Kyiv, 16 December 2024 – On 16 December 2024, the “Law and Justice: Strengthening Cooperation in Times of War” forum took place in Kyiv. The forum brought together around 200 representatives from the government, Parliament of Ukraine, international organizations and civil society.

Initiated to enhance collaboration in the justice sector, the forum focused on key objectives including ensuring access to legal aid for vulnerable populations, reforming the free legal aid (FLA) system, integrating international standards into Ukraine’s legal framework, and strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation at local level.

Welcoming the participants, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine – Minister of Justice of Ukraine stressed on the importance of rights protection and access to justice in times of war.

“We are making significant efforts towards institutional reform and building a system of integrity. But today, we will focus on a part of state policy that often goes unnoticed – the services and opportunities that allow citizens, even in times of war, to feel justice and equality in their interactions with the state. Our goal is to ensure that the state serves its citizens,” said Olha Stefanishina.

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers stressed that restoration of justice grounded in human rights values has become a pressing demand of society.

“In times of war, access to justice and legal assistance are critical for preventing violations, and upholding equity. UNDP works with partners to strengthen the human rights agenda in Ukraine, and to leave no one behind,” stressed Jaco Cilliers.

The participants discussed a wide range of topics, including Ukraine's European integration in the context of war, child protection, comprehensive assistance for war victims, including survivors of conflict related sexual violence, and local-level support for vulnerable groups.

The speakers addressed the influence of European standards on the reform of Ukraine’s legal system, along with challenges and achievements on the path to EU membership. The EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, addressed forum participants with a special speech.

Olexander Baranov, Director of the Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision, highlighted the transformation of the FLA system, simplification of access to legal aid, and the enhancement of digital capabilities.

“For over 10 years, the free legal aid system has been working to bring services closer to the most vulnerable groups in the population. To achieve this, we are transforming and adapting. We are changing our approaches to providing legal aid, focusing on people's needs and ensuring the quality of services. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, we have strengthened our contact centre and developed online services to ensure that legal assistance is always accessible. Over the past two years, our lawyers have provided more than 100,000 online consultations. We are continuing to work on simplifying access to our services," said Oleksandr Baranov.

Special attention was given to cross-sectoral mechanisms for supporting affected citizens, including internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of the FLA system and international cooperation.

The closing panel discussion focused on practical aspects of providing assistance in frontline and de-occupied regions. Participants shared successful practices involving hotlines, support platforms, and innovative approaches.

The forum was initiated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, and the Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision, and with the support of the UNDP through the “UN Action Network Against Sexual Violence in Conflict” project and the flagship UNDP-EU “EU4Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine” (EU4Recovery) partnership.

Media enquiries 

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org