United Nations in Ukraine

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ukraine:

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Press Release

23 July 2021

UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine handed over ILO legal gap analysis on the ILO Maritime Labour Convention to the Minister of Infrastructure

At the UN’s meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure Oleksander Kubrakov and his office, Osnat Lubrani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, outlined a wide scope of issues that the UN and its Agencies, Funds and Programmes can collaborate on with the Ministry for Infrastructure to boost progress on achieving SDGs. These included sustainable transport, smarter and greener infrastructure and better protection of workers in the maritime industry. The latter was given a special focus as Ukraine strives to ratify the MLC – the ILO flagship Convention that ensures comprehensive worldwide protection of the rights of seafarers and creates a level playing field for countries and shipowners. National Coordinator of International Labour Organization in Ukraine, Sergiy Savchuk, was also present at the meeting. The meeting was a crowning moment of a deep review of Ukrainian legislation by the ILO designated legal experts. The review identifies legal gaps vis-à-vis the MLC and offers legal solution to bridge them so that Ukraine can effectively comply with the MLC provisions in law and in practice. The review was prepared following the Ministry’s request to the ILO for technical assistance. It is expected that the MLC ratification package, inclusive of the draft-law that amends the national legislation to conform to this ILO instrument will soon be prepared for adoption.

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Press Release

13 July 2021

Helping women fulfil potential in rural Ukraine can make agriculture sector more efficient

As elsewhere in the world, women in Ukraine represent a large proportion of the agricultural labour force and the majority of food producers, and thus play key roles in managing natural resources and promoting the well-being of their families. To explore and analyse gender issues in agriculture and food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has developed the first Country Gender Assessment for Ukraine,. The report – part of FAO’s Country Gender Assessment series, and whose full title is ‘National Gender Profile of Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods (Ukraine)’ – aims to serve policymakers and practitioners engaged in the formulation and implementation of agriculture policies and programmes, researchers and analysts, civil society actors, and other partners. The report acknowledges women’s role in food systems and rural development, yet it also points out their unequal access to land and other assets and resources, which limits their economic opportunities and puts them at risk of being left behind. Based on these findings, the report provides recommendations on how to address gender inequalities for increased agricultural productivity and food security, and sustainable rural development. Greater agricultural productivity, food security and rural livelihoods, says the report, cannot be achieved without recognising the distinct and complementary roles of women and men, and ensuring social and economic equality for both groups. “The report contributes to the existing knowledge base about gender equality in the country, by bringing together gender statistics and experts’ opinions, but also serving as an advocacy tool to provide greater visibility to rural women’s contribution to agricultural productivity and food security,” said Mara Lopes, FAO Ukraine Head of Office. “Women and girls are critical agents in the fight against rural poverty and food insecurity. Supporting them in reaching their full potential will enable agricultural and rural development processes to be more effective.” “The FAO report on Gender, Agriculture and Rural Development is an in-depth and comprehensive document covering gender issues in the context of different areas of women's and men's lives, including participation in decision-making, freedom from violence, the impact of climate change, access to resources such as land, water energy, education, health and more,” added Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy. “This makes it a relevant source of information for all a wide range of users”. However, the report finds that rural women in Ukraine are limited in their capacity to contribute to agricultural production and take advantage of new opportunities, being concentrated in informal jobs and overloaded by multiple responsibilities. These include unpaid informal work on family farms, daily housework, and caring for children and other family members. Despite the heavy workload, their effort is often invisible and receives little recognition or economic or social reward. “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many women across the region find themselves in an even more disadvantaged situation, as evidence points to increased rates of domestic violence and longer hours of care work due to the widespread closure of schools,” said Dono Abdurazakova, FAO Senior Gender and Social Protection Advisor. “Rural women with disabilities, women from ethnic minority groups such as Roma women, women who have been internally displaced, and many more, suffer from multiple vulnerabilities.” One in every six people employed in Ukraine works in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The report reveals that specific job types within that sector tend to fall into either “female” or “male” occupation categories. Men represent 71 percent of all formal employees in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, whereas women in the same sector tend to work informally. Women make up 56 percent of migrant labour in Ukraine as a whole, and 58 percent of migrant labour in rural areas. Men are more likely to migrate abroad, while women tend to migrate internally. Unsurprisingly, only 20 percent of farming enterprises in Ukraine are headed by women. What is perhaps more surprising is that women generally undertake manual labour, such as cultivation, planting, weeding, and harvesting perishable vegetables, berries and herbs. Men, meanwhile, tend to undertake mechanised work such as tilling, ploughing and planting fodder crops, harvesting grain and corn (with combine harvesters), and transporting products to markets. Men are more likely to engage in large-scale crop production (wheat, corn, sunflowers), while women typically focus on horticulture and herbs. The tendency towards distinct tasks is repeated within the livestock sector, with women active in dairy production and work associated with milking and care of cows, and men usually responsible for transportation and mechanised labour. The report also goes into some detail on food, health and nutrition, broken down by the female and male experience in Ukraine. In terms of life expectancy, Ukrainian women live on average 10 years longer than men, and that gap is even more pronounced in rural communities (76.2 years compared with 65.6 years for men in 2019). This is a pattern reflected across all post-Soviet countries. In Western Europe, by comparison, female life expectancy exceeds that of their male counterparts by just five years. Read online: http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1402339/ LINKS Report: National Gender Profile of Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods (Ukraine) FAO and Ukraine Cutting food waste while improving food security and environment in Ukraine Chicken breeding under shelling Country gender assessment series Gender and Rural Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Key Issues FAO Regional gender strategy for Europe and Central Asia, 2019-2022 Journalists & editors:
For video, photos, audio clips contact: (+39) 06 570 53625 or FAO-newsroom@fao.org.

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Press Release

21 July 2021

UN Food Systems Summit 2021 Ukraine held third National Dialogue

The Food Systems Summit Dialogues are convened by Member States through the organization of “national dialogues” aiming at strengthening the dialogue among diverse stakeholders on key challenges and innovative solutions to make our food systems more sustainable. In Ukraine, the national discussions should result in National Report with a clear roadmap and an action plan for sustainable food systems until 2030. The results will be presented by the President of Ukraine at the UN Food Systems Summit which will take place in September 2021. While the first dialogue addressed Ukraine’s Food Systems transformation and development, and the second dialogue aimed at the development of food systems, the third dialogue was held on 19 July and was focused on sustainability and environmental friendly production. The dialogue continue a series of discussions in the framework of the national dialogue on the transformation of food systems in preparation for the UN Summit on Food Systems 2021. The participants of the third National Dialogue discussed the topics of environmental protection in the context of agricultural development, related to the problem of global warming and the consequences that humanity is already actively facing. “The development of environmental friendly production is a determining factor in the sustainable development of agriculture. The European Green Course sets out a roadmap within which we can find ways to implement reforms in Ukraine and change our politics in line with recent environmental challenges. Most of the changes concern the temperature regime, which, unfortunately, has shown a clear upward trend in recent decades,” said Roman Leshchenko, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. The participants discussed that it is very important for Ukraine to be involved in the European Green Course initiative. However, most participants in the dialogue agreed that Ukraine in the context of the European Green Course already has its positive developments and unique specifics, which is why the terms of this policy should not be copied but adapted to Ukrainian realities. “In the European Union, the discussion of the Green Course is now developing on the vector of how agriculture can be efficient and at the same time be environmentally safe, and Ukraine already has positive developments in this," said Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Trade Representative of Ukraine. Taras Vysotsky, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, added: “The Green Course program must be adapted to Ukrainian realities. The development of measures within the direction of environmental friendly production takes the form of dialogue, and with the understanding that feedback is essential for all participants in the process. State support the implementation of changes, it will focus on motivating agricultural producers, but will also have certain standards for products and production processes”. The participants also discussed ways of financing the Smart Green Deal and Ukrainian environmental reality. The organizers of the event plan to hold more discussions in the format of the National Dialogue and formulate the remaining vectors of the future system of Ukraine’s food systems transformation. Watch the whole event by the link: https://bit.ly/36Nusq7.

