EU accession
Government backs bill to establish new family-based care as foster families starting in 2027
The legislation would strengthen oversight of children's rights, establish staffing and operational standards for child welfare services, and introduce a system of continuous professional development for their personnel
Ukrainian, Hungarian ombudsmen agree on reciprocal visits to monitor minority rights
According to the Ukraine's Ombudsman's Office, 91 educational institutions in Ukraine's Zakarpattia Region (Oblast) provide instruction in Hungarian to 12,975 students, while another 2,550 students study Hungarian as a separate subject
Draft Ombudsman bill strengthens institution but carries politicization risks, Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research warns
According to the experts, one of the bill's main advantages is its alignment with European Union and Council of Europe standards. The effectiveness and independence of national human rights institutions remain key benchmarks in assessing Ukraine's compliance with the rule of law during its EU accession process
Over half of Ukrainians support civil partnerships for LGBT+ – sociological study
On July 10, the nongovernmental organisation Fulcrum UA presented the results of the survey, which KIIS conducted in May and June 2026. Sociologists surveyed 2,007 respondents to assess Ukrainians' attitudes toward LGBT+ people and the level of support for their rights
How Ukraine collects data on equality and discrimination: Ombudsman’s office highlights gaps
In the European Union, equality data is a crucial tool for identifying discrimination and inequalities across various sectors. Ukraine has corresponding obligations for EU accession, as outlined in the government's rule-of-law roadmap
Bilingual street signs and minority symbols: Kachka details agreements with Hungary
The Ukrainian vice prime minister added that the Hungarian government has also become convinced that the rights of the Hungarian minority are already being upheld in Ukraine, with ample opportunities for both education and the exercise of linguistic rights
What Ukraine’s migration policy should look like on the path to the EU: Human rights advocates discuss reforms
Human rights defender Borys Zakharov, director of the Man and Law Charitable Foundation, stressed the need for judicial reform, warning that without an independent judiciary, law enforcement agencies could continue what he described as "repressive" practices. In his view, the State Migration Service and the Security Service of Ukraine also require reform
Ukraine to establish new personal data protection agency: Why it matters
Ukraine's Law on Personal Data Protection, adopted in 2010, is now widely regarded as outdated. Experts say it fails to address many of today's key data protection challenges, including online data protection, the digitalisation of public and commercial services, cybersecurity and the growing use of advanced technologies
Civil society has developed a detailed plan on how to fulfill EU requirements in the field of law enforcement: why this is important
The European Commission, in its expansion reports, regularly states that Ukraine's law enforcement system continues to face deep structural problems. Among the key challenges are incomplete institutional transformation of certain bodies, weak mechanisms for internal and external accountability, problems with guarantees of institutional independence, unstable and opaque personnel procedures, and limited managerial and analytical capacity
The problem with civil society’s involvement in EU integration: Experts discuss interaction with authorities
Representatives of NGOs and think tanks participate in working groups on the development of European integration measures across various fields, according to their expertise. Experts point out that interactions with government authorities regarding work on changes often leave much to be desired.
“Hands Off Women’s Rights”: The first Women’s March in Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war
The Human Rights Centre ZMINA team also joined the march and covered the event
Trust issues regarding Ukraine remain unresolved following attacks on NABU and SAPO, EU Commissioner Marta Kos says
Kos elaborated that even after the controversial laws were repealed, trust is difficult to restore and does not return automatically: when a partner loses it, any subsequent actions raise doubts about the correctness of their decisions and motivations
Ukraine establishes working group to reform legal profession to align with EU standards
The Rule of Law roadmap, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 14, 2025, mandates the development and adoption of a bill to improve the legal regulation of attorney activities
Ukraine’s EU accession timeline can be politically shortened – Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka
Taras Kachka clarified that 2027 could be a theoretical and exceptionally record-breaking possible date
What the EU Shadow Report is and how independent experts assessed Ukraine’s progress over the past year
In this article, ZMINA highlight main findings of civil society on Ukraine’s progress toward EU accession over the past year, particularly in the areas of justice and fundamental rights
Columns
ICC must remain free from political pressure to bring justice to victims of world’s gravest crimes
Only 5% of those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children face global sanctions
The human safari: How Russia weaponized precision against Ukrainian civilians
The lesson of Crimea: Rewarding aggression only invites more war
