A study conducted at the end of 2024 assessed the level of awareness among different population groups in Ukraine regarding the social human rights enshrined in the European Social Charter and the extent of its application in professional activities.

A total of 10 765 people (79.9% women, 20.1% men) participated in the study. To evaluate trends over time, the results were compared with data from 2020.

The findings indicate an increase in awareness of the Charter among legal professionals:

• Among lawyers, awareness rose from 39% in 2020 to 45.7% in 2024.
• Among judges, the figure increased proportionally from 58% to 62%. A particularly significant growth was observed in interest in the annual conclusions of the European Committee of Social Rights on Ukraine, which surged from 20% in 2020 to 92% in 2024.
• Among law and social sciences students the percentage also showed positive dynamics, rising from 78% in 2020 to 89.5% in 2024. Additionally, 93% of surveyed students expressed a desire to deepen their knowledge of the Charter.
• Among employees of the free legal aid system, the percentage of those aware of the Charter is 46.8% (an increase of 5.8% since 2020).

For the first time, the study assessed awareness levels among social workers (77.9%) and civil servants (55.6%) regarding the key provisions of the Charter.

However, despite the increased awareness of the Charter, respondents' knowledge of the practice of the European Committee of Social Rights remains low. Notably, 82% of respondents expressed a need to expand their knowledge of both the Charter and the Committee's practice.

 Detailed study results (available only in Ukrainian).

The data suggest that the European Social Charter is steadily gaining significance as an instrument for protecting social rights in Ukraine.

The research was performed within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Enhanced social protection in Ukraine” which is being implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026, with the aim of improving social protection for vulnerable groups, particularly those affected by the war.