It is important that the judiciary acts not only as a mechanism for responding to gender-based violence, but also as a guarantor of human dignity - SC Vice President

Gender-based violence is not only a social and legal problem. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is deeply rooted in society and often has no obvious boundaries. It harms individuals, families, and society. It is extremely important that the judiciary acts not only as a mechanism for responding to such cases, but also as a guarantor of human dignity. In the time of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the judiciary remains an institution that is subject to the highest expectations for the protection of the rights, dignity and security of every person.

This was emphasised by Vice President of the Supreme Court Oleksandr Mamalui, welcoming the participants of the in-depth training for civil society representatives on monitoring trials with a focus on all manifestations and aspects of gender-based violence and gender aspects in the administration of justice.

Oleksandr Mamalui informed that the Supreme Court has formulated a number of significant legal positions that are already affecting the practice of courts considering cases related to domestic and gender-based violence. The key approaches include understanding domestic violence as a system of interrelated actions that can be physical, psychological, economic or sexual in nature and lead to long-term negative consequences for the victim; recognising that such actions are rarely isolated: it is usually a recurring process that needs to be assessed in a comprehensive manner, not as an isolated case.

In 2024 alone, the courts of first instance in Ukraine considered about 1,700 cases of domestic violence. And during the work of the Supreme Court (since 2017), approximately 185 cases of this category have been considered in cassation. These figures show the persistence of the problem and, at the same time, the readiness of society and the state to respond to it.  

Oleksandr Mamalui expressed his belief that monitoring of trials in this area is not only a professional but also a civic mission. It is the voice of society that supports justice, protects the vulnerable and promotes equality. Cooperation between the judiciary and civil society is the key to quality and dignified justice.

The training was held within the framework of the project "Safeguarding human rights through courts, Phase II" implemented by the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine.