Author: Nadiya Semchuk

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International Human Rights Day: When Declarations Are No Longer Enough

On December 10, the world marks International Human Rights Day — the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaimed that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Yet in reality, for millions of people these words still do not fully work due to barriers, stigma, and discrimination: rights are declared, but the ability to exercise them and effective protection are still not guaranteed.

Human rights are about everyday realities: the ability to seek services or assistance without fear, to receive quality and timely care, and to overcome obstacles on the way to basic needs — health, safety, and dignity. However, even where the right to health is formally recognized, equal treatment and fair conditions are often not ensured. Stigma, discrimination in healthcare settings, difficulties in interactions with law enforcement, and delays in treatment frequently result in people being unable to receive timely assistance and defend their rights. In such situations, human rights violations have direct consequences for health and life.

Despite the fact that the principles of equality and non-discrimination are enshrined in international documents, for many people rights still remain declarations without real protection mechanisms. Where there is no protection, rights themselves lose their power.

Even when a person formally has a right, without the ability to defend it, that right remains vulnerable. Human rights protection is not an abstract concept, but concrete actions: the ability to file a complaint, receive legal support, restore violated rights, and hold perpetrators accountable. It is precisely this that determines whether a right becomes a real tool of safety and dignity or remains just a line in a document.

The consequences of human rights violations in the field of healthcare are similar across many countries: delays or denial of treatment leading to higher risks of complications, chronic illness and premature death; deterioration of mental health due to stigma, exclusion and constant fear of seeking help; deepening social inequality; and erosion of trust in healthcare systems, which reduces access to prevention, testing and treatment and undermines public health overall.

International Human Rights Day reminds us every year that rights do not work automatically. When a person cannot exercise their rights or lacks real protection, civil society often becomes the crucial link that turns rights into real assistance.

In Ukraine and in 13 other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Alliance for Public Health is implementing the REAct (Rights – Evidence – Action) system — a tool for documenting human rights violations affecting key communities vulnerable to HIV and tuberculosis.

Since the launch of the system in 2019, with the support of 202 non-governmental organizations and 360 REActors, more than 35,000 cases of human rights violations against representatives of key communities have been registered.

Despite different national contexts, the typical violations remain strikingly similar: stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, denial of services, breaches of confidentiality, poor quality medical care, and unlawful actions by law enforcement.

Paralegals from partner organizations not only document these cases, but also provide paralegal консультації, accompany people in overcoming barriers to accessing services, and assist in protecting their rights.

These services are critically important, as they make it possible to restore violated rights, receive necessary assistance, and mitigate the impact of discrimination on people’s lives and health. Overcoming barriers to access is not an abstract goal, but a concrete step toward real protection of dignity and safety.

Today, on International Human Rights Day, we once again emphasize: rights must be not just loud words, but a real mechanism of action and protection.

ICF “Alliance for Public Health” expresses sincere gratitude to all partner organizations, every REActor, for their daily dedication, professionalism, and principled stance in defense of human rights, as well as to all clients — for their trust, courage to seek help, and resilience in these extremely challenging times.

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Голоси, які треба почути – чому 16 днів проти насильства важливі

Щороку в період із 25 листопада до 10 грудня у світі та в Україні проводиться міжнародна кампанія «16 днів проти насильства». Її мета — привернути увагу суспільства до проблеми домашнього та гендерно зумовленого насильства, посилити систему захисту та допомоги постраждалим і сформувати нульову терпимість до будь-яких його проявів.

Насильство може мати різні прояви: економічне, психологічне, фізичне чи сексуальне. Кожен із цих видів по-своєму руйнує життя людини, позбавляючи її безпеки, свободи та добробуту. Нерідко кілька форм насильства поєднуються, посилюючи його вплив.

У нинішніх умовах питання протидії насильству набуває нової актуальності. Військові дії, економічні виклики та переміщення населення призвели до зростання ризиків усіх форм насильства. Економічна нестабільність, втрата роботи, відсутність безпечного житла та складнощі з доступом до соціальних і психологічних послуг посилюють вразливість і обмежують можливості звернутися по підтримку.

За офіційними даними за перші 10 місяців 2025 року до Національної поліції України надійшло понад 103 тисячі заяв і повідомлень про вчинення домашнього насильства. За формами насильства 76,4% звернень стосувалися психологічного, 21,1% – фізичного, 2,5% – економічного.

У 2024 році Національною поліцією України було зареєстровано 195 174 звернень, у 2023 році – 291 428 звернень, у 2022 році – 244 381 звернення. Для порівняння у період до повномасштабного вторгнення цей показник становив 326 тисяч звернень.

