News
Conference on Bar Unification Eases Disputes in Ukraine
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative conducted a conference in Ukraine on the difficult issue of the unification of the legal profession and creation of an independent, self-governing Ukrainian Bar Association. Read more »»
Initiative Fosters Continuing Education in Ukraine
After a short Christmas break, the School of Professional Skills Development in Ukraine reconvened on January 25 in the city of Chernivtsi. Advocates from the western regions of Ukraine came to a three-day training program. The training was highly evaluated by both participants and trainers. Read more »»
As International Funds Wane, Ukraine’s NGOs Leverage Local Support
As part of its civil society capacity-building work, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative recently conducted a three-day training workshop on local fundraising for Ukrainian NGOs. Thirteen representatives from ABA ROLI’s network of partner organizations participated in this training. Read more »»
Programs
Anti-Corruption Complaint Centers
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative supports Ukrainian governments' efforts to ensure that the effective mechanisms to combat corruption at a grass-roots level are in place through its project on the reform of the Central Complaint Centers of the Presidential Secretariat of Ukraine. This program is aimed at supporting the Public Complaint Office, developing an effective mechanism to receive and process complaints, and fostering public outreach capacity through a comprehensive educational and informational campaign. Read more »»
Anti-Corruption Coordination Initiative (ACCI)
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative in Ukraine has established a monthly forum for representatives of the donor community, governmental agencies and civil society organizations that work in the area of anti-corruption to discuss programming, identify needs, form partnerships and coordinate their respective work in this area. Read more »»
Pre-Trial Detention Project
In 2006, the Pilot Pre-Trial Detention Project was endorsed by the Supreme Court of Ukraine and implemented by the ABA Rule of Law Initiative. The goal of the Pilot Project was to take a specific Ukrainian region – Mykolayiv Oblast - and institute specific practices regarding pre-trial release or detention of criminal suspects or accused persons. The Pilot Project focused specifically on bail as a preventive measure, as it was widely accepted that bail was rarely used in Ukraine despite being one of the statutorily authorized "preventive measures". Read more »»
Clinical Legal Education Program
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative has been long committed to supporting clinical legal education initiatives throughout Ukraine. Through operational sub-grants and trainings, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative currently supports six legal aid clinics. Under the ABA Rule of Law Initiative's sub-grants the clinics in Uzhgorod, Lviv and Khmel'nyts'ky are implementing specialized courses in refugee and asylum-seeker rights, medical law and legislative drafting courses, respectively. Read more »»
Publications
- Analysis of the Draft Laws of Ukraine On the Bar (September 2007) | also available in Ukrainian
- Judicial Reform Index for Ukraine - Volume II (December 2005) . Also available in Ukrainian
- Analysis of the Draft Law on Legal Aid (April 2004).
- Analysis of the Draft Law on Anti-Corruption (August 2004).
- Rule of Law Booklets – Complaint Mechanisms on Unlawful Activities of the Law Enforcement Bodies, on Housing and Pensions Issues.
- Application of Bail as Preventive Measure During Investigation and Trial: Guidelines (2007). Available in Ukrainian only
- Pilot Pre-Trail Detention Project Brochure – What You Should Know about Bail (October 2006). Also available in Ukrainian
- Corruption and the Ukrainian Economy by Tatyana Khavanska, Ukraine Deputy Country Director, Commerce Magazine. March 2007.
Shelley R. Wieck
Country Director
Kyiv, 04004, Ukraine
Phone: +38 (044) 459-0150
Fax: +38 (044) 459-0157
Email: abaukr@abaceeli.kiev.ua
Background
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative started its program in Ukraine in 1992 with the placement of its first Rule of Law legal specialist in the capital city, Kyiv. Its Criminal Law Reform program began in 1997. The Kyiv office has also been home to the NIS Regional Institution Building Advisor program (RIBA) (1999-2005) and Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor program (RACA) (1999-2006).
The current work in Ukraine involves a broad-range of legal reform, anti-corruption and legal education activities, including support and assistance to legal aid clinics; creating advocacy centers which provide public awareness and legal consultations to disadvantaged populations; training defense attorneys; providing technical assistance in the drafting and revision of various draft legislation; providing coordination and expert technical assistance in the areas of anti-corruption and counter human trafficking; and supporting Ukraine's efforts to reform the law enforcement system.
To learn more about the ABA's long-range plan in Ukraine, please click here to see our Strategic Programmatic Framework.