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Story

14 October 2021

Grant for Jam: How a "Yummy" Business Established Itself

Kiwi fruit with strawberries, melon with garlic and pickles "the American way" - it took a year and $3,000 for them to appear in the kitchen of a craft delicacy manufacturer. In the Kherson suburban village of Antonivka, Olesya Markitan's kitchen is awash with sunlight; on the shelves, there are jars with jams and sauces, and even vinegar is curious to look at because it is infused on herbs. A little later I will be choosing a sauce – spicy orange-and-ginger or cherry-with-wine – picturing how, on a cold winter night at home, I will open a jar or apricot-and-kiwi fruit jam, or maybe that one, with dried melon; or should I try grape jam? we are in Kherson area, after all… The decade-long hobby of an ex-TV journalist grew into a business during the most difficult times of the coronavirus epidemic. It took a bit of magic (that is how they cook jam or sauce, don’t they?), support by her family and also, a project by the Local Employment Partnership, which has already given a chance to 18 business initiatives operating in the area of tourism. FLOWER AND "ANGEL" JAMS Olesya Markitan had worked for twenty years in information journalism; among other things, her creative background also includes her own TV cuisine project. She always loved to cook, and she drew inspiration from her trips abroad, where she found unusual recipes. "From Turkey, for example, after I talked to my colleagues there, I brought a recipe for an extremely tasty jam with name that does not sound very culinary: "Angel Hair"; I simply call it Angel Jam. It is made from Spaghetti squash and has a peculiar structure, so when you taste it, you will never guess it belongs to the cucurbit family,” Olesya says. She tells that while working as a journalist, whenever she had a day off, she would spend it in the kitchen, treating friends and relatives to all sorts of yummy things. And then she realised that she was no longer interested in journalism, that she grew very tired, and that she had to ‘walk out of the frame’ in time and spend more time with her family. Even her son grew up, as it turned out, without her and her husband, just with his grandmother. "I left television and, for the past ten years, I have been cooking jam. I boiled any flower I could find, all sorts of vegetables and fruits, combining various flavours. In a while, the rows of jars of jam began to annoy my family - “we do not eat so much confectionery” – but my cooking went on and on and on…”, the woman says. The pandemic became the turning point; she decided to take a chance and either get a new profession or find money to start a business through the Employment Centre. "The Centre said that the programme was no longer active, but while being there, I heard about the Local Employment Partnership project - an inspector who happened to be nearby was telling someone about the possibility to receive a grant, and I wondered why they did not offer that option to me. I had to tell my inspector that I was also ready to join that project,” Olesya shared. And that was the right thing to do. The Local Employment Partnership is a project that brought together civil society organisations, Employment Centres, and employers to promote self-employment and support small businesses. One of the areas of its activities is the "Start and Improve Your Business" programme. It envisaged a contest of business ideas and provision of technical support, in the amount of $3,000 (in hryvnias), from the International Labour Organization for the implementation of people’s own businesses. That was the programme our character took part in. First, there was training – they immediately had to write a business plan that they needed to defend. Olesya had some ideas. She presented her jam business plan, and she also had one more, which she did not submit but implemented nevertheless – "The Crazy Plum" (dried plums with Kherson-specific components added, such as "Lemurian" salt). All project winners received the USD 3,000 worth of equipment that they needed for their businesses. Olesya, for example, bought a refrigerator, a dryer, induction cooktops, a dishwasher and some special utensils. Although, she says, she had “grown out” of those pans and dryer as soon as a year later, because her operation kept growing and she has many plans. RAW MATERIALS FROM THE LOCAL MARKET, SPICES FROM ISTANBUL Almost everything that gets into jars with jams and sauces is bought from local farmers. Last year she used to shop in the city marketplaces, but those were expensive. This year she travels to the largest wholesale vegetable market in the south of Ukraine, in the village of Velyki Kopani. She negotiates with the farmers to drop the raw materials at her place, although there is a problem: she buys by the kilogram, and they are accustomed to selling by the tonne. “Farmers ask me sometimes: how many tonnes are you taking? And I say: 50 kilos. I have to use my journalist connections, to persuade them. Sometimes they haul big loads and drop a little at my place,” she says. She buys some spices in Istanbul, combining travels and procurement. In addition to dried plums and jams, she created one more product line - spicy berry sauces for meat and fish. Since she wanted to do something special, however, she started using the hottest pepper varieties. Last year, she bought very expensive seeds, and then realised that she herself could not be able to harvest, because she has only the experience of a summer vacation gardener, so she gave those to some women she knew. They cultivated the seeds and in autumn brought her the harvest - she paid for that, and everybody won. Herself, she says, she grows the Spaghetti squash and basil, and this year she did try growing hot pepper. “May to November is the gathering time, I have a blank, and jam sales are practically absent. Sometimes it happens that everything ripens all at once and I ger overwhelmed with panic: how do I cope? I can buy everything but then I have to process it too”, Olesya shares her difficulties. “Last year I had nobody to help me, I could not afford any assistants. Two or three times I hired people to do the dirty work - wash, unload, clean strawberries. At the end of the day I sat down to do some calculations and they made me cry – it was unprofitable." Winter is psychologically easier, since sales are good. And the time to relax is April, when there are no orders to speak of, or any special work. "I sometimes complain that not everything works out, but if you swipe away these emotions - I only registered on October 1 last year - I recollect how much I did, and, as it turns out, I did a lot," the master confectioner says. A year ago, when she started, she regarded an order for 15 to 30 jars as a great success. Now she delivers an average of 2,000 jars of sauces and jams every month. Those are mostly corporate orders - companies buy those as a gift to employees or guests to the region. That is why she works a lot, 16 to 18 hours a day. And that's not the limit: next year she plans to add canned preserves, and this summer she made some test products. Some more work, and she will have “pickles the American way” (the kind that are used in burgers), with spices. “My family liked them. Now I need other people’s critique. I also want to make dried vegetables for soups and borscht,” she shares. Apart from jams and sauces, she has another schtick – she conducts master classes with tasting for small groups. “In summer, I conduct those master classes outdoors, in winter – in here, for no more than four persons. Girls order a tasting session for their birthdays: we cook a ‘designer’ jam, they socialise, and it turns a nice celebration,” she says. PLANS FOR EUROPE AND CREATIVITY She has actually crowded out her family from the first floor of her house, and plans to have a workshop and a storage place next year, because her ambition is to enter European markets. To do that, she must take part in international fairs and, of course, to make sure that her production facility is certified by the European standards. "I have to scale up. I did some calculations: with ten workers, I will have a good, solid craft production. Anything more than that is not craft anymore, because there will be no creativity, you will be bound by the process flow chart,” Olesya ponders. So far, her work has offered plenty of space for authorship and