Iryna Yakovets, legal adviser and analyst at “The League of the Strong”, has joined the Commission for the Examination of Complaints Regarding Cases of Gender-Based Discrimination, Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment within the Department of Social and Veterans’ Policy of the Executive Body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration).
The Commission will handle complaints from staff across all departments of the Kyiv City State Administration, but any Kyiv resident who has experienced such discrimination can submit a complaint via the website:
https://kyivcity.gov.ua/kyiv_ta_miska_vlada/zvernennia_hromadian/yak_zvernutisya
The Commission will examine reports of possible cases of discrimination, gender-based violence and sexual harassment, analyse the circumstances of such situations and draw up recommendations on how to prevent them.
For “The League of the Strong”, participation in the Commission’s work is an opportunity to raise awareness of issues relating to non-discrimination and accessibility, particularly for people with disabilities.
“Accessibility is not just about physical access to buildings or services. It is also about attitudes, respect for human dignity and the opportunity to work in an environment where there is no place for discrimination. It is important that the experiences of people with disabilities are taken into account when considering such situations, as discrimination can take various forms and intersect across several grounds,” notes Iryna Yakovets, legal adviser and analyst at “The League of the Strong”, who sits on the Commission.
According to Iryna Yakovets, it is important not only to respond to cases that have already been reported, but also to prevent discrimination and foster a culture of equality and respect.
“Our participation in the Commission is, first and foremost, about expertise and prevention. We want the working environment to be safe and accessible to everyone, and for the mechanisms for responding to discrimination to be clear, confidential and effective,” adds Iryna Yakovets, legal adviser and analyst at “The League of the Strong”.
The establishment of the Commission is provided for by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which sets out the procedure for responding to cases of gender-based discrimination. The Commission’s main tasks include:
- examining complaints regarding cases of gender-based discrimination, gender-based violence and sexual harassment;
- confirming or refuting the facts set out in the complaints;
- preparing recommendations on how to prevent such cases;
- compiling information and analysing the causes of such situations.
Where necessary, the case files may be forwarded to law enforcement agencies if, during the investigation, evidence of an administrative or criminal offence is found.
The involvement of civil society organisations and experts in such mechanisms is important to ensure that non-discrimination policy takes account of people’s diverse experiences and contributes to the creation of a truly barrier-free working environment.