforcement authorities to conduct objective and unprejudiced investigative actions, and inadmissibility of discrimination on grounds of religious beliefs. The Commissioner responds to each violation associated with violation of religious rights of citizens within his competence.
Monitoring inspections of observance of rights
During the reporting period, 172 monitoring visits and desk reviews were carried out, and comments and recommendations were given then to eliminate the violations.
Counteraction to domestic violence and trafficking in human beings
It was established during 26 desk reviews that the gaps in coordination and interaction of the entities responsible for prevention of and counteraction to domestic violence were increased during the martial law. 14 other desk reviews were conducted in the field of counteraction to trafficking in human beings. Interaction of the entities that perform activities in these areas, operation of the specialised support services for victims of domestic violence, recording of findings of medical examination of victims of domestic violence, provision of free secondary legal aid to such persons as well as observance of rights of victims of trafficking in human beings to information, protection and help are monitored.
Individual violations of rights of victims to information, help and protection as well as reduction of the quantity of the coordination (inter-agency) boards responsible for counteraction to domestic violence and trafficking in human beings were established during the reviews.
The Commissioner have recommendations on adequate response to domestic violence, trafficking in human beings, help to victims, more active interaction of the entities responsible for prevention of and counteraction to domestic violence and trafficking in human beings.
Mass media and social media were also regularly monitored regarding observance of rights of victim of trafficking in human beings. In total, 105 cases of possible violation of the victims’ rights were detected; then applicable requests for guaranteed observance of the victims’ rights to protection and help were sent to the interacting entities that performed activities in that area. Owing to the Commissioner’s response, the central executive authorities and oblast military administrations conducted detailed inspections of cases of trafficking in human beings; the necessary first aid to the victims was organised, and actions were taken in order to observe the right to information on risks and consequences of trafficking in human beings.
Architectural accessibility monitoring
The major problem is the insufficient level of accessibility, namely architectural one, for persons with disabilities and other reduced-mobility population groups. In 2022, 31 monitoring and desk reviews were conducted, in the first place, in the oblasts where lots of people fleeing the war had been displaced (Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Rivne, Volyn and Zakarpattia Oblasts).
Based on the results of the monitoring, recommendations were provided to eliminate the violations. The facilities eliminate such violations within their budget capacity.
As of the end of 2022, 7 monitored facilities improved their architectural accessibility: separate parking slots for vehicles of persons with disabilities were equipped; contrasting marking was placed on the stairs at entrances to the monitored facilities, rails for the ramps, tactile signs with the names and working hours of the facilities as well as names of offices inside the buildings were installed; rails were installed at the toilet facilities in accordance with the accessibility requirements; reasonable accommodation measures were taken etc.
Observance of rights and freedoms by the local executive authorities and local self-government bodies and satisfaction of needs of different groups of women and men, especially from among the vulnerable ones, during the martial law in Ukraine
It was established during 19 desk reviews and 1 monitoring visit that the most common problems in that area were:
- insufficient communication and consultations with the public sector during the activities performed to observe rights of vulnerable groups during the war;
- insufficient consideration of needs of different social groups, including persons with disabilities and reduced-mobility population groups, in satisfaction of humanitarian needs of the population (for instance, no address delivery of humanitarian assistance to the place of residence of persons with no mobility);
- architectural inaccessibility of places of temporary residence of IDPs to persons with disabilities;
- no established approach to assessing needs of different social groups, as a result of which the assistance granted does not always meet the needs.
The recommendations were given to the corresponding decision-makers following the monitoring.
Observance of rights of Ukrainian citizens, foreigners and stateless persons to documentation
The reviews of the matters of documentation of Ukrainian citizens, foreigners and stateless persons as well as conditions of migrants’ stay in the temporary holding centres for foreigners and temporary refugee accommodation centres were conducted during the second half of 2022. There were also additional checks of operation of the points where detainees were held in border guard units. 6 desk reviews and 2 on-site monitoring visits to the territorial bodies of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, 1 on-site monitoring and 1 desk review of the temporary refugee accommodation centres, 2 monitoring desk reviews of the temporary holding centres for foreigners and 2 on-site checks of the points of preliminary detention in the border guard units were conducted.