creativity. She designs the labels herself. To do that, she collaborates with local writer Anatoly Marushchak and Kyiv-based journalist Svitlana Leontieva who is also a painter. With paintings it is clear - obviously, they can be used in a design. But what does a writer have to do with that? Well, Anatoly simply wrote a fairy tale "Lesya’s Jam", made an audio record of it, and now people can listen to the tale by following a QR-code on the container. "I will not say that I invent all the recipes myself; as they say, everything has been invented before us. In general, sharing recipes is okay, every cook will eventually make something uniquely theirs anyway. But what does not get shared is the technology, because it is the result of their own work. You come to this through trial and error, your intuition works,” Olesya says. She feels a lack of knowledge, she admits, and she studies all the time. Since the new year, she has taken six specialised courses, but, she believes, that was not enough. Buyers need to be surprised all the time. «The most unusual flavours, I believe, are citrus ones. That’s citrus flavours that Kyiv customers buy from me. And myself, I really like kiwi fruit combined with strawberries”, says the author of unusual jams. “I like to read about cosmetics, where unusual fruits are combined. You read that and think: that's interesting, I wonder how will it taste?” Olesya does not cook what she does not understand and does not like. “I don't use cumin, I don't cook pekmez. This year, however, I'm launching two sauces - ‘spicy watermelon’ and ‘garlic melon’. They are sugar-free, even in watermelon I lower the sugar content a little by adding lime or lemon”, the champion of unusual combinations shares. “Last year, I made melon and cucumber sauce - everyone liked it, but I didn't.” I ask, and what kind jam considers purely Kherson type? According to Olesya, the showpiece of the area is grape jam, although almost no one cooks it (and it’s a shame because it is actually very tasty). The most popular flavours are apricot and cherry. Olesya makes them appear in a new way, with a “kink" - with spices, amaretto, pistachios. Although Olesya left television, she has projects in mind that are related to gastronomy and tourism - for example, at some point she wanted to tell about famous people who visited the Kherson area and about their favourite dishes. She also dreams that the kitchen, where we talk, will become a living museum of jam - there is an old wooden chest waiting for its time, and a collection of utensils gradually grows. BALKAN EXPERIENCE THAT WORKED IN KHERSON AREA Two years ago, a memorandum on the establishment of the Local Employment Partnership (LEP) was signed in Kherson, enabling Olesya Markitan to start her business. That was a case when a memorandum really worked - the project participants’ efforts contributed to the implementation of 18 business projects in tourism; development of a professional standard for cooks; and establishment of a gastronomic laboratory at the Kherson Higher Vocational School. The LEP, which encompassed 14 civil society organisations, the Kherson City Council, and the Oblast and the City Employment Centres, emerged within the project of the International Labour Organization "Inclusive labour markets for job creation in Ukraine." Communication between the participants and the administration of the project was supported by the "New Generation" public centre, which acted as a bridge connecting all project partners. According to the "New Generation" Executive Director Oksana Glebushkina, 38 business plans were submitted to the business project contest; 30 business ideas were publicly defended; 18 winners were established and provided an opportunity to purchase the necessary equipment, for 3 thousand dollars each. Those included gastronomic business ideas: craft cuisine - specialty jams and preserves, and wholesome bread. There were also projects dedicated to water recreation: SUP paddleboarding, rides in eco-boats (electric catamarans) and kayaks. Also, the project helped implement the idea of customised picnics, create specialty board games, and offer virtual tours of Kherson. There was a manufacturing unit as well, offering authentic designer embroidered shirts, camping equipment, and linen clothes; there are plans to make unique souvenirs. Coffee shops and the “CULTURA” fem workshop were supported too. Another area implemented within the Local Employment Partnership project is the support for the long-term unemployed and the inactive population. Experts developed and implemented a methodology to find the reasons for why people cannot find a job for a long time, and held webinars and training sessions for the project participants. "We were trying to find out why people stay registered as unemployed for a long time. Those include, for example, mothers who stay on the maternity leave - they are able to work, but there are barriers, so those women can neither receive the unemployed status nor work. In particular, those are seafarers’ wives who have the resources to start their own business, but they are economically inactive. Also, an obstacle exists for some young people, for whom applying to an employment centre is equal to acknowledging that they are incapable of self-realisation”, Glebushkina listed some problem categories. Advisers helped develop individual plans and hold webinars (it was a period of quarantine restrictions) for 100 Kherson residents from such groups. As a result, 42 people found jobs. Dzemal Hodzic, Senior Technical Adviser of the International Labour Organization project, even drew attention to the success of the proposed concept and emphasised that the practice needs to be implemented. "The Local Employment Partnership in Kherson is an example of success that must be shared," Mr. Hodzic said. Currently, there are plans to implement the next stage of the LEP, choosing another sector of the economy and another community in the Oblast, Oksana Glebushkina said. At the end of September, an independent assessment mission of the Government of Denmark and a team of the International Labour Organization visited Kherson. The mission experts had personal meetings with the project participants and members of the Local Employment Partnership. "That visit gave me a chance to see from a different perspective how to continue the project, how to use our experience," Oksana Glebushkina said. She added that the programme trainers and mentors agree that the programme would not have worked if it had no funding, because in fact it was the lack of start-up capital to start a business that deterred people. Currently, all 18 projects are up and running, all registered and operational. The project helped not only those who started from scratch - opportunities were opened for those private individuals who already had a business model and worked, but needed support, Glebushkina explained. For example, the ZAGRAVA project for the production of linen clothes. Its owner, Maria Doiban, used to sit at sewing machine herself, created designs herself, and sold those herself. Now she can hire workers and has enough time to develop and promote her brand. "We bought equipment - a professional ironing machine and a device that makes buttonholes – and that accelerated the work manifold. From 100 items of clothing over a season, they have grown to 240, using three hired employees during that period,” Oksana Glebushkina described the progress. The model that the International Labour Organization put forth and piloted in the Kherson area is the experience of some Balkan countries, tested in those with the EU support. As we can see, it also delivered good results in Ukraine too. In Rivne Oblast, for example, the dairy sector was chosen for a similar project. The lessons learned in Kherson during the project is planned to be used in the small business support programme of the Kherson City Council, the "New Generation" director said. "Of course, it will not provide financial assistance in the form of a grant to buy equipment, as in our project, but it may offer, for example, reimbursement of loan interests, it is envisaged in the programme," Oksana Glebushkina said. Author: Iryna Staroselets Photos provided by Olesya Markitan and the Local Employment Partnership in Kherson

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06 October 2021

Punishment cells on dubious grounds: Kyiv resident Vyhivskiy’s conditions of detention in Russia

