Map source: Human Rights Watch

Population of women: 25,346,500/47,100,500
Life expectancy of women (at birth): 74.05 yrs
School life expectancy for women: 12 yrs
Unemployment of women: 6.6%
Adult economic activity rate: 62%
Employment rate of women: 62,5%
Source: Ukrainian State Committee of Statistic, http://www.ukrstat.gov.ua/

last updated 10 April 2006

Contributed by: Halyna Fedkovych, Ukraine National VAW Monitor

Human Rights and Gender Equality

The Ukrainian Constitution is the supreme law of Ukraine, and it states the supremacy of law in Ukraine. Article 3 of the Constitution of Ukraine states that “a person, her life and health, dignity and honour, inviolability and security are recognized as a top social value in Ukraine. … guarantee of rights and liberties of person is the main obligation of the state.”

The Constitution of Ukraine states and guarantees rights regarding life; respect for a person’s dignity and freedom from torture; rights relating to personal freedom and integrity; inviolability of housing; respect for private and family life; freedom of movement; freedom of speech; right to work and its free choice; equal opportunities in work and education; secure conditions of work; protection from illegal discharge; right to social protection; right to housing; right to an adequate standard of living for a person and her family; right to health protection, medical help and medical insurance; equal rights and obligations for men and women in family and in marriage; and other rights.

Gender discrimination is specifically prohibited under the Constitution. Article 24 of the Constitution guarantees freedom from all forms of discrimination, including on the basis of sex. This article states that “Equality of the rights of women and men is ensured: by providing women with opportunities equal to those of men, in public and political, and cultural activity, in obtaining education and in professional training, in work and its remuneration; by special measures for the protection of work and health of women; by establishing pension privileges, by creating conditions that allow women to combine work and motherhood; by legal protection, material and moral support of motherhood and childhood, including the provision of paid leaves and other privileges to pregnant women and mothers.”

The adoption of laws and other legal acts is based on the Constitution, and these acts should comply with Constitutional provisions. The right to protect constitutional rights and liberties of citizens before the court is directly based on the Constitution of Ukraine (Article 8).

A considerable step by Ukraine in the direction of ensuring gender equality has been the adoption by the Parliament of Ukraine of the Law "On Ensuring the Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men" on 8 September 2005.  This law entered into force on 1 January 2006. For the first time in Ukrainian history, the Law contains a legislative definition of “discrimination based on sex" and provides the right of judicial protection from it. “The purpose of this Law is achievement of parity status of women and men through the legal ensuring of equal rights and opportunities of women and men, elimination of discrimination based on sex and implementation of special temporary measures, aimed at the elimination of misbalance between the opportunities of women and men to exercise equal rights granted by the Constitution.”(cited in: Preamble to the Law.

The Law defines such concepts as “equal rights of women and men”, “equal opportunities of women and men”, “discrimination based on sex”, “gender equality”, “gender and legal examination” and others.  It also outlines the main directions of state policy concerning the ensuring of equal rights and opportunities of women and men, gives power in the field of ensuring equal rights and opportunities of women and men to some public authorities, institutions and organizations.

According to this Law, “equal rights for women and men” is the absence of limitations or privileges based on sex; and “equal opportunities of women and men” is equal conditions for the realization of equal rights of women and men. The Law defines “gender equality” as equal legal status of women and men and equal opportunities for its realization that allows the persons of both sexes to take an equal part in all spheres of society life, and “discrimination based on sex”, as actions or inactivity, which express any distinction, exclusion or privileges based on sex, if they are directed to limitation or do impossible recognition, use or exercising of human rights and freedoms for women and men on equal grounds.

The other important document concerning gender equality is the Decree of the President of Ukraine “About improvement of the work of the central and local authorities on ensuring the equal rights and opportunities of women and men," signed on 26 July 2005.

Domestic Violence

Special legislation on domestic violence

On 15 November 2001, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted the law "On the Prevention of Violence in Family." On 26 April 2003, the Cabinet of Ministers issued a decree providing for a procedure to consider and review acts or threats of domestic violence (Decree No. 616). In addition, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in cooperation with Ministry of Family, Children and Youth issued a decree in 2004 establishing a procedure of cooperation between governmental institutions in the field of prevention violence in family.