Значне зниження кількості звернень до поліції після 2021 року не означає, що фактичних правопорушень стало менше. Таке скорочення радше пов’язане з умовами воєнного часу: масовим переміщенням населення, евакуацією та еміграцією, зміною соціальних пріоритетів тощо.

Після унормування домашнього насильства як кримінального правопорушення (ст. 126-1 КК України) зростала і кількість облікованих  кримінальних правопорушень пов’язаних з домашнім насильством: 7 242 (за 10 місяців 2025 року), 8900 (у 2024 році), 6805 (у 2023 році), 3360 (у 2022 році).

За оцінками міжнародних організацій, реальна кількість жінок, які переживають гендерно зумовлене насильство, значно більша, ніж офіційна статистика. Десятки тисяч жінок мовчать, не звертаючись по допомогу через страх, сором або відсутність підтримки.

Системою з моніторингу та реагування на порушення прав людини на рівні спільнот REAct (Rights – Evidence – Action/Права – Докази – Дії) з 2019 року було зафіксовано 451 випадок домашнього насильства з боку партнера та надана відповідна допомога постраждалим жінкам.

Звісно, система REAct не фіксує всіх випадків насильства — те, що ми бачимо, це лише верхівка айсберга. Проте навіть ці дані демонструють масштаб проблеми і нагадують, що за статистикою стоїть набагато більше жінок, які не звертаються по допомогу.

 «Клієнтка повідомила, що партнер неодноразово принижував її через ВІЛ-статус, застосовував фізичне насильство, погрожував і виганяв з дому. Жінка звернулася за допомогою лише після того, як він почав переслідувати її біля місця роботи», – йдеться в одному з цьогорічних кейсів у системі REAct. Завдяки втручанню документаторки вдалося надати психологічну та правову допомогу і забезпечити для жінки тимчасовий прихисток.

Ситуацію ускладнює те, що багато постраждалих жінок залишаються наодинці з проблемою: бояться звертатися, не довіряють поліції або не знають, куди йти. Саме тому такі ініціативи, як REAct, допомагають побачити те, що часто залишається «поза статистикою», – реальних людей і реальні історії.

Під час кампанії «16 днів проти насильства» ми закликаємо кожну і кожного не залишатися байдужими. Якщо ви стали свідком або постраждали від насильства — повідомте про це!

  • Національна гаряча лінія з попередження домашнього насильства – 1547
  • Поліція – 102
  • REAct – тел. 063 631 84 54 або зіскануйте QR код нижче

МБФ «Альянс громадського здоров’я» заохочує невідкладно повідомляти про випадки порушення прав представників ключових груп усіма, хто став свідком або безпосереднім об’єктом подібних ситуацій. Реагуймо на порушення прав разом!

Насильство — ніколи не є нормою. Спільними зусиллями ми можемо змінити ситуацію та створити безпечне середовище для всіх.

#16днівПротиНасильства #REAct #ПраваЛюдини #СтопНасильству

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An implementation evaluation of the Breaking Down human rights barriers to HIV services initiative in Ukraine

Recently, a new issue of the Journal of the International AIDS Society has been published. One of the articles using the implementation learning evaluation approach examined the implementation of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative targeting key and vulnerable populations in Ukraine. 

Since 2017, as a part of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative of the Global Fund, Ukrainian organizations have implemented HIV-related human rights programmes which seek to increase access to prevention and treatment services for key and vulnerable populations.

The Breaking Down Barriers initiative provides technical and financial support for the implementation of rights-based HIV, tuberculosis and malaria interventions in 24 countries. These include programmes aimed at addressing stigma and discrimination and ensuring people-centred healthcare and law enforcement practices, as well as programmes aimed at mobilizing communities and increasing legal literacy and access to justice.

The evaluation of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative in Ukraine used an implementation learning approach drawing on a document review of programme monitoring documents alongside key informant interviews with implementers, government officials and human rights experts. 

Based on the Eight rights-based interventions related to HIV were identified in Global Fund programme documents and key informant interviews as making up the core of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative in Ukraine.

These included programmes seeking to:

  • eliminate stigma and discrimination;
  • ensure the non-discriminatory provision of medical care;
  • promote rights-based law enforcement practices;
  • expand legal literacy (“know your rights”);
  • increase access to justice; i
  • mprove laws, regulations and policies;
  • reduce gender discrimination, harmful gender norms and violence against women and girls;
  • and mobilize communities for advocacy.