No violations were detected during the reviews, but the recommendations were given on how to improve the work and ensure observance of rights of foreigners and stateless persons.
It should be noted that the territorial and regional authorities of the State Migration Service of Ukraine generally enable petitioners to exercise their rights, but some aspects of the work need to be revised or improved.
As for centres for refugees and asylum seekers as well as illegal migrants, most of such facilities did not function in connection with the full-scale military aggression of the RF against Ukraine, or started to function after the hostilities in their area had ceased. As a result, monitoring visits to such facilities are scheduled for 2023 in order to establish the actual state of affairs.
Rights of the Roma minority
In September 2022, the Commissioner’s Secretariat took visits to the compact settlements of the Roma in Ukraine and had personal meetings with representatives of the Roma community in Zakarpattia, Lviv and Odesa Oblasts. The monitoring detected some cases of denial of employment due to ethnic origin, unsatisfactory household conditions and isolation form social services, limited provision of medical services, improper documentation and inefficient engagement of children into the educational process in the remote format. The monitors also recorded the low level of education and awareness of representatives of the Roma national minority (community) of operation of social institutions, human and civil rights, freedoms and duties that are guaranteed and prescribed by the legislation of Ukraine. Following the monitoring, the corresponding recommendations were given to the public authorities and local self-government bodies on protection of the Roma and optimisation of their integration into the Ukrainian society.
Legislative drafting
Prevention of discrimination
According to Article 16 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Principles of Prevention and Countering Discrimination in Ukraine”, those who are guilty of breaching the legislative requirements for preventing and countering discrimination shall bear civil, administrative and criminal liability, the CUAO still does not contain a corresponding Article. It makes it difficult to impose liability for violation of equal rights of citizens since only Article 161 of the CrCU can be applied in such cases.
The purpose of the draft Law of Ukraine “On Amending the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code of Ukraine to Combat the Manifestations of Discrimination” (registration No. 5488 of 13.05.2021) is to separate criminal and administrative liability for discrimination, and to approve the conceptual framework in terms of qualification of different forms and displays of intolerance, which still has not been adopted, although this legislative initiative is provided for in point 52 of the Action Plan for the Association Agreement between the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part, which was approved by Resolution of the CMU No. 1106 of 25.10.2017.
The Commissioner supports the above-mentioned draft law, has participated in drafting thereof and has often stressed the need for prompt adoption thereof, in particular, in the Annual Report on the Observance and Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of Ukraine for 2021.
Equal rights and opportunities of women and men
According to the effective legislation of Ukraine, women perform their military duty on equal terms with men (except as otherwise prescribed by the legislation on protection of motherhood and childhood as well as prohibition of gender-based discrimination). However, the draft laws “On Amending the Law of Ukraine ‘On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men’ As Regards the Definition of Sexism” (registration No. 4598-1 of 02.02.2021) and “On Amending Certain Laws of Ukraine As Regards Addressing the Issue of Response, Prevention and Combatting the Manifestations of Discrimination on the Grounds of Sex and Sexual Harassment Among the Military” (registration No. 5485 of 13.05.2021) still have not been adopted. The Commissioner affirmed the above-mentioned draft laws, expressed proposals thereon and have recommendations to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to accelerate consideration and adoption thereof in the Annual Report on the Observance and Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of Ukraine for 2021.
Moreover, there is generally no legislative approach to definition of sexual harassment in the meaning of Article 40 of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention), which was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine this year.
The legislative definition given in the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” is related to the persons who have relations of labour, official, financial or other subordination.