The law defines domestic violence as any intentional actions committed by one family member toward another family member, which violate the constitutional rights and freedoms of a family member as a citizen and cause harm to his or her physical, mental or moral health or to the development of a child. The law identifies and defines the following types of violence:

·   Physical violence, as any act of battery perpetrated by an individual against a family member;

·   Sexual violence, as any act perpetrated by an individual against the freedom of a family member from unwanted sexual advances or experiences, or any sexual abuse of a minor;

·   Psychological violence, as any verbal abuse or threat made by an individual against a family member to create in her a sense of fear, lack of emotional confidence, an inability to protect herself, or cause her any other mental suffering.

·   Economic violence, as any act by an individual intended to deprive a family member of her residence, food, clothing or other property, to which the victim is entitled or in which she has a protected legal interest. (Only such abuse that may potentially cause death, mental or physical suffering is considered economic domestic violence).

While the law brings some positive changes to Ukrainian legislation in defining domestic violence and identifying prevention as a priority, there are many weaknesses. In addition, the law incorporates many myths about domestic violence, such as victims provoking violence. For example, Article 19 allows the police to issue an "official warning notice" to people whose "victim behavior intentionally creates conditions that contribute to committing domestic violence." Article 18, entitled "reduction of victimity as a measure of domestic violence prevention," states that "victim behavior prevention" is to be carried out through two means: 1) measures aimed at eliminating situations that provoke outbreaks of domestic violence, and 2) measures that enable the enforcement of personal security for a potential victim. In general, the law fails to identify any particular circumstances where police intervention is appropriate, provides an excuse for perpetrators' behaviors and undermines perpetrators' accountability. Such provisions clearly violate human rights of victim, and under conditions when more than 90% of victims are women, are discriminative against women. But we can see growing number of cases where police officers abuse the legal provision on official warnings of provocative behavior of victims of domestic violence, to threaten and prevent victims from reporting to the police. According to the official statistic provided by Department of Public Safety, Ministry of Internal Affairs in Reports on Implementation Law of Ukraine “About Prevention Violence In Family” 6832 official warnings of provocative behavior were issued during 2004, and 3049 – during 11 months of 2005.

Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure

Domestic violence is not recognized by criminal law as a separate offence. The only possibility to protect the victim and punish the batterer through the criminal procedure is using criminal law on bodily injuries or other crimes.

The following crimes under the Criminal Code may apply in cases of domestic violence:

Article 121. Intentional severe bodily injuries

1. Intentional severe bodily injuries, that intentional bodily harm dangerous for life in the moment of infliction, or such, that entailed the loss of some organ or his functions, psychical illness or other disorder of health, connected with the proof loss of capacity more no less as on one third, or breaking of pregnancy, - is punished by imprisonment from 5 to 8 years.

2. Intentional severe bodily injuries  accomplished by a method, that has character of the special tormenting, either accomplished by the group of persons, and also with the purpose of intimidation of a victim or other persons either accomplished on the order or was entailed death of a victim, - is punished by imprisonment from 7 to 10  years.

Article 122. Intentionally middle bodily injuries

1. Intentionally middle bodily injuries, that intentional damage, which is not dangerous for life and did not pull at after itself the consequences foreseen in the article 121 of this Code, but such, that entailed the protracted disorder of health or considerable proof loss of capacity less as on the one third, - is punished by correctional works within 2  years or probation for 3 years or imprisonment for 3  years.

2. The same actions accomplished with the purpose of intimidation of a victim or his relatives or compulsion to certain actions, - it is punished by imprisonment from three to five years.

Article 125. Intentional minor bodily injuries

1. Intentional minor bodily injuries - is punished by the fine up to 50 untaxed minimums of incomes of citizens or  social works within 200  hours or correctional works within 1 year.

2. Intentional minor bodily injuries, that entailed brief disorder of health or insignificant loss of capacity, - is punished by social works from 150 to 240 hours, or  correctional works within 1 year, or arrest for 6 months or probation for 2 years.

Article 126. Beatings and beatings up (Blows not causing injuries)

1. Intentional task of blow, beatings or accomplishing of other violent actions which inflicted physical pain and did not entail bodily harms, -  is punished by the fine up to 50  untaxed minimums of incomes of citizens, or  social works for 200 hours or correctional works for 1 year.

2. The same actions, that have character of beating, up accomplished by the group of persons, or with the purpose of intimidation of a victim or his near, -  is punished by probation or imprisonment for 5 years.

