EU invests improvement of Rozsudiv migrants detention centre in Chernihiv region of Ukraine

The European Union has recently invested EUR 140 000 for further improvement of two existing detention centres in Rozsudiv (Chernihiv oblast) and Zhuravichi (Volyn oblast).

In both centres modern perimeter security systems were installed. In addition, Rozsudiv DC received power stabilizators to eliminate problems with electricity supply and to ensure optimal functioning of the provided security equipment. Zhuravichi DC received tourniquet system with registration cards for migrants, electronic door locking system, security window tapes and bars for dormitories.

Action Week Against Racism in Ukraine

European-wide Action Week Against Racism held all over Europe from 15 to 23 March 2009 was finished in Ukraine. It is worth mentioning that this year Ukraine has come to considerable worsening situation. Chernihiv Region is not an exception to this. It is confirmed in the latest national report «Racism and Xenophobia in Ukraine in 2008 - 2009».

Unfortunately, lately there were many events indicating significant growth of racism, xenophobia and intolerance in our multiethnic region: there are neo-nazi marches with calls to evict or restrict the rights of non-titular ethnic group, intolerance actions in respect of migrants, death of the extremist group’s activist after being blown up by own explosive assembly, racist attack on Chechen refugee in Chernihiv in January 2009 and so forth.

Good Governance - Ukrainian experience for Belarus

On 27-30 November, 2008, international school on human rights and good governance was held in Chernihiv for the representatives of Belarusian civil society.

Exactly “good governance” was the main theme to pay attention this time as this issue is very topical for modern Belarus. The country expects for great changes and third sector’s representatives need skills and knowledge in this field.

Taking into account direction of the school on maximum involvement of Ukrainian and international experts possessing practical experience in civil society development, the following experts appeared as the school’s lecturers: Vladimir Weisman – international expert of Helsinki movement (Denmark), Stasys Kausinis – chairman of the Civil Defence Fund (Lithuania), Juhani Grossmann - Chief of the Project “Promoting Active Citizen Engagement (ACTION) in Combating Corruption in Ukraine”, Vyacheslav Yakubenko – noted Ukrainian media lawyer, Oleksandr Demchenko – judge of the Appellate Court of Chernihiv Region, Oleksiy Tarasov – chairman of the Chernihiv Public Committee of Human Rights Protection etc.

Forum for Ukrainian Refugee-assisting NGOs held in Chernihiv

On June 26-27, the Forum for Refugee-assisting NGOs was held in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The basic goal of the Forum was to discuss the main problems in the field of refugees’ and irregular migrants’ rights in Ukraine as well as search for new ways of NGOs cooperation. Devoted to the International Refugee Day, this action was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee of Human Rights Protection with the support of European Commission and European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) within the project “Promotion to the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees and migrants, combating irregular migration in Ukraine”.