Since 2014, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented human rights violations perpetrated against persons arrested in Crimea.(1) Some of them were subsequently deported to the Russian Federation in violation of international humanitarian law. In extreme cases, the failure to acknowledge an arrest and detention and subsequent concealment of the whereabouts of the detained person from their relatives constituted an enforced disappearance and led to other grave human rights violations, such as torture and ill-treatment. Valentyn Vyhivskyi, a Kyiv resident, disappeared after travelling to Crimea on 17 September 2014. He was later found in detention in the Russian Federation and convicted to 11 years in prison in a high-security facility. Valentyn’s father Petro speaks about the seven years that his son has so far spent in detention, marked by poor conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement, placement in punishment cells, and restrictions on communication with the outside world. How did Valentyn end up in Crimea, and why was he detained? Valentyn was interested in aviation, it was a hobby of his. There was a community of aviation fans in countries from the former USSR. This community included people from Ukraine, Belarus, Russian Federation and other countries involved in aviation production. They used to meet up with each other and corresponded together. There was one girl in this community, they [Valentyn and this girl] communicated for a long time. She was raising money for cancer treatment for one of her relatives. Valentyn collected a small amount and wanted to hand it over to her. They agreed to meet in Crimea. And as it turned out much later, this girl was under surveillance by the FSB for her “ties” with a hostile country [Ukraine], and a person [Valentyn] interested in aviation. Perhaps it was a way to lure him out, I don’t really know. On 17 September 2014, Valentyn Vyhivsky was apprehended in Crimea. As his relatives found out approximately a month later, the FSB apprehended Mr. Vyhivskyi when he entered Crimea and held him in an unofficial place of detention for several days. Around 21 September 2014, Mr. Vyhivskyi was deported to the Russian Federation and eventually placed in the Lefortovo SIZO in Moscow. In the meantime, Mr. Vyhivskyi’s parents made numerous unsuccessful attempts to locate their son, including through enquiries with law enforcement agencies in Crimea. Later, when it became possible for relatives to see Mr. Vyhivskyi briefly in detention in the Russian Federation, he complained to them that he had been repeatedly beaten and subjected to a mock execution with a gun early on in his detention. The circumstances of Mr. Vyhivskyi’s arrest and further detention amount to an enforced disappearance, which is a grave human rights violation. Concealing the whereabouts of the detained person places the victim outside the protection of the law leaving them vulnerable to ill-treatment and torture. He was detained, then transported to Moscow and charged with espionage under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Under Article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention, individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive. What are your son's detention conditions like? In Lefortovo he spent a year and a half in a cell for two people, and in the colony, he has been kept in solitary confinement since 2016. [On 12 May 2016, he was admitted to the colony in Kirov oblast where he remains as of the time of this interview, — ed.] I was then trying to find out why he was being held in solitary confinement. Initially, the administration justified this by saying that the colony had prisoners from Donetsk and Luhansk regions and that there could be some conflicts. But then it turned out that in Russia, people who "pose a threat to the Russian Federation" are kept in solitary confinement to avoid contacts with others. Since 2017 and until recently, he has been kept under the "PKT" regime (помещение камерного типа), which involves stricter security measures and the isolation of a detainee. Valentyn has also periodically been placed in punishment cells (SHIZO) on dubious grounds. International human rights law allows solitary confinement only as a last resort for the shortest time possible. (Committee against Torture, Concluding Observations: USA, CAT/C/USA/3-5) Prolonged solitary confinement, i.e., that which exceeds 15 days, is prohibited. (Standard Minimum Rules, rules 43(1)(b) and 44.) Prolonged solitary confinement may amount to an act of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Every day is the same for him. He spends all of his time in his cell, which measures 2x3 meters. He has a bench that’s 20 cm above the floor, which serves him as a bed, but which is taken away during the day. It is so cold in winter that the walls are covered with frost, and in summer it is very hot with a lot of mosquitoes. The food is generally horrible, although it has improved a bit in the last few months. The medicine they give is the same as in all prisons. Valentyn had COVID-19 and was given one treatment — being placed in a punishment cell. Brilliant green antiseptic, maybe iodine — that's all they have. There is a doctor in the colony, but if the person is sent to a punishment cell when he has COVID-19, you can understand what kind of treatment they offer. All persons deprived of their liberty retain the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. (ICESCR art. 12 (1)) Authorities should monitor and treat detainees’ medical issues, even if an individual has not specifically requested medical assistance. (Communication No. 763/1997, Lantsova v Russian Federation, Views adopted by the Human Rights Committee on 26 March 2002, para. 9.2) I received the most recent letter from him yesterday [the interview took place on 21 July 2021, — ed.]. He wrote it after he had already been moved to the SUS [a type of cell called the Strict Conditions of Detention — ed.]. He wrote that in comparison with the punishment cells, the SUS is like a five-star hotel. Because there is a TV, a table, there is a bed that is not taken away and he is not checked on every night. This was the first letter he wrote on the table. And there is also a small couch on which he can sit. Before that, for the last five years he was only able to either stand or walk during the day. Do you know why disciplinary sanctions were imposed on Valentyn? We wrote an appeal to Moskalkova [Russia's Human Rights Commissioner, — ed.] about this, and the Russian prosecutor's office looked into the issue. They wrote the following: 47 violations were registered against Valentyn. The main violation was his refusal to work. He wrote a statement that he would not do any kind of work for the aggressor country. This was considered as a violation. International human rights standards recommend that prison authorities only use disciplinary measures on an exceptional basis and only when other methods to resolve disputes cannot ensure safe custody and the secure operation of the prison. In any case, prison administrations shall ensure proportionality between the sanction and the offence for which it is established. (United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, rules 36-39) How do you communicate with your son now? We are in touch through letters sent by post, there is no e-mail correspondence available, and phone calls have not been allowed since 2017, because he was in the PKT all that time. In general, they [the prison authorities – ed.] do not allow him to write about the internal regulations, his conditions of detention, and so on. Writing about politics is not allowed. Now Valentyn does not write anything about the internal regulations. He decided not to complain to anyone: neither to us, nor to the administration. At first there was a period when his letters were not delivered, but he complained in the presence of the Ukrainian Consul that his letters had not been sent from the colony for four months. The administration said that he criticised Russia and wrote the word "Russia" in lower case. He promised that he would not write bad things anymore and would write Russia with a capital letter. And the letters started to reach us. At the moment we are receiving letters from him. Persons deprived of their liberty should be allowed to communicate at regular intervals with family and friends through correspondence and by receiving visits. (United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, rule 58. Communication No. 74/1980, Estrella v Uruguay, Views adopted by the Human Rights Committee on 29 March 1983, para. 9.2.) This right may not to be denied for “more than a matter of days”. (Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, principle 15.) How is Valentyn taking this psychologically? When he was just detained, he was shocked, of course, as everyone would be. Especially because of the use of different ways to "break" him... not explaining for what and why, but just beatings, beatings, beatings… He survived that… When my wife went to see him for the first time, 7-8 months after the detention, he looked very bad: skinny and tired. The second time she was there, Valentyn looked much better. He lifted his shirt, showed her that everything was fine, there was nothing, everything had healed. But my wife saw that there were a few scars left on his head. When they met later in the colony (my wife went there several times), he was more or less okay. The prohibition of torture and ill-treatment is absolute and allows no exceptions under international law (ICCPR, article 7). What does he need the most at the moment? At the moment, he needs serious medical care. He has already had many health problems. Well, and most importantly, it’s his psychological state. He wrote that he understands that without serious rehabilitation, without a psychologist, he cannot overcome the problem. Moreover, he has problems with his joints, his back, his teeth, and the consequences of COVID-19 need to be treated as well. He believes he would recover after a month or two at home. But he is not home yet. What actions are you taking now and what are your next steps? We are not sitting quietly, we try to do everything possible to encourage everybody – our government and beyond our government – to take at least some action regarding an exchange, release, or any other action to bring our children home. It's not only us who are doing something, it's all the relatives of those detained in Russia, Donetsk and Luhansk. (1) The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, occupied by the Russian Federation.

