To combat discrimination in employment

Despite the fact that according to the law, the rights and opportunities of Ukrainians do not depend on gender, there is a biased attitude towards women in the Ukrainian labor market. Discrimination when hiring is experienced by unmarried women, women with small children, and women over 40. Education, experience, and professional qualities are not taken into account.

However, residents of Chernihiv and the city of Chernihiv who have experienced discrimination on the basis of gender can protect their rights by contacting the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights.

The practice of refusing to hire based on a woman’s marital status and age is widespread. Most often, the employer makes a choice in favor of a male employee, since he will not take sick leave with the child, will not go on maternity leave, etc.

Such an example can be the appeal of a resident of Chernihiv, who is a divorced woman and has a five-year-old son… The fact is that at the time of the appeal she was registered as unemployed at the State Employment Center. At the employment center she was informed that a vacancy had appeared in one of the communal enterprises, for which she could apply. When she applied to this communal enterprise, she was refused employment, openly discrediting her on the grounds of her gender, and was informed that there were currently no vacancies. However, a man was present with her, who was hired with the same education, work experience and recommendations.

The lawyers of the ChGKZPL prepared and sent a complaint to the Chernihiv prosecutor’s office about the illegal actions of the management of the municipal institution. Based on the results of the consideration of the complaint by the Chernihiv prosecutor’s office, an order was issued to the management of the municipal institution to consider the applicant’s candidacy, and in the absence of vacancies at the moment, to leave her in the personnel reserve.

Similar cases are quite common in our city, but residents react to them differently, that is, they do not always seek legal assistance, believing that their rights have not been violated, or simply do not know how to protect their rights.

As noted by the lawyer of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights Natalia Piddubna, back in 1980, Ukraine ratified the Convention “On the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women”. Since then, Ukraine has seen many changes in power, the political system and form of government have been completely reformatted, but the situation regarding combating discrimination against women has not become much better.

According to the lawyer, since 2000, positive changes have been taking place in Ukraine in terms of reducing manifestations of discrimination. A number of laws have been adopted, but this has not solved the problem.

Currently, the All-Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid is implementing the project “Strengthening the Legal Opportunities of Gender-Discriminated Groups”. It was launched in June 2014 to overcome discrimination in employment, in the amount of wages, overcoming domestic violence and providing free legal assistance on these issues.

There are 4 Anti-Discrimination Centers in Ukraine.

Residents of Chernihiv region can contact specialists at

Anti-Discrimination Center

Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection by contacting:

Chernihiv, 57/1 Gorkogo St.,
, or by calling the hotline

(0462) 612-532





(0462) 612-532.

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