On July 15, 2021 a closing event of the Council of Europe Project “Promoting social human Rights as a key factor of sustainable democracy in Ukraine” (the Project) was held.
International conference was held in a hybrid format (on-line and off-line). The event was attended by over 100 participants.
“On behalf of the Council of Europe, I would like to thank all the partners involved in co-operating with the Project. I am very grateful for their active workity, because it was felt. We hope that the co-operation we have established in the field of social rights with Ukraine will continue in the reforms. It will mean that the work of the Project will have a long-term impact”, said in his welcoming speech Mr Christophe Poirel, Human Rights Director, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe.
On 1st August 2019 the Council of Europe launched a 2-year Project “Promoting Social Human Rights as a Key Factor of Sustainable Democracy in Ukraine” aiming to make a substantial and timely contribution to the further development/implementation of new social rights related policies and adjust the situation in Ukraine in the area of social rights to the standards of the Council of Europe.
The event was supported by the Project partners:
"I would like to thank for the consistent support in building a system for the realisation of social rights in Ukraine. We already know the standard which is European Social Charter and we already have tangible results in its implementation. Recent co-operation between the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and the Council of Europe has turned into a long-term and reliable partnership, thanks to which a number of socially important inclusive initiatives have been implemented", said Ms Maryna Lazebna, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine.
“We are convinced that without this comprehensive work on the analysis of legislation, needs assessments and recommendations, it would be difficult to move towards the European standards. We are very grateful for the work and we promise that all achievements will definitely not be forgotten, at least in our Committee”, noted Ms Galyna Tretiakova, Head of the Parliament Committee on Social Policy and Veteran’s Rights.
“Congratulations to the Council of Europe on the successful completion of the Project. The results of our cooperation will serve to promote the provisions of the European Social Charter in the national legislation of Ukraine", - summed up the co-operation Ms Liudmyla Denisova, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.
During the Project’s implementation period – 70 events were held, 1500 participants engaged, 22 publications developed, 4 needs assessments conducted, 9 legal expertise provided, 6 training programmes and manuals developed and published, 1000 online and offline meetings held, 1 million persons reached.
This was reported by Ms Margarita Galstyan, Project Manager, Department of the European Social Charter, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe.
"We hope that our work will continue to live on in decisions and legislative documents developed and adopted by Ukrainian authorities. Moreover, we are hopeful that this is just the end of the first phase of the long-term co-operation between the Council of Europe and Ukraine in the area of social rights", added Ms Galstyan.
Also during the conference, the following topics were discussed:
- Ukrainian regulatory framework on protection of social human rights
- Barrier-free Ukrainian society
- Ensuring rights of people with disabilities, children and older persons
- Ensuring equality in employment (gender perspective/ rights of people with disabilities)
- Social rights policies and practices in Ukraine vis-à-vis the European standards
- Social benefits v. Social Services: best European practices and the Ukrainian context
- Implementation of the European Social Charter in Ukraine
- Social rights in administrative justice of Ukraine
- Reporting before the European Committee of Social Rights
- Application of the European Social Charter by lawyers in Ukraine
- European Social Charter in law schools curricula
During the conference the needs assessment report in the area of rights of children in light of the European Social Charter standards was presentedby the national consultant Ms Marianna Onufryk. Also, the results of the research on social support for people in need in Ukraine, conducted in cooperation with the Kyiv School of Economics, was presented and discussed.
During the event, the partners repeatedly thanked the representatives of the Council of Europe for their work and achievements of the Project. The Project was the first fully-fledged technical co-operation project in the area of social rights, implemented in Ukraine among 47 Member-States of the Council of Europe. The Project results are highly appreciated and anticipated by the partners. And we look forward to continuing our joint activities!
“These two years have been very difficult, but the Project has made an incredible contribution to the general awareness on the benefits of the European Social Charter among citizens, legal professionals and students. Even after the completion of the Project, there will be gains that will be realised in practice in the future", described the work of the Project Ms Olena Lytvynenko, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine.
Video of the conference is available here:
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