12th July 2017
Study Visit of Employees of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Institution in Lithuania

On the 5th of April, 2017 employees of Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner’s for Human Rights Apparatus visited the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. The Ombudsperson and lawyers of the Office introduced the guests to various activities of the institution: investigations on the grounds of discrimination as well as its preventive and educational work.

Ukrainian delegation visited Lithuania on April 2-5. The goal of the visit – to familiarize with the work of Lithuanian institutions in human rights field, methodology and procedures to monitor human rights, preventive work in pursuance of reducing human rights violations. The delegation also visited Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, Law Institute of Lithuania, State Data Protection Inspectorate, the Constitutional Court, Vilnius University, and State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service.

This visit is a part of the 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)”, funded by the European Union. The project is implemented by Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office in co-operation with the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, Law Institute of Lithuania, State Data Protection Inspectorate, Vilnius University Faculty of Law and the Austrian Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights. The Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson and lawyers of the Office will share, in the framework of the project, their expertise and experience in the field of equal opportunities.

On the 20-25 of February, 2017 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson Agneta Skardžiuvienė participated in the first mission at the institution of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. During the mission the Ombudsperson together with other Lithuanian experts evaluated the Ukrainian institution’s legal regulation and its practical implementation on purpose to secure human rights. According to the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, the Ukrainian apparatus’ mechanism impresses by its size and with powers invested in it, but, unfortunately, it works inefficiently and ineffectively. Most issues are legally regulated, but there is a lack of strategic focus, singleness of activities and work efficiency. During the mission the Ombudsperson assessed the regulation of non-discrimination and institution’s practical work in the field of discrimination prevention. Among the major observations the Ombudsperson emphasizes the need: to strengthen institution’s pro-activeness in discrimination prevention field; to involve actively in education of the regions about the activities of institution; to determine strategic objectives and terms to implement them; to set priority fields for the current year; for more effective investigation of the complaints.

It is expected that the consortium of Lithuanian human rights institutions will help, in the framework of the project, to impart the scientific and practical knowledge to the Apparatus of Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and will strengthen the institutional competence of its employees.

Future missions are arranged for May and June. Laima Vengalė-Dits and Jolanta Samuolytė – the lawyers of the Office – will participate in them.