On 21 June, the annual "KyivPride" Equality March took place in the centre of Kyiv under the slogan "Recognise Our Families". The peaceful march brought together around 5,000 participants including members of the diplomatic corps, international institutions, LGBTI+ military people and human rights organisations who marched through the central streets of the Ukrainian capital. The event was held with the comprehensive support of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine.
The Council of Europe consistently emphasises that the rights of LGBTI+ individuals are fundamental human rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. The freedom of peaceful assembly and the prohibition of discrimination, particularly on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI), are core standards that every member state is obliged to uphold.
Despite the complex security challenges of martial law and an air raid alert during the march, the high level of preparation by the organisers from the NGO "KyivPride" is highly commendable. With the support of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, the organisers successfully obtained the necessary security-related permissions and approvals for the event. Notably, this year's march was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic to receive authorisation to follow the longer route through the city centre. Furthermore, the well-coordinated and professional actions of law enforcement authorities and the local authorities successfully ensured public order and the safety of all attendees.
During this year's march, participants raised crucial issues regarding the protection of equal rights, notably the introduction of registered civil partnerships, the strengthening of criminal liability for hate crimes across all protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and the reform of legal gender recognition procedures. The protection of LGBTI+ rights is a vital component of Ukraine’s European integration. In line with its commitments, Ukraine must ensure equal rights for all citizens, introduce the institution of civil partnerships, and strengthen criminal liability regarding cases of hate speech and hate crimes.
This year, financial, and communication support within the framework of dialogue with public authorities and law enforcement bodies was provided by two projects of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine: the European Union and Council of Europe joint project "Support for implementing European standards relating to anti-discrimination and rights of national minorities in Ukraine" and the Council of Europe project "Supporting the reform of the national minority legal framework and the resilience of national minorities and Roma in Ukraine".
The Council of Europe Office in Ukraine stands ready to continue providing expert support to state authorities and civil society to harmonise national legislation with European standards and foster the development of an inclusive society.
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