How Ukraine collects data on equality and discrimination: Ombudsman’s office highlights gaps

Various institutions in Ukraine collect data on discrimination and inequality to assess the effectiveness of state policies, a key requirement for the country’s EU integration efforts. However, an effective system for tracking equality data has not yet been established, Olha Momot, a representative of the Ombudsman’s secretariat, explained during a webinar as part of the “European Standards of Equality: Data for Action” initiative.

Illustrative photo: Pixabay

In the European Union, equality data is a crucial tool for identifying discrimination and structural inequalities across different sectors. Ukraine has corresponding obligations for EU accession, as outlined in the government’s rule-of-law roadmap.

“Ukraine is not starting from scratch. We already have a number of data sources that directly or indirectly relate to equality, discrimination, access to services and the realisation of rights,” ZMINA cites Momot as saying. “Data collection on hate speech has already been set up. There is also a large volume of information regarding gender equality and accessibility.”

Equality data is collected across various agencies, but it often lacks a unified logic, the expert added. According to Momot, the volume of discrimination complaints or appeals highlights the specific cases faced by vulnerable populations. This allows for an assessment of the state’s response.

“It is important to distinguish between data on specific cases and data on structural inequalities. An effective and comprehensive equality data system combines both of these levels. If we only see individual cases, we will not be able to assess the scale and trends. If we only look at official statistics, we will miss the discriminatory mechanisms,” Olha Momot explained.

The relevant Law on Principles of Preventing and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine outlines the roles of government authorities within their purview, including the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. Their responsibilities include collecting data, summarising monitoring results, recording discrimination cases, reviewing and responding to citizen appeals and analysing state policy.

Ukraine uses a general classification system for citizen appeals, but it does not collect data on equality or for assessing discrimination, Olha Momot noted. The system logs the general issue a person raises, but does not specify the grounds for discrimination, the sector, the type of violation or the outcome of the response.

“The ombudsman’s secretariat has approved its own internal, expanded classification system for appeals,” the representative of the Commissioner’s office said. “We record the grounds for discrimination, the public sphere and the form of discrimination. We also track the spread of hate speech, the lack of accessibility and the results of the review.”

Momot said that in early 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a procedure for responding to cases of sex-based discrimination. It also applies to gender-based violence and sexual harassment across various government bodies, enterprises and institutions, including the security and defence sector.

“Committees established at enterprises, organisations, and government agencies report annually on their activities and submit information on complaints and the outcomes of their reviews to the National Social Service. But this data relates exclusively to sex-based discrimination. There is currently no similar procedural framework for other protected characteristics and areas of discrimination.”

Momot highlighted the following gaps in the collection of equality data in Ukraine:

• Insufficient judicial statistics regarding discrimination.
• Limited classifications in state records.
• Complications in tracking data on hate speech.
• A lack of information on hate incidents that do not constitute crimes.
• Insufficient data disaggregation – the breakdown of data into more detailed indicators.
• A lack of consistent data exchange among government agencies.

She noted that in 2025, Ukraine prepared the Gender Equality Index using the European Institute for Gender Equality’s methodology, which assesses gender gaps in key areas: knowledge, time, power, money, employment, work, and education.

“This is a major study that very thoroughly assesses the gaps in opportunities for women and men in exercising their rights,” she said. “It is an example of how the national system can already align with European standards and use measurable indicators for policymaking.”

To provide background, as a candidate for EU membership, Ukraine must have an independent “equality body” to combat discrimination across various sectors. In an op-ed, Iryna Fedorovych, director of the Social Action Centre, explained what an equality body in Ukraine should look like and what is currently lacking.

In late May, human rights advocates discussed which institution in Ukraine could ensure equality in accordance with EU standards.