During September – October 2017 the Project “Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine” within the framework of supporting the system of free legal aid in Ukraine in cooperation with NGO “All-Ukrainian Bar Association For Free Legal Aid Provision” organized 4 two-days trainings “Protection of the rights of internally displaced persons”.

Trainings have been conducted in Donetsk region (22-23.09 and 06-07.10 in Svyatogirsk, 13-14.10 in Mariupil) and Luhansk region (29-30.09 in Kreminna). Around 80 lawyers working in Luhansk and Donetsk region took part in activities.

During the trainings participants worked on situations related to exercising rights of IDPs to property, education, freedom of movement, social protection. They discussed the standards of the Council of Europe in protection of human rights of IDPs, the role of the legal aid offices in ensuring the rights of internally displaced persons.

Speakers and experts were involved in additional sessions.

Representatives of departments of social protection informed participants about the issues and practice of IDPs’ access to social allowances, while the regional coordinators of UNFPA in Ukraine discussed the role of the system of free legal aid in preventing of gender-based violence.

As trainers the members of the network of lawyers-trainers performed. The network has been initiated by the Project in 2016.

In 2016 and 2017 lawyers-trainers conducted 24 cascade trainings on European standards of providing legal aid to IDPs in which 200 advocates-free secondary legal aid providers and around 200 employees of legal aid agencies took part.

For the participants of the trainings and target groups they work with thematic information materials are being disseminated: leaflet “Free legal aid in Ukraine”; leaflet “Free legal aid for internally displaced persons”; brochure “The rights of internally displaced persons and legal assistance in their exercising”; a manual for lawyers and legal consultants “Legal aid for internally displaced persons. National practices and tips for legal consultations”.

You can view the materials in Ukrainian on the Project page in the “Publications” section.