UNDP in Ukraine

Judges and journalists received wide-ranging information about the manual from its authors - Professor Mykhailo Buromenskiy and docent Volodymyr Stashenko. Both experts are the representatives of Kharkiv-based Yaroslav Mudriy National Judical Academy of Ukraine.

The Manual "Protection of rights of HIV-positive people in court" [in Ukrainian] consists of seven chapters which include general information on HIV/AIDS and human rights, European Human Rights Court practices in the sphere of protection of the rights of HIV-positive people, Ukrainian courts practices in the sphere of protection of the rights of HIV-positive people, and otherm practical information.

Anatoliy Vizir, Head of Lugansk Court of Appeal (on the photo), participated in the event. He noted that "justice was a part of Ukraine as a whole organism".

"It regulates specific social relations. We also need to make sure that the whole organism is healed. The process of Ukraine's recovery comes from the East where the sun rises. And people understand that," he added.

A seminar for the judges of the court of appeal and local courts took place after the presentation. The topic of the seminar was "Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: justice in response to HIV/AIDS epidemics". The new publication was used during the seminar. When opening the session, Prof. Mykhailo Buromenskiy addressed the participants: "When talking about HIV-epidemics we have to understand that we are fighting not an imaginary but, in fact, a rather real issue".

The judges and mass media representatives received important information from the representatives of science. At the same time they have become the first who provided their feedback and views regarding the manual and the topic of the training.

Valentyna Orlyanska, Judge at Lugansk Regional Court of Appeal, said: "Such seminars are very useful because judges have practical knowledge on legislation but, at the same, time they need real steps and mechanisms for its improvement. The launched publication will become our guide in the sphere of human rights protection of the people living with HIV/AIDS".

Lugansk Charity Fund "Anti-AIDS" supported UNDP in launching the new publication and in organising the workshop. Viktoria Skachko, the Fund's Coordinator, praised the manual and said: "The publication if useful not only for judges since NGO's, human rights activists and HIV-positive people are also involved in human rights protection".

It is planned that similar seminars will also be held in other regions of Ukraine. It is expected that the manual created upon the initiative and support of UNDP in Ukraine will become of significant assistance to Ukrainian justice sector in response to HIV/AIDS epidemics and human rights protection. The total amount of copies (700 copies) will be distributed free of charge among its target audience - the judges working in local courts across Ukraine.

For more information or to get your copy of the new manual, pelase, contact Valeriy Ryabukha, United Nations Development Programme "Governance of HIV/AIDS" Project Law and Policy Adviso, at (+38 044) 280 20 11.