A forum “Protecting Human Rights: Status, Actions, Challenges. Frontline Chernihiv Region” was held in Chernihiv

The Human Rights Forum-Dialogue, organized at the initiative of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, has become an important platform for professional discussion of current problems in the field of protection of human rights and freedoms, in particular in times of war. The event was attended by representatives of state authorities, local self-government, law enforcement agencies, international structures, local human rights organizations, in particular, the representative of the NGO “Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights” Yulia Pylypenko.

The following welcomed the participants:

Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets;

People’s Deputy of Ukraine Oleh Seminsky;

Deputy Head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration Serhiy Zenchenko;

Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia in Ukraine Olena Vyshniakova.

In his speech, Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that over the past year, the Ombudsman’s Office has received more than 123 thousand appeals from citizens, which is 29% more than in 2023. Such dynamics indicate an increase in trust in the institution of the Commissioner and society’s need for rights protection.

The central event of the forum was the presentation of the Annual Report on the State of Observance and Protection of Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms in Ukraine in 2024, which this year for the first time highlights the regional aspect of human rights protection. The representative of the VRU Commissioner for Human Rights in Chernihiv region, Larysa Shumna, introduced the participants to the key areas of activity of the Office and the representative office in the region.

Special attention was paid to the fact that the report is not just a collection of facts and statistics – it contains practical recommendations for state authorities, local governments and communities to increase the effectiveness of human rights protection, in particular in conditions of martial law.

Three panel discussions were held within the framework of the forum, dedicated to topical aspects of human rights protection activities:

“State of observance of the rights of human rights defenders and their family members”;

“A child in the family: joint actions of the state and the community to protect children’s rights”;

“Social services of inpatient care in the focus of the community: risks and opportunities”.

During the discussions, the need to strengthen interagency cooperation, improve the support system for Defenders and their families, create effective mechanisms for protecting children’s rights, as well as ensure the proper level of social services in communities was discussed.