«Our greatest little victory is when a person gets what he or she is entitled to», – Oleksandr Osipo

Advocacy

The guest of our today’s Ai tu Jianes (‘Did you know that?’) is Oleksandr Osipov, Representative of the Authorised Official Ensuring Equal Rights and Liberties, Rights of Ethnic Minorities, Political and Religious Convictions.

«Protection of the rights of ethnic minorities is one of the most important topics on the agenda with respect to Ukraine’s accession to the EU. The issue of our unity first arose back in 2014. Then, in 2022, after Russia’s full scale invasion, it became even more serious. All of us got together. They [the ethnic minorities, — ed.] likewise stood up to defend our country—same as each and every one of us. They are an integral part of the Ukrainian society. There are 134 ethnic groups in Ukraine and three indigenous peoples. Let us compare us with Germany: in Germany, there are four representatives of ethnic minorities. As far as Ukraine is concerned, it is a multi-ethnic country so the matter of non-supporting ethnic minorities should be ruled out altogether», — says Oleksandr Osipov, Representative of the Authorised Official Ensuring Equal Rights and Liberties, Rights of Ethnic Minorities, Political and Religious Convictions.

He also noted that Obmudsman’s Office has a separate structural subdivision directly monitoring and taking care of the rights of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples. He also said that they plan to open a separate structural subdivision which would tend to Romani matters.

Osipov said that, in 2023, the Ombudsman’s Office received a total of 454 notifications of discrimination, miscellaneous violations of the principle of equal rights in various realms of social interaction. As of September this year, the total number was at 777, of which 28 were ethnic-coloured.

Ombudsman’s Representative reminded that any citizen of Ukraine as well as any foreigner staying/residing within Ukrainian territory has a right to address the Ombudsman if he considers his right to be violated. One can address the Ombudsman’s Office in person, by writing an appeal at the Office under the following address: 21/8 Instytutska Street, Kyiv City. Alternatively, one can use the Ombudsman’s phone hotline: 0 800 501 720, 044 299 74 08 or email Ombudsman’s Office at hotline@ombudsman.gov.ua.

«Whenever you see an appeal by a citizen, whenever you are addressed by a person, you wish to view the law through the prism of a human being, not view a human being through the prism of law. The greatest victory is, perhaps, the small one: when a person receives something he or she is entitled to», — summarised Oleksandr Osipov, Representative of the Ombudsman.

You can listen to the full version of this podcast by opening the audio file attached.