On June 23, 2017 at the premises of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights the Second Steering Committee Meeting of the Twinning Project “Implementation of the best European practices with the aim of strengthening the institutional capacity of the Apparatus of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights to protect human rights and freedoms (Apparatus)” took place.
The Project is implemented in cooperation with the Lithuanian institutions (Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania, Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, State Data Protection Inspectorate, Law Institute of Lithuania, Vilnius University, Central Project Management Agency) and Austrian institutions (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights) with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of European Neighbourhood Instrument.
The goal of the project is to ensure effective prevention and response of violation of human rights by strengthening the capacity of the Ombudsman Institution as an effective mechanism for parliamentary control over the observance of human rights and freedoms by improving legislation and internal procedures according to international standards. The project presupposes the capacity building of the Secretariat of the Commissioner.
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeriya Lutkovska welcomed participants of the meeting and outlined the importance of strengthening the protection of human rights in Ukraine in the context of the implementation of the Twinning project.
Head of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Bohdan Kryklyvenko, Justice Sector Manager from the EU Delegation to Ukraine Andriy Spivak and MS Project Leader, Head of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania Augustinas Normantas presented their welcome speeches.
Resident Twinning Adviser Aušra Rauličkytė presented the second quarterly report of the Project, outlining the implemented measures for all components as well as identified plans for the next reporting period.
Director of the Law Institute of Lithuania Jurgita Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė and key experts presented the Project results for all three components as well as expressed hope that the Lithuanian–Austrian experience would be useful for Ukraine.
Representatives of the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Human Rights and other stakeholders also took a part in the event.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union the Head of the TAIEX Coordination Division of the Projects Management Unit Olena Rachynska attended the event.
For reference: according to Resolution of the Cabinet of Ukraine “On Approval of the Procedure for Initiation, Preparation and Implementation of the Twinning Projects” as of 11 October, 2016 No 700 the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service coordinates the implementation of the institution building instrument of the European Union Twinning in Ukraine. Furthermore, in accordance with relevant legal acts the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service is the coordinator of institution building instrument TAIEX implementation in Ukraine. In order to provide effective coordination of Twinning and TAIEX the Twinning Program Administration Office in Ukraine was established, its functions are performed by the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union.