Article 127. Torture

1. Torture, that intentional infliction of great physical pain or physical or moral suffering by causing of beatings, of tormenting or other violent actions on purpose induce a victim or to accomplish other person actions which conflict with their will, - is punished by imprisonment from 3 to 5  years.

2. The same  actions accomplished repeatedly or after a previous plot by the group of persons, - is punished by imprisonment from 5 to 10  years.

Article 129. Threat by murder

1. Threat by murder, if there were the solid grounds to be rather afraid realization of this threat, - is punished by the arrest for 6 months or probation for 2 years.

2. The same action accomplished by the member of the organized group, - is punished by imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.

Civil Law and Civil Procedure

According to civil law and procedure, there is a possibility for the victim to seek redress of material, health and moral damages caused by crime or other illegal actions by a person or legal entity.

Violence against women was one of the main issues discussed at the parliament hearings “Status of women in Ukraine: reality and perspectives” in June 2004. Recommendations from the hearings noted that, despite the adoptions of the 2002 Law of Ukraine “About Prevention Violence in the Family” and the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Procedure for Consideration and Review of Reports of Acts or Threats of Domestic Violence, the trend of growing violent acts within families still persists under present conditions in Ukraine. In the period between January and November 2005, the 2005 U.S. Department of State Country Report noted that 70,888 domestic violence complaints were filed with law enforcement, and the courts handed down 67,639 decisions in domestic violence cases.  Also, the U.S. Department of State notes that the courts levied fines on 52,739 people, ordered 277 people to do community service, and jailed 8,973 individuals for domestic violence offenses. Perpetrators of domestic violence are given two warnings by authorities, after which perpetrators charged with domestic violence are then monitored by the Interior Ministry. The U.S. Department of State noted that law enforcement issued warnings to 5,412 people. (citing: statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

Sexual Assault

The U.S. Department of State reported in its 2005 Human Rights Country Report that 868 cases of rape or attempted rape were reported to police from January to November 2005. In Women 2000, the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights estimates that twenty percent of women from ages 17 to 21 years have experienced attempted rape. However, the U.S. Department of State noted in its 2004 report that rape is a vastly underreported crime.

The Criminal Code of Ukraine recognizes five sexual crimes: rape, violent sexual actions, sexual harassment, sexual relations and depravity of minors.

Article 152 of the Criminal Code protects women against rape:

Rape: sexual intercourse with the use of physical violence, or threat of its use, or by taking advantage of the helpless condition of victim, is punished by imprisonment for 3-5 years.

Rape, committed repeatedly or, committed by the person who has committed any of other sexual crimes stipulated by Criminal Code earlier, is punished by imprisonment for 5-10 years.

Rape, committed by a group of people, or rape of a minor (person under 18 years), is punished by imprisonment for 7-12 years.

Rape, which has caused especially severe consequences, or the rape of a juvenile, is punished by imprisonment for 8-15 years.

Rape is defined as sexual intercourse using physical violence, or the threat of injuries (the will of the victim is suppressed), or by taking advantage of the helpless condition of a victim (her (his) will is ignored). Sexual intercourse (in terms of rape) usually means a heterosexual sexual act. It means a coition of male and female genitals that is capable, as a rule, of causing pregnancy. Physical violence (in terms of rape) may consist of bodily blows, deprivation or restriction of personal will, causing bodily injuries, etc., to overcome the physical resistance of victim, connected with an unwillingness to have sexual relations. The concept of physical violence also includes the use of narcotics, psychotropic, poisoning or strong substances without the consent of the victim with the aim of causing her(his) helpless condition. It is irrelevant whether the perpetrator induced such a condition or if the victim was in the helpless condition irrespective of the actions of the perpetrator. Threat (in terms of rape) is the intimidation of the victim through the use of physical violence by using statements, gestures, or other actions (for example, brandishing a weapon). In any case, the threat should be perceived as real: the victim may have the impression that if she or he resists, this threat will be realized immediately. The threat need not be addressed only to the victim, but may be addressed to other persons, for example, her or his close relatives (in particular children and parents). The helpless condition of a victim in reference to cases of rape means that because of the physical or mental condition of the victim, she or he may not understand the character and value of the actions committed against her or him (mental feebleness) or, understanding it, she or he may not resist. The condition of intoxication may be classified as the helpless condition only in the case when, because of the use of alcohol, narcotics or toxic substances, the person did not understand the present conditions or was deprived of the physical capacity of counteracting the rapist. Consent to the use of alcohol or other substances, even in intimate circumstances, does not constitute consent to the sexual relations. A forensic examination is necessary to determine whether a victim was in a helpless condition due to the use of medicine, the narcotics, toxic or other substances. Qualification of an act as rape is not affected by the moral aspects of the victim (for example, a personal history of promiscuity or previous sexual relations with the perpetrator).