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05 October 2021

In the words of Lilia Shutyak "Online learning gave students the opportunity to be more involved in work"

Lilia Shutyak has been teaching at the Department of Journalism of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University for over ten years. She collaborates with cultural projects and with multiple media and is also actively involved in overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 in the field of education, offering innovative solutions. As it happens, in late February – early March 2020, the first COVID-19 patient in Ukraine was registered in Chernivtsi. His illness was widely covered in the Ukrainian and international media, a press conference was held near his house, and as panic gripped ordinary citizens and official authorities, the media needed to react quickly. Thus, the vocabulary of the media was transformed before our very eyes – moving from information incitement to explanatory journalism. It was at that time that I decided to join in raising awareness about the pandemic and exposing the fakes in the media, which were blazing red hot on the Internet. During the lockdown, I added two new fact-checking topics to my “Internet Journalism” university course. On top of that during this period I conducted 3-4 master classes for students of our university and non-university audiences on combating fakes about COVID. The issue turned out to be very relevant and necessary to help navigate and respond correctly to provocative headlines. Chernivtsi is one of the first cities to be placed in the "red zone", so our university, alongside with its students and teachers, also became the first among educational institutions that had to adapt to the new challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers tried to figure out how to build effective communication so that students involved in online learning could receive education no worse than in classrooms. It was a difficult time, because the traditional educational process became impossible due to quarantine restrictions. The other side of this issue was the need to master new technologies and platforms for communication. We were considering several options and settled on the one that would be the most secure as far as confidentiality of both students and teaching staff was concerned. Many people complain about online education, but in my opinion, online learning has allowed all students, regardless of gender, to be more involved in work. The higher attendance of online seminars was also encouraging. To put it in numbers, average attendance reached almost 90% and sometimes peaked at 100%. New language emerged, for example, “raising one’s hand” using the button or “+” in chat instead of the usual conversation in the classroom. This gave teachers the opportunity to make classes more interactive in order to gage the participation of the audience. Of course, for some of the teaching staff organizing work online became a challenge, not so much due to their age, but more to do with the habitual way of teaching. Over time we realized that this quarantine was to stay with us for a long time and we had to adapt in order to stay in the profession. We helped each other, shared guides and links to online courses and useful platforms. This united us. I think that many women, like myself, are faced with an increase in the number of household chores related to cooking and cleaning. If earlier it was possible to eat out more often, now I had to significantly expand my knowledge of cooking. When the family is at home all the time, it means that you need to cook a lot more. Sometimes it took a toll on my working day and caused issues with my time management. Of course, now we are trying to evenly distribute responsibilities, I would say that we have coped. I can only imagine how many families had not come to an agreement on this issue, and all household responsibilities fell on the women in the family. Now, when we are on the verge of a new wave of quarantine restrictions, it will not be difficult for us to adapt, because all the processes have been fine-tuned, teachers and students have improved their skills in preparing lectures, seminars and presentations, as well as mastered new technologies. We shall manage. The article created as part of the UN Women Project “Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment through Decentralization Reform of Ukraine” funded by the Government of Canada.

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27 September 2021

Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO representative, Head of Country Office in Ukraine

