Ukraine opens first comprehensive human rights centre with support from Estonia
Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
15.01.2025
Ukraine's first comprehensive human rights centre was opened in the city of Zhytomyr. Not only will it receive and document complaints of human rights violations, it will also address pressing issues, such as the return of children abducted by russia during the war and the exchange of prisoners of war. The Human Rights Centre expanded its operations as a result of cooperation between the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESDTEV). Estonia provided support by funding building renovations and training staff. The centre was opened on January 14, 2025, by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.
"I am extremely pleased that the city of Zhytomyr now has a Human Rights Centre. It will play a central role in documenting human rights violations, assisting people who have suffered from russia's brutal military actions and returning children deported during the war," said Tsahkna. "The opening of the Human Rights Centre is a strong message of unity from Estonia and Ukraine to russia that we will continue the search for the deported children and that russia will not escape responsibility."
Lubinets said that Estonian support has been integral to the creation of this comprehensive human rights centre, the first of its kind in Ukraine. "This is the result of direct cooperation with the Estonian government. It is also a positive example for other countries, how one country, Estonia, has chosen a specific region, the Zhytomyr Region, to help with restoration," Lubinets said.
Lubinets confirmed that the number of complaints about human rights violations has increased rapidly over the past year. Those seeking help are primarily internally displaced people (IDPs) and the relatives of prisoners of war and missing persons. The Zhytomyr Region has played a special role in protecting human rights in Ukraine in the past; after the Chornobyl disaster, many IDPs fled to Zhytomyr and were in need of support.
Lubinets expressed gratitude to Estonia for renovating the centre's premises and sponsoring the staff training programme designed to help address sensitive issues raised by the war.
The centre was renovated (300 m2) to provide citizens with a safe, neutral and private environment to prevent victim (re)traumatisation and reduce anxiety. The centre also operates as a children's home (or "Barnahus+") for youth who have been sexually abused or suspected of being sexually abused.
The training programme that took place as part of the ESTDEV project entailed four study visits to Estonia, where Estonian experts and mentors trained 75 staff members of the Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner's team from across Ukraine.
Estonia contributed 400,000 euros to establishing the Zhytomyr Human Rights Centre and training staff. Klen Jäärats, ESDTEV's executive director, said that protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is always important, but the need for legal protection increases during the war. "The Human Rights Centre in Zhytomyr will allow us to bring important services closer to the region's people during the war. I hope it will also become a centre of expertise, where the lessons learned during study visits to Estonia will be applied and, eventually, where employees from human rights centres in other regions can exchange experiences," said Jäärats.
The establishment of the Zhytomyr Human Rights Centre supports the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine's goal of strengthening regional offices and transforming them from places of complaint registration into comprehensive, modern human rights centres.
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