In 2024, the issue of human rights in Ukraine became particularly acute. The full-scale war, which has been going on since 2022, has caused systemic violations that affect all areas of life. The annual report of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights provides a comprehensive picture of how the state is trying to respond to the challenges and protect its citizens in extremely difficult conditions.
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Increased workload and the challenges of war
The year 2024 was a record year for the Ombudsman institution in terms of the number of complaints – over 123,000, most of which were related to the protection of servicemen, their families, internally displaced persons and victims of the Russian armed aggression. Particular attention was paid to complaints about violations of rights during mobilisation: unlawful detentions, non-admission of lawyers to military commissions, and cases of excessive use of force.
Cases of violations of international humanitarian law became an integral part of the work. Extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war were recorded – 109 cases in 2024 alone. These crimes have been documented and reported to international organisations. Considerable attention was paid to prisoner exchanges, the return of deported children, and support for the families of missing persons.
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Human rights in the frontline reality
Under the pressure of the war, the state is gradually adapting its legal system to the new realities. One of the key steps was the launch of the International Register of Damage Caused by Russia’s Aggression. At the same time, institutional capacity has been weakened due to the reorganisation of ministries, including the liquidation of the Ministry of Reintegration. This led to difficulties in coordinating evacuations, providing assistance to IDPs and implementing compensation mechanisms.
Education has become an important area: more than 11,000 young people from TOT have entered Ukrainian universities. However, access to Ukrainian education remains difficult for many.
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International recognition and advocacy
The Ukrainian Ombudsman was active in the international arena. For the first time, the Commissioner was elected to the governing bodies of international human rights networks, as well as to the Board of Directors of the European Region of the International Ombudsman Institute. Thanks to his efforts, the Russian Federation was expelled from a number of human rights organisations. Dozens of meetings, international events and diplomatic initiatives were held to support Ukraine and convey the truth about human rights violations during the war.
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Regional efforts and international support
The national human rights system was strengthened by the expansion of the regional network: the Ombudsman’s office operates in every region of Ukraine, and Human Rights Protection Centres have been established in seven of them. Additionally, representative offices abroad have been opened in seven European countries to protect Ukrainians outside their homeland.
Despite limited funding, the institution continues to operate thanks to the support of international partners and civil society. In 2024, more than 3,300 monitoring visits were carried out, more than 4,000 draft legal acts were processed, and about 4,800 proceedings were opened on citizen complaints.
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