The Criminal Code does not contain the restriction that only illegitimate sexual relations constitute rape; that is, rape can also occur between married people (Article 56 of the Family Code of Ukraine). The Article on the Right of Wife and Husband for Personal Freedom says that: “4. Compulsion to stopping of marriage relations, the compulsion to their saving, including compulsion to sexual relations by physical or psychical violence, is a violation of the right of a wife/husband on the personal freedom and can have the consequences set by a law.”

According to Section 27 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, simple rape charges are brought only upon a victim’s complaint and once brought may not be dismissed upon a victim’s request. The victim of the rape can report the crime to the police, prosecutor’s office or directly to the court. In cases of the rape of a minor or rape with especially severe consequences, the medical institution can report the crime. In cases of the rape of a minor, the victim’s relatives can report the crime.

An investigation of the facts of the crime must prove:

The fact of sexual intercourse with victim;

The use of physical violence, threat of injuries, or by taking advantage of the helpless condition of victim;

The place, date and conditions of violence.

The crime of rape is considered complete at the moment of beginning the sexual act against the will of the victim. Defloration, ejaculation and orgasm are not required. A forensic medical examination is mandatory to determine the fact of sexual intercourse. The forensic expert’s conclusion usually is the most important evidence in cases of sexual violence. In most cases, properly conducted forensic medical and other examinations is the only means of prosecuting the perpetrator.

Other crimes recognized by the Criminal Code of Ukraine include:

Article 153. Violent perverse gratification of sexual desires

Perverse gratification of sexual desires with the use of physical violence, threat of its use or with the use of a helpless condition of victim, is punished by imprisonment up to 5 years.

The same act, committed repeatedly or by the group of people, committed by the person who has made any of other sexual crimes stipulated by Criminal Code earlier, or committed against a minor is punished by imprisonment for 3-7 years.

The same act, committed against a juvenile, or an act that results in especially severe consequences, is punished by imprisonment for 8-12 years.

Violent sexual actions are sexual actions of hetero- or homosexual orientation (except for natural sexual acts), which are capable of satisfying the sexual desires of man or woman through the use of physical violence, or threat of injuries, or by taking advantage of the helpless condition of a victim. These sexual actions include: sodomy, lesbian sexual action, coitus per os, coitus per anum, substitute forms of sexual relations which simulate the natural sexual act, sadistic sexual actions (for example, penetration of the vagina with a certain object), and sexual masochism. Notions of physical violence, threat of injuries and taking advantage of the helpless condition of a victim are the same as with rape. The crime is considered committed upon the start of the sexual action. It is not required for sexual contact to be completed in a physiological sense.

Article 155. Sexual relations with a person who has not reached sexual maturity

Sexual relations with a person who has not reached sexual maturity is punished by probation up to three years or imprisonment up to three years.

The same act, committed by the father, mother or the person who replaces them, or if sexual relations result in infertility or other severe consequences for victim, is punished by imprisonment for three to five years.

The crime consists of sexual intercourse with the person who has not reached sexual maturity. Sexual intercourse in this case is not combined with the use of physical violence, threat of injuries or with the use of a helpless condition of victim. Sexual maturity consists of the end formation of a man or a woman, when sexual life (and for women besides fertilizations, pregnancy, labor and feeding of the child) is a physiological normal function and does not damage further development of an organism. Sexual maturity is a specifically biological concept and does not concern social factors, such as the ability to raise a child and the financial capacity to maintain it. The question of sexual maturity of the victim of this crime is determined in each individual case on the basis of a forensic-medical examination. Forensic-medical examination for such cases is obligatory.

