UPR Sexual Rights Database

UN Compilation:
Para 14) Both Committees were also concerned at reports of increased racist hate speech and discriminatory statements in the public discourse, as well as racially motivated incidents and hate crimes, against, inter alia, ... lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, ... Such crimes and incidents were not always adequately and effectively investigated, and those responsible were not prosecuted and punished.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 3) All draft laws which relate to prohibition of the so-called homosexuality propaganda had been revoked, disapproved or excluded from consideration by Parliament.
Para 24) HRW noted some progressive policies supporting LGBT persons. However, it stated that anti-LGBT sentiment remained strong among State officials and the public, as exemplified by attacks against LGBT events.

National Report:
Para 101) The Law on Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men aims to achieve equality between women and men in all spheres of society through legally enshrining and protecting rights and opportunities, applying special temporary measures and working to eliminate imbalances between the opportunities for women and men. All legislation of Ukraine is analysed by legal and gender experts to be in line with these provisions and to fulfil these guarantees. Administrative and criminal responsibility has been introduced for violations of the legal provisions in this regard.
Para 103) Ukrainian women represent 31.5 percent of company owners, 18.8 percent of company top managers and are 12.9 percent of single owners of companies.
Para 104) In 2016, average wages earned by women were 25.4 percent less than those earned by men. The Strategy for Poverty Reduction 2016-2020 intends to solve this problem by strengthening public control over discriminatory practices and the gradual introduction of gender quotas for State-owned enterprises.
Para 105) In June 2017, the Ministry of Health announced its intention to abolish Regulation No. 256, which lists 450 professions prohibited for women. This draft decision is currently published on the website of the Ministry of Health for public consultations.
Para 106) In June 2016, the Ministry of Defense amended its Order No. 337 by significantly increasing the list of combat positions open to women (290 positions added). While previously women mostly served as nurses, accountants or cooks, they now can join military intelligence, serve as military vehicles commanders, mortar commanders or snipers.

National Report Annex 1:
National Human Rights Strategy 2015:
Despite a progress made, a problem of unequal access of men and men to exercising their rights is observed in Ukraine. Existing inequality stresses the need to provide systemic and comprehensive solution to the problem of discrimination of women in order to ensure full gender equality.
Strategic goal:
To ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men in all areas of public life.
Expected outcomes:
- international standards of gender equality are implemented, including at the legislative level;
- the mechanisms for ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men are improved;
- conditions are provided for balanced participation of women and men in the political processes and public decision-making;
- comprehensive measures are implemented to combat gender discrimination, including gender stereotypes;
- equal access to justice is provided. UN Compilation: Para 53) CESCR was concerned about the persistent and significant pay gap between women and men, which stood on average at around 30 per cent. The United Nations country team noted that the Labour Code did not
ensure the application of the ILO treaty obligation of “equal pay for work of equal value”.

UN Compilation:
Para 73) While welcoming efforts in the area, [CEDAW] expressed concerned that women remained significantly underrepresented at the decision-making levels in Parliament, Government and the diplomatic service.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 5) ... The level of representation of women in political life remained low. In addition, inequality of income between women and men remained a problem.
Para 56) JS12 stated that the level of women’s access to the labour market was significantly decreasing, the women’s unemployment rate and number of women in the shadow economy and informal labour market was growing, and the problem of equal pay between women and men for equal work was not recognized. JS10 and JS15 reported that women were banned from working in over 450 types of professions. JS15 highlighted employment-related challenges faced by women in rural areas.