Key informants reported that significant progress had been made addressing human rights barriers and scaling up interventions, both before and after Russia’s invasion. Programme implementors adopted innovative approaches, including using paralegals, hotlines and other community-led interventions, to ensure that key and vulnerable populations, including displaced individuals, were able to access prevention and care.

The results of our evaluation found that Ukrainian organizations were successfully scaling up and adapting programmes addressing stigma and discrimination in communities and health settings; working to address harmful laws and police practices and increase legal literacy and access to justice; reducing gender discrimination and violence; and mobilizing communities affected. Ukrainian organizations responded resiliently to challenges, finding innovative solutions to reach those displaced and to ensure the continuity of HIV programmes.

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REAct annual 2023 report

In 2023, the REAct system continued to operate. Thanks to the efforts of 65 partner NGOs in 19 regions of Ukraine, 4,190 cases of rights violations from 3,970 clients registered. Read more about the types of violations of the rights of key communities in the REAct analytical report for 2023.

Open the REAct annual 2023 report

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REAct SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE: January – June 2023

UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF WAR AND ACTIVE HOSTILITIES IN SOME REGIONS OF UKRAINE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REACT SYSTEM CONTINUES, REACTOR’S REGISTER CASES OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OF KEY COMMUNITIES, INTERACT WITH CLIENTS AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT.

In the first semester of 2023, thanks to the expansion of regional teams and the increase in the number of NGOs and REActors by 6 organizations and 10 people, respectively, 500 more cases were registered compared to the second semester of 2022.

Compared to the second semester of 2022, the share of cases when the client contacted the REActor in person rather than by phone increased. Currently, it is the personal appeal of clients to REActors that prevails.

Read more in the report below.

REAct SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE: January – June 2023
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REAct Project In Ukraine: Registered Human Rights Violations of HIV/TB Key Populations and Response to Such Violations

REAct (Rights – Evidence – Action) – it is a tool for monitoring and responding to human rights violations at the community level. In Ukraine the system has been implemented since 2019 by ICF “Alliance for Public Health” with the Global Fund support.

To document and respond to violations of the rights of key communities, vulnerable to HIV/TB 63 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and 85 REActors are engaged in 18 regions of Ukraine in 2022.

During 2022, 2,900 cases of rights violations of representatives of the key communities were registered in Ukraine. 2,799 clients reported such cases, some of them appealed for help more than once.

Read more information about the implementation of the Project, registered appeals, guarantees, and the role of the state in the field of human rights protection in the new analytical report for 2022.

Analytical report 2022 – REAct
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For family reasons: or what to do if denied employment due to the presence of children?

Almost 2,000 violations were recorded by the REAct system (Rights – Evidence – Actions) in 5 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2020. Out of them, 235 happened in Moldova. Twelve partner organizations work with key groups in the country, but, unfortunately, a third of cases remain without a proper response. Fear of interaction with law enforcement agencies, mistrust of the law enforcement system – the victims do not dare to defend their rights and refuse to help themselves. However, there are those for whom it is important to be heard in this struggle. And REActors are ready to help them completely.

“You all say so” or refused can not be accepted

In Bendery (Moldova), due to financial difficulties in the family, a mother of many children, a representative of key groups (sex workers and communities of people who use drugs), beneficiary of the NGO “Milocerdie” decided to find a job as an event organizer. In one of the municipal institutions of the city, a vacancy was just opened and fully corresponded to her skills and work experience.The client’s older child having special needs and disabilities has been living in a specialized boarding school since childhood, while the younger children are attending a kindergarten. A woman takes care of children, her mother helps her when she needs to work she spends time with the children.

To get a job, the woman called a potential employer and expressed interest in the vacancy. She told about her experience, education and noted that she also has characteristics from previous jobs. As a result of the conversation, the head of the organization expressed interest in her as a specialist and invited her for an interview.

The REAct client came for an interview and was interviewed by an HR department employee. As a result, he noted that they just need a specialist like her with such education, experience, and characteristics from previous jobs. And at the end of the interview, having already let the woman understand that she was suitable for this vacancy, he, by the way, asked about her marital status, the presence of children, etc. She spoke frankly about the children, to which she received a comment with the following message: “We do not need another mom with endless sick leave, time off, lateness, etc.” and that her candidacy does not suit. And the argument that her mother would help with children in case of need was answered with “You all say that.”.

What does the law “think” about this?