Head of WHO Office in Ukraine: It is really possible to vaccinate more than 70% of population in Ukraine In an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the WHO Representative, the Head of the WHO Office in Ukraine, Dr. Jarno Habicht, spoke about the global goals of vaccination against COVID-19 and whether Ukraine can achieve these goals. How does the WHO assess the current situation with the spread of coronavirus infection? We are approaching the end of the second year of the epidemic, and this is a third school year our children will study in a pandemic. In the coming months we expect the next wave of COVID-19 in Ukraine, and it is too early to say when we will be able to get out of it. In many countries we still see community transmission of Covid - in the country or in the organized groups. Meanwhile, at the global level, we can say that in September the number of cases of the disease got somewhat stabilized. Though, it stabilized at a very high level. That is, the number of cases is not growing? It is stable but at a very high level. If you look into the European region, it accounts for about 30% of the total number of global cases of COVID-19. We are now monitoring variants and mutations of concern and interest. Speaking of mutations of concern, we have the Delta variant, and the evolution of that variant will determine how we get through this autumn. We know that this variant also circulates in Ukraine. This mutation, in comparison to the "Alpha" variant spreads much faster, and that means the number of hospitalizations will increase. I want to say right away that vaccination will play a very important role in overcoming the spread of this mutation of the coronavirus, in particular for the elderly, since vaccination will help to avoid a serious course of the disease. In addition to this mutation, which we already know about and prepare for, there are variants that are classified as of interest. These are, in particular, Lambda and Mu variants. They are being watched because they will determine how COVID-19 evolves Globally and in the European region. In other words, we are now in the middle of another outbreak and we need to stay careful. According to our forecasts, which are confirmed by statistics, in September we will see increase in the number of cases of disease in Ukraine. We see that the rate of positiveness of the tests performed has almost doubled over the past month, which means that more people are sick now. In addition, we see that the number of Ukrainians who end up in a serious condition in hospitals and intensive care units is growing. At the same time, the vaccination coverage in Ukraine has reached ̶a̶l̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ over 10% of the population. This is not at all the level that we see in other European countries, where vaccination coverage reaches over 60%. Now in Ukraine, the number of fully vaccinated citizens is about 5 million (today 4 959 086) people but our goal, of course, is to achieve a higher figure. In this respect, the following facts are very significant: in high-income European countries the vaccination coverage is about 58% of the population, in middle-income countries it is about 28% of the population, and in low-income countries the vaccination coverage is about 8%. If we compare Ukraine to similar countries, we can say that in these countries the vaccination coverage is at the level of 8-10%. Though, if we talk about Europe on average, then Ukraine needs to catch up with the European countries because today in Europe as a whole we have about 410 million people vaccinated or about 55% of the total population. The main task now is to provide vaccination for everyone with one or two doses of vaccine, and later, in a year or two, if necessary, it will be possible to talk, perhaps, about some additional vaccination. To what extent do you think this task is being fulfilled? Globally the goal was to have 10% coverage by the end of September. In other words, Ukraine has already reached this figure. The next goal is to vaccinate at least 40% of the population by the end of the year, and I think Ukraine will be able to achieve even higher rates by the end of this year. But we need also take to consideration that national vaccination plan targets are higher in Ukraine. How many people can actually be vaccinated in Ukraine - 50%, 70%, 100%? This question is very difficult, and I hope that more than 70% can actually be vaccinated. According to the survey results from August we now see that every second Ukrainian is interested in being vaccinated. The most important thing is that you need to vaccinate the elderly and those who are at risk. The main critical issue is to help people who may have severe illness and even die in intensive care units. Therefore, now we should not chase the indicators but rather aim at certain target groups. When we look at the European region we see that almost 55% of the total population have been vaccinated (with first dose and fully vaccinated). And if we look at the data from 36 countries that provide data on the age of vaccinated patients, we see that in the 60+ group they have more than 70% vaccinated. It is very important to use this approach and focus specifically on older people who have high risks. I hope that this is exactly what Ukraine will do in the coming months. At the same time, in almost all countries we see a situation when the first 50% of population were vaccinated easier than the remaining citizens to reach coverage targets as 60, 70 or more. Will COVID-19 vaccination become an annual mandatory procedure? We don't know that yet. Now all efforts are aimed at ensuring that everyone gets a full course of vaccination. What is the most difficult population group that does not want to get vaccinated? I would say that the question is not whether certain groups of people want to be vaccinated or not, it is more important how the vaccination programs are organized, if they can effectively reach 100% of people. For example, in Ukraine there is an issue with vaccinating the elderly people who live somewhere in the countryside, in remote settlements. Such people are unlikely to be able to come to a large vaccination center in Lviv, Kharkiv or Kyiv. In addition, there is a problem with information about immunization, vaccines and their benefits. We see that more information materials need to be distributed to people so that they understand what vaccines are and what are the benefits of immunization. It is very important that the medical community, academia get united around the idea of immunization. And for all groups of people, you need to think how to organize the process in such a way that it becomes easy to get vaccinated. We started immunization at the end of February, we used mobile teams for this, later stationary immunization sites were added, and only at the beginning of summer the immunization centers began to appear, which are now available almost in all regions of Ukraine. Now we see that people use services of these immunization centers. For example, studies show that 23% of vaccines were administered in these large centers, 46% - in stationary sites, and 31% - by mobile teams. By the way, we found out another interesting fact: not all Ukrainians, even those interested in vaccination, know exactly where they need to go to get vaccinated. The problem in the early months of the immunization campaign was that we lacked the vaccine itself. But now starting from August, there should be enough vaccines in Ukraine. Now in Ukraine there are more than 10 million doses in stock; by the end of this year about 15-20 million doses of the vaccine should be delivered to Ukraine. And now it will be very important to accelerate the pace of vaccination in order to achieve both global and Ukrainian goals. For many Ukrainians, one of the incentives to vaccinate was the opportunity to travel to Europe but Europe did not recognize the Coronavac vaccine, which currently was used to vaccinate about 1.657 mln Ukrainians. What is the WHO’s position on the approval of Coronavac vaccine, which is currently recognized by the WHO but not approved by a number of European countries? A lot has already been done in this regard. This topic, the recognition of the Coronavac vaccine, was discussed by the representatives of the WHO and the leaders of European countries. We can say that these are actually not problems of the European region only but also a problem of a global level. In addition, this issue was discussed by the COVID-19 International Health Regulation Emergency Committee in July 2021. The position of the WHO is that we recommend that all countries, including EU member states approve all vaccines that have been listed for emergency use. It is important to note that the EU is not adopting a decision as a single authority regarding the vaccines; such a decision is made by each individual country. Let me note that after meetings of the WHO representatives with representatives of regulators of individual countries, many countries approved the Coronavac vaccine. From my perspective, I would like to say that the situation looks rather confusing when there is a list of about 10 vaccines, and for each one you need to verify separately which countries recognize it and which don't. Nevertheless, it is very important to understand that from the public health perspective vaccines were not created so that people could travel freely, although for this too, but the main purpose of vaccination against COVID-19 is to protect against severe disease and death. It is also very important that now vaccination helps us to gradually return to normal life. Will the WHO recognize the Russian Sputnik V vaccine? The process that could allow the inclusion of the Sputnik V vaccine into the list of those approved for emergency use has not been completed. In order for this vaccine to be included in the WHO list of recommended vaccines, our experts have to examine certain materials that the manufacturer must submit, inspections and audits must be carried out by the WHO team at the manufacturing facility. Let me put it that way: this process has not been completed, moreover, the WHO has not even received a full package of documents for this vaccine. Therefore, it will be possible to speak about any kind of recognition only when we receive a full package of documents. What is the WHO's point of view to the fact that some countries suggest to restrict certain rights of unvaccinated people, for example, to attend certain events? We say that vaccination is not a mandatory measure but we do recommend to use vaccination as a very effective way to deal with epidemic outbreaks. Why not mandatory? We always recommend evidence-based approach and decision made based on balance of risk and benefits. Under National Deployment and Vaccination Plan each country has identified priority groups who should get access to vaccine first, and it is because of their risks due to COVID-19 or their functions. We do not have the same level of risks and benefits for everyone, and we therefore we do not recommend mandatory vaccination enforced by law, unless lack of vaccination harms others. Another important point that for mandatory we should have sufficient vaccine supply to cover everyone upon request, and it is not there yet globally and in many countries. Therefore, as of today in Ukraine, we cannot say that COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory for use. At the same time, we realize that we have overwhelming evidence that the course of COVID-19 in vaccinated people is much lighter and priority groups, those with high risks for COVID-19 complications and severe outcomes, as well as those with essential functions should be vaccinated as soon as possible, and vaccination is the only strong tool we have to protect them. There is a lot of discussion around the mandatory vaccination in the beginning of the school year - if it is necessary to vaccinate all teachers and university professors. What is the WHO's position? Such a discussion is under way in almost all countries. The same questions arise regarding the vaccination of staff in covid and non-covid hospitals. In many countries, the vaccination coverage among the teaching staff is very high. If we talk about the health of each individual teacher and professor, then I would certainly recommend each of them to be vaccinated. Usually, if countries decide that vaccination should be mandatory, they often fail to enforce it fully. This is a complex issue, both from the legal point of view and from the point of view of ensuring the right to education and work. Nevertheless, I am sure that in Ukraine our teachers could be protected much better. In fact, there are many older teachers in Ukraine and their health requires protection, i.e. vaccination. At the same time, it must be remembered that in addition to vaccination in those communities and communities where the virus transmission continues, other protective and preventive measures should be used including distancing, wearing a mask and washing hands. Does the WHO have any leverage to stimulate vaccination or wearing masks, in a word, to contain the spread of the virus? Our influence and, at the same time, our task will be to provide support. This is, for example, what we are doing now in Ukraine: Ukraine gained access to the vaccine through the COVAX mechanism. From the beginning of February to the present day, it is the COVAX mechanism that made available almost 20-25% of vaccines by now. Will the COVAX continue to operate in 2022? In 2022, it's operation will continue for sure, and later we will see, if there will be need for it. Many countries are now organizing their ways to obtain and purchase vaccines, including Ukraine. For example, on the basis of bilateral agreements Ukraine has purchased 15-20 million doses of vaccine. In fact, it is important to make sure that you have sufficient amount of vaccine. For example, now the situation is such that, in a sense, it is even easier to get a vaccine in Ukraine than in the high income countries. Is there enough vaccine manufacturing capacity in the world today or is it still necessary to look for new production sites? Now the number of manufacturers is constantly growing, the number of production sites is increasing, and they are located in different countries. Just in August, a new manufacturing hub was launched in South Africa, to which the mRNA vaccine technologies were transferred with the help of the COVAX mechanism and support from the WHO. Of course, there is and there remains a need for rapid production and rapid development but on the other hand one should not forget that it is necessary to ensure access to vaccination, etc. Globally, we can see that vaccine use is very disproportionate - about 52% of the world's population lives in low- and middle-income countries but only 18% of vaccines have been used in these countries. So, unfortunately, we see inequalities in accessing the vaccines. I really hope to see fewer ICU patients next year than I saw in the past. In recent months, I have spent a lot of time in visiting Oblasts and hospitals and I can say that hospitals are now in better condition, better prepared than they were last year, and nevertheless, I would like to see fewer Ukrainians in intensive care.

