Our mission

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union promotes the development of humane society based on respect to human life, dignity and harmonious relations between a person, state and nature through creation of a platform for cooperation between the members of the Union and other members of the human rights movement.

Background

UHHRU, established in 2004, is an independent non-profit and non-partisan organization. The Union is the largest association of human rights organizations in Ukraine, which brings together 28 human rights NGOs with the purpose of human rights protection. The UHHRU constitutes itself as the part of the Helsinki movement and continuator of traditions and activities of the Ukrainian Public Group to Promote the Implementation of the Helsinki Accords. Its mission – realization and protection of rights and freedoms by promoting practical implementation of humanitarian articles of the Final Act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe adopted in 1975, other international standards based on it and international obligations accepted by Ukraine in human right and freedoms sphere.

Main directions of activity are as follows:

• Ongoing monitoring of human rights situation in Ukraine and informing the public about facts of violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• Legal assistance to victims of human rights violations, including supporting strategically important cases.Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in courts, the authorities and bodies of local self-government;
• Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in courts, the authorities and bodies of local self-government;
• Human rights research and analysis, including regular monitoring of draft laws and legal acts, as well as preparing and advocating own legislative initiatives;
• Resisting the adoption of normative acts, which could worsen human rights safeguards; public discussion of draft normative acts, preparation of our own suggestions;
• Human rights education and awareness – conducting awareness-raising campaigns, educational seminars, trainings, courses for various target groups;
• Developing and providing support for the network of human rights NGOs in Ukraine.