This incident falls under Article 141 of the PMR Criminal Code.
Article 141. Unjustified refusal to hire or unjustified dismissal of a pregnant woman or a woman with children under the age of three.
Unjustified refusal to hire or unjustified dismissal of a woman on the grounds of her pregnancy, as well as unjustified refusal to hire or unjustified dismissal from work of a woman with children under the age of 3 years, for these reasons, shall be punished with a fine in the amount of from 700 to 1700 minimum wages or mandatory works for a period from 120 to 180 hours.

Working mother of many children = reality?

As a result of the incident, the client asked for help from the NGO “Melocerdie” and was referred to REActor, who documented the case. The organization’s lawyer analyzed the situation. Initially, the client was asked to speak directly with the head of this organization, bypassing an employee of the HR department. He willingly made contact, trying to find out from the client the reason why she was refused and as a result of the meeting, the client was employed without any obstacles. A penalty was imposed on an employee who violated the law in relation to a client. In addition, a meeting was held with the head of the employing organization and the organization’s lawyer, during which the possible responsibility for such violations was explained.

We destroy stereotypes and move on!

The client refused to write a statement. She successfully completed the probationary period of 3 months – she is fully employed, her management is characterized as a responsible, executive, and qualified employee. And an employee of the organization, who violated the rights of a mother with many children, apologized for the prejudice and the use of stereotypes, recognizing the professionalism and responsible attitude of the new colleague to work.

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APH and ECOM Initiate Strategic Partnership to Improve Protection of KPs Rights via REAct Online Platform

Alliance for Public Health (APH) initiates strategic partnership with the Eurasian Coalition on Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity (ECOM) to improve advocacy and protection of the rights of key populations and people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).

The basis for expanding cooperation is the REAct tool. It is an online platform for monitoring and responding to violations of the rights of key populations and people living with HIV. Thus, statistical data and evidence base of offenses against men who have sex with men (MSM) and trans * people collected through the online platform REAct in seven EECA countries will be used for the development of alternative and shadow reports to UN committees and recommendations to improve the legal environment, as well as during planning advocacy activities in the EECA region.

It is important to note that, in addition to responding to violations, an important part of REAct’s work is the analysis of the collected information and joint efforts with partners for legislative changes and advocacy at the regional, country, and local level.

“Only joint efforts, synergy and cooperation between civil society organizations, regional networks, and stakeholders in countries can make an impact to the legal situation in each individual country and in the region as a whole, reduce the level of stigma and discrimination, and improve the quality of life of people,” says Victoria Kalyniuk, Regional Coordinator of REAct in the EECA region, Alliance for Public Health.

To date, more than 4,000 complaints about violation of rights, discrimination and legal barriers in accessing HIV prevention and treatment services are documented in REAct system. In 2020, of the total number of requests, from 2% to 17% (depending on the country) were reported by MSM and trans * people, but APH is confident that the real figure is much higher, given the particular precautions of representatives of these key populations.

“For us in the future, it remains the priority to provide maximum support and respect 100% confidentiality for people who ask for help. And the REAct online system copes with this task perfectly, having all the necessary technical characteristics for this, – said Victoria Kalyniuk. – We hope that thanks to cooperation with ECOM, we will be able to adjust the online system to the needs of beneficiaries and REActors, as well as expand cooperation with LGBT organizations in the countries. It is very important for us to develop more trusting interaction with representatives of this rather closed key population in the region, primarily in order to increase the scale of legal assistance provision to those in need of it. We will be able to achieve this by sharing the experience of APH and ECOM, REActors’ training, developing their professional and programmatic knowledge of the peculiarities and effective approaches to work.”

One of ECOM’s goals is to foster an enabling legal environment for HIV services for MSM and trans * communities by reducing stigma and discrimination, promoting and protecting human rights, and removing legal barriers and obstacles.

“An advocacy response to violations of the right to health and related other human rights is still quite ineffective in the EECA region for both the LGBT community and people living with HIV. To this end, ECOM collects information on human rights violations among LGBT people in EECA, which is included in analytical reports for the UN international legal mechanisms, – says Yuri Yoursky, ECOM Human Rights and Legal Issues Officer.  Over the past few years of ECOM and its regional partners’ active work, there are already the first results of successful international health advocacy for LGBT people at the UN level in Armenia, Belarus, North Macedonia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as in a number of other countries of the EECA region. And this only reinforces the ECOM’s assurance that international advocacy tools can be effective as well as easy and convenient to use for all male and female activists. Thus, the REAct tool will help improve the procedure for collecting cases of violation of rights in EECA countries, as well as simplify the process of analyzing data and using them in subsequent advocacy.