Therefore, there is no administrative liability and procedure for challenging sexual harassment that occurs outside the work place and as regards the persons who have no subordination whereas Article 173-2 (Commitment of domestic violence, gender-based violence, non-compliance with an emergency restraining order or failure to notify of the place of temporary stay) of the CUAO under which liability can be imposed for sexual harassment as for gender-based violence does not make a different between domestic violence and gender-based violence, which requires legislative regulation. This matter requires applicable legislative regulation.
Rights of persons with disabilities
Another problem that occurred at the beginning of the full-scale war was accompaniment of persons with disabilities, namely during evacuation outside Ukraine.
In May 2022, the petition of citizen S. was received regarding elimination of the discriminatory clauses of the Rules for State Border Crossing by the Ukrainian Citizens approved by Resolution of the CMU No. 57 of 27.01.1995 (as amended), which prevented a person with disabilities from crossing the border during the martial law together with the male care giver if the latter had not received a certificate of compensation for providing the social care service without entrepreneurial activity. The Commissioner’s Secretariat sent a letter to the Ministry of Social Policy, where he asked to consider regulation of the issue and, where necessary, to initiate corresponding amendments to the effective legislation.
This matter has been regulated by Resolution of the CMU No. 1044 of 10 September 2022 . In particular, the fact of care can be confirmed with the report on establishment of the fact of taking care of the parent or parent-in-law or with documents (certificate, statement) on receiving the compensation (assistance, extra payment) for care.
Recommendations
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine should ensure consideration and adoption of:
- draft Law of Ukraine “On Amending the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code of Ukraine to Combat the Manifestations of Discrimination” (registration No. 5488 of 13.05.2021);
- draft Law of Ukraine “On Amending the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” As Regards the Definition of Sexism” (registration No. 4598-1 of 02.02.2021);
- draft Law of Ukraine “On Amending Certain Laws of Ukraine As Regards Addressing the Issue of Response, Prevention and Combatting the Manifestations of Discrimination on the Grounds of Sex and Sexual Harassment Among the Military” (registration No. 5485 of 13.05.2021);
- initiate amendments to the Electoral Code of Ukraine to promote the enjoyment of the electoral right by illiterate citizens, in particular by Roma.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine should:
- ensure that the recommendations given by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in its Concluding observations on the ninth periodic report of Ukraine are followed;
- develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the draft law on stricter liability for gender-based violence, in particular, on introduction of administrative liability for sexual harassment;
- develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration the draft Law of Ukraine on ratification of Convention of the International Labour Organisation concerning the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work No. 190;
- develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the draft Law of Ukraine on amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Principles of Prevention and Countering Discrimination in Ukraine” concerning the supplementing of the definition of the term “discrimination” with the aspects of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity;
- develop and approve the State Target Social Programme for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for the Period Until 2025;
- approve the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for Promoting the Enjoyment of Rights and Opportunities of Persons Belonging to the Roma National Minority in the Ukrainian Society for the Period Until 2030.
The Prosecutor General’s Office should amend the Code of Professional Ethics and Conduct of Public Prosecutors in order to include the clauses on prevention of gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment at the work place.
The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine should:
- amend the Law of Ukraine “On Countering Trafficking in Human Beings” to include the local self-government bodies into the list of the entities that take actions to counter trafficking in human beings;
- ensure implementation of the measures provided for in the State Social Programme for Preventing and Combating Domestic Violence and Gender-Based Violence for the Period Until 2025 as approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 145 of 24.02.2021.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine should develop and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration the draft law on the legalisation of registered civil partnerships in Ukraine for same-sex couples with regulation of their property rights and non-property rights.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine should consider provision of consular services to Ukrainian citizens in the territory of the RF via a third-country consular institution.
The National Police of Ukraine should develop and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for consideration the draft law on amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Disciplinary Charter of the National Police of Ukraine” in order to include the clauses on prevention of gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment at the work place.
The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy should submit for public discussion and approval the draft Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for Promoting the Enjoyment of Rights and Opportunities of Persons Belonging to the Roma National Minority in the Ukrainian Society for the Period Until 2030.