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Press Release

14 October 2021

East Expo 2021: Businesses from eastern Ukraine show wares on national stage

The East Expo 2021 – the country’s biggest business exhibition for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, this year held on 13-14 October, kicked off today in Kyiv. Every year, East Expo gives entrepreneurs from eastern Ukraine an opportunity to present their companies at a top-flight business exhibition, finding new customers and introducing the public to the products they make. East Expo 2021 is organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) within the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, with the financial support of the European Union and the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. The event is conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Kherson oblast state administrations, Donetsk Oblast Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine. Speaking at the opening of the seventh annual East Expo business exhibition, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Dafina Gercheva congratulated the participants and their partners and stressed that the exhibition was an important tool for supporting local economic development. "UNDP has been working in eastern Ukraine since 2015 to support communities, businesses and local governments in the east,” Gercheva said. “Since 2015, almost 1,500 companies have received grant support, about 4,000 jobs have been created, and about 10,000 entrepreneurs have gained new business skills. Today, MSMEs make up most of the enterprises in Ukraine and around the world, and are essential factors in job creation and in the global economy.” Gercheva also stressed that despite the economic difficulties caused by the ongoing armed conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, enterprises in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts have proved to be highly resilient, determined, and innovative. They continue to operate, grow, and expand in response to market demand. In his welcoming remarks, Rémi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, noted that SME development was one of the key directions of EU-Ukraine cooperation. “It’s a privilege for the European Union to be a key partner and supporter of the annual East Expo event,” he said. “East Expo has already established itself as a dynamic platform for developing the links between businesses from eastern and southern Ukraine with the rest of the country, with the EU, and with other countries. A stronger SME sector diversifies the Ukrainian economy and strengthens its resilience.” Duflot also referred to the social and economic fallout of the pandemic – a crisis that has hit economies around the world. He noted that the ongoing EU4Business programmes assist SMEs across Ukraine to gain access to finance, markets and skills. He also highlighted the assistance mobilized through the 'Team Europe' approach, which is aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic and helping companies emerge from the crisis. In addition to the traditional presentations directly at the event location, the exhibition is being shown online: You can view various products and get acquainted with the businesses on the East Expo and Diia.Business websites, where the profiles of about 150 companies are presented. Each profile contains brief information about the company, along with photo and video presentations. David Schlaefer, Senior Assistance Coordinator, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said it was a great pleasure to open the East Expo 2021. He welcomed the entrepreneurs from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts to the event, saying it was aimed at strengthening business ties, exploring new partner opportunities, promoting products, and facilitating access to new markets. “The economic recovery of eastern Ukraine is among the United States’ top assistance priorities,” Schlaefer said. “We’re honoured to be contributing to the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, which strives to revitalize eastern Ukraine’s economy by strengthening local business capacity and job skills, supporting home-grown entrepreneurs, and promoting access to new markets and trade links,” he added. Valeria Ionan, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, emphasised that one of the ministry’s objectives of is to turn Ukraine into a country of entrepreneurs. “To make this happen, we’re implementing a large-scale business development project called Diia.Business. It’s essential for us that micro and small enterprises feel they have the support and aid of the state. That’s why East Expo is an excellent platform for showcasing regional entrepreneurs at the national level, and for networking and building new partnerships.” About East Expo From 2017 to 2019, East Expo has been held in Kramatorsk, Sievierodonetsk, Kyiv (twice) and Lviv. In 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, the event was held online in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. In total, during the exhibition's existence, it has been visited by more than 10,000 people, and 260 local manufacturers have presented their products. At the most recent events, 70 percent of the participants have established business contacts with new partners. Background The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Twelve international partners support the Programme: the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland. Media enquiries Yuliia Samus, UNDP Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org Photo: Andriy Krepkikh / UNDP Ukraine More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/undpukraine/albums/72157720017811287 Live feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPsQykVXa98

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Press Release

11 October 2021

Ukrainian celebrities took part in a new HeForShe movie about gender stereotypes

“UN Women Ukraine believes that young people have the power to positively transform our societies, economies, and political systems and put human rights and gender equality at the center of all reforms. We are excited to have joined forces with Ukrainian universities and bring this conversation directly to students”, remarks Erika Kvapilova, UN Women Country Representative in Ukraine. The heroes of the film said that they also faced stereotypes, sought inner confidence and freedom from the opinions of others. They are convinced that gender discrimination must be counteracted, that sexism on the part of classmates, university administrations or employers must not be silenced. "When you are offered something that does not agree with your moral principles, and even if the boss or even the president does it, you should speak about your point of view clearly and not be afraid," advises singer Alina Pash. The film was created as part of the HeForShe University Tour — a global project of the HeForShe movement, which has already taken place in the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Thailand and other countries. In September this year, the Ukrainian HeForShe University Tour went to 5 universities all over Ukraine: Chernivtsi, Lviv, Kyiv, Dnipro and Mariupol. The participants of the shows joined a large-scale discussion about stereotypes, sexism, discrimination and violence. From October 1, everyone can arrange a screening and discussion of the film, thus joining the HeForShe University Tour. The HeForShe movement in Ukraine calls on student councils of universities and colleges, active high school students, teachers, the youth club’s leaders to support a global dialogue on gender equality. More about the HeForShe University Tour project: https://heforsheukraine.info/universitytour/ The film is available at: https://youtu.be/nUwXKrnm1L0 https://www.facebook.com/unwomenukraine/videos/180842500821516 Teaser: https://youtu.be/PBoad30IzVI Poster: https://bit.ly/3oq7MWS Footage from the film and backstage photos: https://bit.ly/2WEpUAT _________________________________________________________________________ Created by UN Women, the HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality provides a systematic approach and targeted platform on which men and boys can engage and become change agents towards the achievement of gender equality. Since its launch in 2014, hundreds of thousands of men from around the world including Heads of State, CEOs, and global luminaries, from all walks of life have committed to gender equality. The HeForShe movement in Ukraine is implemented with the financial support of Sweden.

