On 3–4 February 2026, a specialised two-day training course on the human rights of military personnel was conducted, with a particular focus on safeguarding the rights of women and vulnerable groups. The latter include representatives of national and religious minorities, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and LGBTI+ individuals. The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of 29 specialists from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to effectively prevent and address discrimination and sexual harassment within the armed forces.
The programme combined foundational knowledge with practical, in-depth exercises. Over the course of the two days, participants explored:
- Key concepts such as discrimination, conflict-related sexual violence, and protected characteristics.
- Attention was given to identifying vulnerable groups within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, understanding the specific risks they face, and examining common forms and real-life examples of discrimination and sexual harassment in a military context.
- The training also addressed Council of Europe standards on the protection of vulnerable groups, national mechanisms for responding to discrimination and sexual harassment, relevant international models, as well as the rights of victims and the responsibilities of commanders.
A significant part of the training was dedicated to interactive work, including practical exercises and group discussions. Participants engaged in brainstorming sessions to conceptualise an “ideal” system for responding to discrimination within the armed forces, developing response algorithms and assessing which elements could be applied under current Ukrainian conditions without awaiting legislative amendments. On the second day, group work focused on simulating official investigations into cases of sexual harassment in the armed forces. These discussions examined common procedural shortcomings, as well as international investigative practices of relevance to Ukraine. Throughout the training, examples from the case law of the European Court of Human Rights were used as a guiding framework.
Throughout 2025, the Council of Europe, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, has continued to organize a series of activities aimed at raising awareness of the human rights of military personnel. These initiatives have addressed international human rights law and international humanitarian law, the prevention of discrimination and sexual harassment, freedom of religion, and alternative service. Collectively, these efforts contribute to strengthening the protection of human rights within the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to supporting the effective implementation of rights protection mechanisms in practice.
The training was delivered within the framework of the project “Rights of Veterans and Personnel of the Armed Forces in Ukraine,” implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” (2023–2026).