The National Social Service of Ukraine should:
- ensure training on countering trafficking in human beings, including as regards detection and organisation of aid to the persons who have been held captive by the occupying army;
- ensure training on prevention of and counteraction to domestic violence, including as to coordination of the entities responsible for prevention of and counteraction to domestic violence during the martial law and deoccupation of certain parts of the territory of Ukraine.
The State Migration Service of Ukraine should:
- develop and submit to the Minister of Internal Affairs for consideration the draft Law of Ukraine on amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Citizenship of Ukraine” in order to eliminate legislative collisions and gaps that make it impossible to complete the procedure for acquisition of the Ukrainian citizenship by the citizens of the RF who have received the temporary certificate of the Ukrainian citizenship as prescribed by the law;
- ensure simplification of the procedure for obtaining the status of a stateless person in terms of collection and submission of documents;
- develop and submit to the Minister of Internal Affairs the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on regulation of legality of stay in the territory of Ukraine for the citizens of the Republic of Belarus who came to Ukraine from 2020 to 2022 as they fled prosecution of Lukashenko’s regime, by initiating the corresponding resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The oblast state administrations, the Kyiv City State Administration, local self-government bodies should:
- ensure control over provision of information on submission of the application for the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings for the persons who have been held captive by the occupying army;
- ensure creation and operation of specialised victim support services with account of deoccupation of certain parts of the territory of Ukraine.
1 CCPR/C/UKR/CO/8. Concluding observations on the eighth periodic report of Ukraine. URL: https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2FPPRiCAqhKb7yhsmmmCeqXycPDoV5Gxrp8KtvO4tw7aWqqrSja6dZBGgcAkF%2Frb7SxkDVAn8GwZyPktpdXFgmd9Xuf9Vi2tjAkz8oYjzJCELidqLckk1cfnHN5
2 CEDAW/C/UKR/CO/9. Concluding observations on the ninth periodic report of Ukraine. URL: https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2FPPRiCAqhKb7yhsvglKm%2F71Q4iogAZSMgJYVsfA92MTYCtWHEE11uSPzKnKpWwt7TOxV5J8ClgoK%2BClqJPqBxMVCVqFR%2BSTZI1rHS7%2BCUyL61CaAEo%2FwZIhrWF
3 “Der Handel mit schwangeren Frauen ist seit Beginn des Krieges deutlich gestiegen”. Available at: https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/plus243066691/Ukraine-Der-Handel-mit-schwangeren-Frauen-ist-seit-Beginn-des-Krieges-deutlich-gestiegen.html
4 More detailed information on observance of rights of the persons affected by the armed aggression against Ukraine can be found in Chapter 1 of this Report.
5 KIIS. INTER-ETHNIC PREJUDICE IN UKRAINE, SEPTEMBER 2022. Available at: https://www.kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=1150&page=4
6 Faced with discrimination, Ukrainian Roma refugees are going home. Available at: https://www.euractiv.com/section/non-discrimination/news/faced-with-discrimination-ukrainian-roma-refugees-are-going-home/
7“People choose to stay in Ukraine”. Roma activist Yulian Kondur on life of the Roma during the war. Available at: https://romaua.org.ua/news/ukraine/1662664440550
8 The Roma refugees fleeing Ukraine fall victim to discrimination and prejudiced attitude. Available at: https://foreignukraines.com/2022/09/12/roma-refugees-fleeing-war-in-ukraine-say-they-are-suffering-discrimination-and-prejudice/
9 In cooperation with the Civil Society Organisation “La Strada Ukraine” and within the Ukrainian National Campaign “16 Days of Activism against Violence”, the staff of the Secretariat provide expert consultations at the National Hotline for Prevention of Domestic Violence, Trafficking in Human Beings and Gender-Based Discrimination.
10 More detailed information can be found in Chapter 1 of this Report “Rights of citizens affected by the armed aggression against Ukraine”.