As a general rule, the considered component of a crime includes the consent of the victim for sexual intercourse. If a victim, for any reasons (juvenile age, intellectual backwardness, unconsciousness etc.), did not understand the character and consequences of the actions, such sexual intercourse will be regarded as rape of a juvenile or minor by use of her (his) helpless condition. The crime is considered committed at the moment of the beginning of at least one sexual act.

Article 156. Depravity of minors

Fulfillment of dissolute actions concerning a person who has not reached sixteen years is punished by arrest up to six months or probation up to three years.

The same act, committed against a juvenile or committed by the father, mother or the person who replaces them, is punished by probation up to five years or imprisonment up to three years.

The crime consists of fulfillment of dissolute sexual actions that are capable of causing physical and moral harm to minors. Dissolute actions may be both physical and intellectual. Physical depravity is, in particular, exposing intimate parts of the perpetrator or victim, touching them, or other indecent touches which could cause sexual excitation, training in masturbation, sexual acts in the presence of the victim, masturbation, perverse gratification of sexual desires, or the compulsion of victims to do certain sexual actions to perpetrator, etc. Intellectual depravity may consist, for example, of suggestive conversations with the victim on sexual themes, telling naturalistic sexual stories, photographing victims in different sexual poses, showing of pornographic materials, etc. For this act to qualify as a crime, it is irrelevant as to who initiated the dissolute actions and the victim’s character (sexual history, presence of sexual experience etc.). Depravity of minors is considered complete at the moment of fulfillment of dissolute actions. The consent of the victim has no influence on qualification of the crime.

Sexual Harassment

The definition of sexual harassment is provided for the first time in legislation of Ukraine in Law "On Ensuring the Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men", that entered into force on 1 January 2006. According to this law, sexual harassment includes actions of a sexual nature, expressed verbally (threats, intimidation, improper remarks) or physically (stroking, pats), that humiliate or will offend people concerning the work, duty, material or other subordination. The Law obligates an employer to “take measures to make impossible the cases of sexual harassment.” However, it does not determine which exact measures must be taken, and does not set the responsibility for the given norm violation.

The Criminal Code of Ukraine includes Article 154. Compulsion to sexual relations:

Forcing a woman or man into sexual relations in a natural or unnatural way by the person, upon whom a woman or man is financially or professionally dependent, is punished by a fine up to 50 minimums of not impose taxes of incomes of citizens or arrest up to six months.

Compulsion of a woman or man into sexual relations, incorporated with the threat of destruction, damage or withdrawal of property of the victim (female or male) or that of her(his) close relatives, or disclosure of information, which dishonors her (his) or her (his) close relatives is punished by arrest up to six months or probation up to three years.

The crime consists of forcing a person, female or a male, to have sexual relations by a person, upon whom the woman or man is financially or professionally dependent. Sexual relations in a natural or unnatural way cover the single and numerous sexual contacts of hetero- or homosexual orientation. As illegal mental influence, forcing includes the open or veiled threat of undesirable financial, career or personal consequences for a victim. The will of a victim is not suppressed and is not ignored completely, but illegal pressure is made. Financial dependence means that financial (material) aid from the perpetrator is the only, basic or important source of existence for the victim, and deprivation of such help would put the woman or the man in a serious financial position. Professionally dependent means that: a) the victim is the professional subordinate of the perpetrator; b) the victim is under the perpetrator’s control at work; c) realization of the important interests of victim depends on the perpetrator’s behavior at work (for example, the supervisor of studies and the post-graduate student). The crime is considered committed at the moment of realization of mental pressure on the victim. That circumstance, that the woman or the man has agreed to sexual relations, or on the contrary, has rejected harassment, does not influence qualification of the crime as committed; however, it may be taken into account during sentencing.

Sexual harassment at the workplace or educational institutions is a very widespread and serious problem in Ukraine. At the same time, however, there is very little to no court practice on cases of sexual harassment. This is because the only possible way to prosecute sexual harassment is by using the article in the criminal code and criminal procedure. The character of the crime under the criminal code makes it very difficult or impossible to provide the court with evidence of the crime. In general, Ukrainian legislation fails to adequately address the problem of sexual harassment.

Trafficking in Women

Trafficking in human beings has been codified in the Criminal Code of Ukraine since 1998. Amendments to the Criminal Code concerning human trafficking entered into force in January 2006 and includes a new formulation of trafficking:

Article 149. Trafficking in human beings or other illegal agreement on person

1. Trafficking in human beings or conducting other illegal agreement with a person as an object, as well as recruitment, transportation, harbouring, transfer or receipt of a person, committed for the purpose of exploitation by means of deceit, blackmail, or the use of his/her vulnerable condition, -

is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of three to eight years.

