The results of monitoring the protection of human rights in local communities were presented in Chernihiv

The ways and joint action plan of local governments and public organizations to respect human rights were discussed on October 19 in Chernihiv. The roundtable, at which the results of public monitoring of the human rights observance index were presented, was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights together with the Legal Development Network with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the framework of the New Justice Program.

The monitoring was carried out according to the methodology of the Local Code of Human Rights in 3 pilot communities of Chernihiv region – in the city of Chernihiv, as well as Nosivska city and Mykhailo-Kotsiubynska settlement united territorial communities (UTC). Additionally, the experts provided their recommendations and suggestions that will allow for more positive changes in local politics to improve human rights practices.

The assessment was conducted based on 9 sections: community safety, environment, health care, decent living standards, education and cultural development, social protection for vulnerable groups, work and conditions for its implementation, the right to information and good governance. The experts analyzed community websites, conducted interviews and experiments.

In particular, the Chernihiv community received maximum points in 4 out of 9 areas (decent living standards, education and cultural development, social protection for vulnerable groups and good governance). This became possible, among other things, thanks to the city authorities’ initiatives implemented over the past 3 years regarding citizen safety, public communication, the introduction of inclusive education, informing citizens, and more.

“It is very good that public activists conducted an assessment of human rights compliance in the Chernihiv community. The monitoring data will definitely be taken into account by the departments and divisions of the city council, each in its own area of ​​work. In addition, the prepared analytics can be used during the preparation of city programs that in one way or another relate to the sphere of human rights compliance. That is, there is ready-made analytics that can be put into work. This even makes the task easier for program developers,” – noted

Andriy Podorvan

, head of the press service of the Chernihiv City Council.

“In Chernihiv region, monitors studied the observance of human rights in 3 communities (Chernihiv city, Nosivska and Mykhailo-Kotsiubynska AH). The Local Human Rights Index is a project initiated to support and effectively develop the decentralization reform in Ukraine. The criterion for effectiveness is recognized as such development, which is based on the principles of the priority of human rights in all spheres of its relations with the state. Monitoring involves assigning a score and percentage rating to the efforts of local authorities to ensure human rights in each area of ​​assessment. Based on the results of each monitoring, local authorities have a list of recommendations for improving their own activities,” said

Natalia Kulikova

, representative of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights.

“Conducting such events is very useful both for us, employees of the free legal aid system, and for local self-government bodies. Only through joint efforts can we promote respect for human rights. To improve the human rights index, it is very effective to conduct legal education events, within the framework of which citizens are informed about their rights,” commented the director of the Regional Center for the Provision of Basic Legal Aid in Chernihiv Oblast

Iryna Protchenko

.