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Press Release

23 September 2021

Civilian casualties on the rise as the security situation deteriorates in eastern Ukraine, says UN Human Rights

After considerable improvement of the security situation in eastern Ukraine following the strengthened ceasefire in July 2020, the number of civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects has risen and is now at levels seen prior to the strengthened ceasefire. A new report released by UN Human Rights today outlines the human rights situation in conflict and non-conflict areas throughout the country. The report is based on the work of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) and covers the period of 1 February to 31 July 2021. The report says that during the reporting period, UN Human Rights recorded 62 civilian casualties – 15 killed and 47 injured. This is a 51 per cent increase compared with the preceding six months. This trend is continuing, with an additional 16 civilian casualties (two killed and 14 injured) caused by active hostilities recorded between 31 July and 20 September. The numbers in August and September are the highest monthly figures since June 2020. “Our civilian casualty records clearly demonstrate that the 27 July 2020 ceasefire resulted in a decrease in civilian casualties caused by active hostilities. It shows that is it possible to put in place an effective ceasefire that protects civilian lives. If it has been done once, it can be done again. The shelling and shooting must stop and we call on all the parties to the conflict to fully implement measures to strengthen the ceasefire,” said Matilda Bogner, Head of HRMMU. The report says that COVID-19-related movement restrictions in eastern Ukraine, mostly imposed by armed groups, resulted in a 95 per cent reduction of the number of crossings of the contact line. As these restrictions forced many people to cross from territory controlled by armed groups to Government-controlled territory via the Russian Federation, the adoption and enactment of a law, releasing civilians who have crossed this border on humanitarian grounds from administrative penalties, is a positive step by the Government of Ukraine. “Due to these restrictions imposed by the self-proclaimed ‘republics’, people are not able to see their families.” Ms Bogner said. “Civilians living in settlements located on both sides of the contact line also expressed frustration about lack of access to water and sanitation, healthcare, public transport and passable roads. Priority should be given to ensuring such services for the conflict-affected population,” she added. The report expresses concern over the adoption of a regulation that allows for the expropriation of immovable private property considered abandoned or left unclaimed in territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk people’s republic’. It not only risks violating housing rights of internally displaced persons, but may also endanger future restitution and creates additional constraints for the return and reintegration of internally displaced persons. The report also states that allegations that workers in territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘Luhansk people’s republic’ have been threatened with a salary reduction or dismissal if they did not obtain Russian citizenship may amount to a form of discrimination and thus be contrary to international human rights law. Regarding the draft law on the transitional period, recently registered in Parliament, the report notes that while it has some welcome provisions, the draft law is built around a definition of transitional justice that is not in line with international standards and does not ensure a victim-centered approach. The report documented 12 cases of individuals believed to be linked or affiliated with self-proclaimed ‘republics’ detained by law enforcement officials in violation of international standards and national law, including in violation of the in flagrante procedure. UN Human Rights is also following the investigation into allegations of torture and ill-treatment in Oleksiivska penal colony No. 25 in Kharkiv, and is concerned by reports received that prisoners who complained of torture faced retaliation. In territory controlled by armed groups, 13 cases of conflict-related arbitrary detention were documented during the reporting period, eleven of which are ongoing. “On 5 August, we were granted confidential access to two women and two men in the Luhansk SIZO. We welcome this development and hope that we will have continued access to detainees there. We also call for such access in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk people’s republic,” Ms Bogner added. The report welcomes the adoption on 20 May 2021 of a law harmonising domestic criminal law with international criminal law, which significantly expands the definitions of international crimes in line with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. “We are concerned that the law has not been signed by the President. It would be a significant missed opportunity not to take this final step to ensure accountability of perpetrators for international crimes,” Ms Bogner said. The report also notes that the decisions of the National Council for Security and Defence that resulted in the closure of television channels and restriction of access to online media are not in line with international standards on the right to freedom of expression. The report highlights 22 cases of threats and attacks against journalists and other media workers, human rights defenders, LGBTI people or their supporters, and members of national minorities. Twenty-one hate speech incidents were also documented during the reporting period, six of which were directed against Roma and another six against LGBTI persons. The report also noted that in territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘republics’, an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship prevailed. Criticism of those in charge and participation in public affairs continued to be discouraged, with UN Human Rights documenting three cases of arbitrary detention of individuals who expressed opinions on social networks. “Persistent grave violations of human rights in territory controlled by self-proclaimed ‘republics’, must be immediately halted. Repression against those who express critical or independent views must stop, and fundamental freedoms must be respected,” said Ms Bogner. With regard to economic and social rights, the report notes the lack of social housing and social services to address the needs of persons with disabilities and homeless people, as well as the difficulties for homeless persons without identification papers to access healthcare services. Persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities in long-term care facilities also lacked access to adequate medical care, contact with the outside world, and employment opportunities. Concerning the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, occupied by the Russian Federation,[2] the report highlights that among other issues, the blanket requirement of pre-authorization for public assemblies continued to restrict the freedom of peaceful assembly. The report adds that Crimean Tatars were also affected by this, when law enforcement agencies issued warnings in advance of commemorative dates celebrated by Crimean Tatars. “These and other continuing violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law by the Russian Federation as the occupying Power must be addressed,” said Ms Bogner. “Crimean Tartars also continued to be targeted beyond the reporting period, with five Crimean Tatar men arrested in Crimea on 3 and 4 September, following searches conducted in their homes by Russian law-enforcement bodies,” she added. The report also provides a set of specific recommendations to the Ukrainian authorities, to self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk people’s republic’ and self-proclaimed ‘Luhansk people’s republic’, and to the Russian Federation, as the occupying Power in Crimea. END The full text of the report is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian. For more information or media enquiries, please contact Tanya Tesliuchenko at +380503868069 or e-mail ttesliuchenko@ohchr.org

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Press Release

15 September 2021

HeForShe University Tour will take place in Ukraine for the first time: a student project on stereotypes and discrimination

The UN Women's HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality is going on a University Tour, which will feature five universities in Ukraine. The HeForShe University Tour has already taken place in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Thailand. After the Tours, HeForShe-clubs were created in universities — places of concentration and discussion platforms for caring youth. September 16-29, Ukrainian students and teachers will talk about stereotypes, sexism, discrimination and violence. Cases of sexism and stereotypes are still encountered by most people in the world. About half of the world's population is Generation Z under the age of 30. And according to a recent global study by the HeForShe movement, gender equality is one of the top five issues for them. Students often find themselves in situations that weaken their faith in themselves, prevent them from expressing their personality freely or realizing their ambitions, desires and dreams in the future. The reason for this can be both domestic sexism and harassment or even violence, which are sometimes silenced. As part of the HeForShe University Tour, there will be the premiere of educational movie with the participation of the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova, singer Dmytro Shurov, singer Alina Pash, journalist Michael Schur, host and director of the Wild Theater Yaroslava Kravchenko, designer Ivan Frolov, ReFace Head of product and growth Maria Ponomarchuk, official makeup artist of Maybelline NY in Ukraine Mitya Hrybko and football referee Sofia Prychyna. Specially for Ukrainian students, they shared their stories about stereotypes, the search for inner confidence and freedom from the opinions of others. After watching the film, students will have the opportunity to discuss the topics of discrimination, sexism, tolerance and gender equality with experts, opinion leaders and friends of the HeForShe movement. Tour schedule: September 16 – Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Chernivtsi September 17 – Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv September 22 – National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv September 27 – Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, Dnipro September 29 – Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs, Mariupol Since October 1, the film will be publicly available on the Youtube platform, and everyone will be able to organize screenings in their educational institutions and youth organizations. Find more information on the HeForShe University Tour website – https://heforsheukraine.info/universitytour/ _________________________________________________________________________ Created by UN Women, the HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality provides a systematic approach and targeted platform on which men and boys can engage and become change agents towards the achievement of gender equality. Since its launch in 2014, hundreds of thousands of men from around the world including Heads of State, CEOs, and global luminaries, from all walks of life have committed to gender equality. The HeForShe movement in Ukraine is implemented with the financial support of Sweden.

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