2. Any such actions as provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, committed in respect to a minor (up to 18 years of age) or perpetrated upon two or more persons, or repeatedly, or by a group of persons with prior conspiracy, or by an official through the abuse of authority, or by a person upon whom the victim was dependent materially or otherwise, or committed in combination with violence that is not endangering life or health of the victim or his/her close relatives, or in combination with threats of such violence -

is punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of five to twelve years, with or without the forfeiture of property.

3. Any such actions as provided for by paragraphs 1 or 2 of this Article, committed in respect to a minor (up to 14 years of age), or by an organized group, or if committed in combination with violence that is endangering life or health of the victim or his/her close relatives 2, or in combination with threats of such violence or committed by an organized group, or if causing grave consequences, -

are punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of eight to fifteen years, with or without the forfeiture of property.

Note 1.Exploitation of a person in this Article shall be understood as: all forms of sexual exploitation, use in the pornography business, forced labor or services; slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, involvement into debt bondage, extraction of organs, experimentation over a person without his/her consent, adoption for commercial purposes, forced pregnancy, involvement into the criminal activity, use in armed conflicts, etc.

Note 2.The vulnerable condition of a person in the Articles 149 and 303 of this Code shall be understood as: the status of a person, due to his/her physical or mental peculiarities or external conditions, that divests or abridges his/her ability to comprehend his/her commission or omission of an act or to manage his/her actions, to make his/her own decisions according to his/her will, to maintain adequate resistance to violent or other illegal actions, as well as concourse of severe personal, family or other circumstances.

Note 3.Responsibility for recruitment, transportation, harbouring transfer or receipt of a minor (up to 14 or 18 years of age) according to this Article shall be fixed whether or not such actions were committed with use of deceit, blackmail, or the use of vulnerable condition of a minor, or use or threat of violence, through the abuse of authority or by a person upon whom the victim was dependent materially or otherwise.

Trafficking cases are investigated by police departments. In 2000, Special Divisions on combating crimes of trafficking in human beings were established within the police. There have been other efforts to combat trafficking in persons. In May 2004, Ukraine ratified the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. In June 2002, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the Complex Program Concerning Prevention of Trafficking in Humans for 2002-2005. In December 2002, a special permanent body, the Interdepartmental Coordination Council on Combating of Human Trafficking, was created to coordinate activities geared toward program implementation. Governmental departments that are involved in program implementation have adopted Programs of Activities on Program Implementation. For example, the Ministry of Health adopted “Activities on Realization of the Complex Program Concerning Prevention of Trafficking in Humans for 2002-2005” in July 2002.

The U.S. Department of State ranked Ukraine as a Tier 2 country in its 2005 Trafficking in Persons report.  In doing so, it cited Ukraine’s lack of efforts to combat trafficking, particularly with respect to victim protection and the prosecution of those involved in trafficking acts.  The 2005 report documents that the Ukraine government charged 138 persons with trafficking crimes during the reporting period.  Traffickers in 67 cases were convicted, although only 22 people were sentenced to prison; the remaining 45 people were placed on probation. The U.S. Department of State observed that the Ukrainian government failed to provide adequate protection and services to victims, thus deterring witnesses from testifying in trafficking cases.  Rehabilitative programs were primarily funded by international donors, although the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs managed some of these services.

Compiled from:

Constitution of Ukraine, Adopted at the Fifth Session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 28 June 1996

Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men”

Draft Labour Code of Ukraine

Criminal Code of Ukraine (Ukraine), entered into force on 1 September 2001.

Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady, 2002, No. 10, Item 70, 15 November 2001 

Domestic Violence in Ukraine, The Advocates for Human Rights, December 2000 (PDF, 51 pages).

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Ukraine: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State,  28 February 2005.

2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Ukraine, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 8 March 2006.

2005 Trafficking in Persons Report, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Department of State, 3 June 2005.

Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective - Violence Against Women, Addendum 1, Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 27 February 2003 (PDF, 435 pages).

Criminalization of Sexual Violence in Eastern Europe, Halyna Fedkovych, West Ukrainian Center “Women’s Perspectives,” June 2002.