In the Crosscurrents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report is published by the Equal Rights Trust in partnership with LGBT
Human Rights Nash Mir Center (Nash Mir). The conceptual framework, structure and research methodology were developed by the Equal Rights Trust as
part of its Country Report Series on addressing discrimination and inequality
in different countries around the world.
Between 2013 and 2015 the Equal Rights Trust and Nash Mir worked with a
number of civil society organisations and experts across Ukraine to research
cases of discrimination across the country through interviews, focus groups
and desk-based research. The organisations included the International Women’s Rights Centre La Strada-Ukraine; the Institute of Applied Humanitarian
Research (Kharkiv); the Public Youth Organisation “Klub Vzayemodopomohy
Zhyttia+” (Odesa oblast); the Kharkiv Regional Foundation “Public Alternative”; Lyudy Bukovyny (Chernivtsi oblast); the LGBT Association “You Are Not
Alone” (Zhytomyr); the Poltava Oblast Media Club; the Public Organisation
“Human Rights Centre Postup” (Luhansk oblast); and Kirył Kaścian, an expert
on European and comparative constitutional law and minority rights, who
completed research on ethnic Russians and Jews in Ukraine.
On the basis of the research, the first draft of the report was prepared by
Richard Wingfield (Equal Rights Trust) and Andrii Kravchuk (Nash Mir) who
also undertook a review of existing literature. In February 2015, Dimitrina
Petrova (Equal Rights Trust) and Richard Wingfield undertook a validation
visit in Ukraine, meeting experts and stakeholders from civil society, academia, government and the judiciary to consult them on the draft report. Following this visit, Richard Wingfield prepared a second draft incorporating the
findings. This draft was reviewed and revised by Jim Fitzgerald and Joanna
Whiteman (Equal Rights Trust). Finally, the report was edited and authorised
for publication by Dimitrina Petrova, who also oversaw the overall research
and drafting process.
The Equal Rights Trust is deeply indebted to the many others who kindly
gave their time to review and give their thoughts on the report and whose
contributions have strengthened it greatly, in particular Zoryana Chernenko,
Yevhen Yermolenko, Professor Mykola Kozyubra, Professor Volodymyr Kulyk
and Yulia Moroz. We are particularly indebted to Serhii Ponomaryov for gen-
In the Crosscurrents
erously spending time both reviewing the report in detail and meeting with
the Equal Rights Trust in person. The Trust wishes to thank all individuals
and organisations who responded to queries, gave feedback on the draft report, providing information and advice, in communication with us, Nash Mir
or our researchers.
The Equal Rights Trust is also grateful to its interns and volunteers who undertook desk-based research and analysis for the report and, in particular, to
Shaza Alsalmoni, Valeria Bizzarri, Patrick Harris and Iina Korkiamäki.
Very special thanks go to our volunteer Dafina Gueorguieva who designed the
cover of the report. The Trust also thanks István Fenyvesi who did the layout
for the report.
This report is an outcome of a partnership between the Equal Rights Trust
and Nash Mir which began in 2012 with the project “Empowering civil society to challenge discrimination against LGBTI persons in Ukraine”, funded by
the European Union. We are very grateful for the support provided for this
project. However, the contents of this publication are the sole responsibility
of the Equal Rights Trust and can in no way be taken to represent the views
of the European Union.
Finally, we wish to thank all persons who shared their stories with us. This
report is dedicated to them and all other persons in Ukraine who have suffered – and who continue to suffer – discrimination and disadvantage.