A training on the problems of legal protection of internally displaced persons was held in Chernihiv

On May 28-29, 2016, the Human Rights Educational House in Chernihiv hosted a training session called “Legal Mechanisms for the Protection of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.” The training was organized by the All-Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid within the framework of the project “Protecting the Rights of IDPs in Ukraine – Legal Aid, Information Campaigns, and Digital Tools” with financial support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

The participants had the opportunity to take a basic course on human rights, learn to understand and plan actions aimed at protecting fundamental freedoms and human rights.

The main part of the training was devoted to the current situation with internally displaced persons (IDPs). Emphasis was placed on the analysis of legislation on IDPs and practical aspects of their residence today on the peaceful territory of Ukraine.

The training took place in the form of lectures and practical sessions, discussions, brainstorming sessions, during which the issues of the public sector’s capabilities to ensure effective human rights protection were discussed. In particular, the issues of international and national standards for the protection of IDP rights, the regulatory framework and case law, the main problems in the implementation of the rights of internally displaced persons, and the advocacy work of reception centers in working with IDPs were considered.

One of the participants of the training, who has been dealing with IDP issues for a long time,

Volodymyr Vinogradov

noted:

“It was very interesting to attend such a training course. The lawyer of the “Vostok-SOS” Initiative

Olena Lunyova

very accessiblely showed with examples how one can fight for the rights of internally displaced persons. After completing the training, I plan to use the knowledge I have gained in my work with IDPs, because I think this topic will be relevant for a long time to come.”

By participating in the training, the participants were able to increase and expand their knowledge of human rights, their full application and protection, conducting educational, monitoring, human rights campaigns, and other forms of civic activism.

“The training brought together human rights defenders and activists from different regions of Ukraine who work or want to help internally displaced persons from occupied territories and combat zones. We expect that in the future the participants will be able to more effectively protect the rights of IDPs and help them solve legal problems. Against the background of constantly changing legislation, our activists, primarily young people, are in dire need of improving their practical skills and knowledge, professional and training support, – comments on the training

Vitaliy Misyats

, Executive Director of the All-Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid. – We are also very glad that this training took place at the Educational House of Human Rights – Chernihiv. I hope that the All-Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid will continue to conduct legal education and training events together with the ODHLCH.

We would like to remind you that for practical issues of exercising their rights, internally displaced persons can contact the project in the Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Rivne, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi and Chernihiv regions.

The project partner in Chernihiv region is


Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights.