The winners of the Ukraine-wide high school students’ essays “Human Rights and Contemporary Challenges for Ukraine” were identified. They were chosen among 400 competitors from 22 regions of Ukraine. In their essays the high school students, in particular, were sharing their vision for different human rights issues under conditions of the armed conflict, as well as rights of high school students at schools, freedom of speech and right to life.

1^st PLACE

Uliana Klymiuk, 9th grade high school student of Kyiv Gymnasium № 117 named after Lesya Ukrainka. Teacher-consultant – Alla Yakovenko.

2^nd PLACE

Ruslan Khalitov, 11^th grade high school student of Lutsk Specialized School № 5, Volyn region. Teacher-consultant – Olena Gurova.

Valeria Varakuta, 9^th grade high school student of Dniprodzerzhinsk Secondary School № 37. Teacher-consultant – Svitlana Antipova.

3^rd PLACE

Kateryna Dyatlova, 9^th grade high school student of Krivoy Rih Boarding School № 1, Dnipropetrovsk region. Teacher-consultant – Yana Gajdey.

Anna Sklyarenko, 10^th grade high school student  of Kanivsk Gymnasium named after Ivan Franko, Cherkasy region. Teacher-consultant – Valentyna Yakymenko.

Natalya Sorokopud, Dnipropetrovsk Educational Complex № 4. Teacher-consultant – Inna Symchich.

Valeria Lutkovska, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights: “Child’s creativity, imagination and fantasy is like a “litmus test” of emotional self-determination, a kind of indicator of maturity of a society in the field of human rights, an awareness of every citizen of his participation in approval and ensuring the rights and freedoms enshrined in the highest law of our country – the Constitution of Ukraine. Thus, I am absolutely convinced that holding of the Ukraine-wide contest of high school students’ essays “Human Rights and Contemporary Challenges for Ukraine”, its level and high activity of participants from all regions of Ukraine is a guarantee of a civilized and democratic future of our state. I also sincerely hope that many school graduates participating in the competition will join the ranks of the human rights community in our state and will stand on guard of law and order”.

Jed Barton, USAID Regional for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Mission Director: “The task of your generation in the aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity is to continue to defend human rights in Ukraine and in the world. You follow in the formidable footsteps of those heroes who fought on the EuroMaidan, but I am confident that you are up to the challenge”.

The Ukrainian-wide contest of high school students’ essays “Human Rights and Contemporary Challenges for Ukraine” was organized under support of the USAID Human Rights in Action Activity being implemented by the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union in the frames of the Ukraine-wide “We Understand Human Rights” Program in cooperation with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

The American people, through the USAID, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for 50 years. In Ukraine, USAID’s assistance focuses on three areas: Health and Social Transition, Economic Growth and Democracy and Governance. USAID has provided 1.8 bln technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since 1992.

For additional information about USAID programs in Ukraine, please visit our website: http://ukraine.usaid.gov or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUkraine.