Kyiv, 7 December 2023 – The Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, in collaboration with the Office of the President of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, organized the International Conference "Freedom or Fear.”

This event, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the governments of Japan and Denmark, engaged representatives from state bodies, international organizations, civil society, and national human rights institutions from around the world. 

Welcoming participants, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized the conference's significance for drawing attention to human rights violations in Ukraine and mobilizing global efforts to protect human rights. "Ukrainians have ceased to fear since 24 February 2022, and are fighting for independence, freedom, democracy, and human rights worldwide. It is not just Ukrainians who require justice; the entire world needs justice," he said.

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, participated in a panel discussion focused on the reconstruction of Ukraine. Alongside Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, Ambassador of Denmark to Ukraine, Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Anatolii Komirnyi, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, Karolina Lindholm Billing, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Representative in Ukraine, and Mariam Lambert, Co-Founder and Ground Director, Orphans Feeding Foundation, the event explored how to restore the country from the consequences of the war while upholding human rights values.

During the discussion, Jaco Cilliers underscored the crucial role of human rights protection in the war setting. "The National Human Rights Institution plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the rights of individuals affected by the ravages of war. It is imperative that the country’s recovery is rooted in the principles of human rights, to guarantee equal opportunities for everyone and ensure that no one is left behind," he said.

The conference was organized with support from the UNDP in Ukraine, the Government of Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, UNHCR in Ukraine, and the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org