Lviv, Ukraine, 16 August 2024 – A summer school on criminal justice for law students was held in Lviv, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Government of Japan. The event was organized by JustGroup in partnership with the Supreme Court of Ukraine, the School of Law at Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Faculty of Legal Sciences at National University of Kyiv Mohyla-Academy. For five days, 30 students explored best practices in criminal justice, engaged with experienced lawyers, and learned about the distinctions between criminal justice and other sectors of the justice system.

Olena Ursu, UNDP Ukraine Democratic Governance Team Leader, highlighted that such initiatives are crucial for Ukraine to recover under principles of justice and respect for human rights. “In times of war, when all Ukrainians have faced unprecedented challenges – such as the loss of loved ones, destruction, loss of property and income, and forced displacement – the effective functioning of justice institutions becomes particularly important as those who find themselves in difficult situations often turn to them for help,” she said.

“Under such circumstances, access to justice and the rule of law are essential to ensure that no one is left behind. At UNDP, we firmly believe that an effective and people-centred criminal justice system will contribute to building trust in the justice system,” she added.

The results of the latest nationwide survey “What Ukrainians know and think about human rights” confirm the high relevance of an effective justice system. The study revealed shifts in perceptions of effective ways to protect rights. For the first time since 2016, formal methods have taken the top spots in the ranking of the most effective ways to protect rights according to Ukrainians: going to court (29.5 percent) and going to the police (28.5 percent). Turning to the media, which was previously considered the most effective mechanism to stand up for the rights, ranked third this time (20 percent). Seeking help from a lawyer or the free legal aid system was the fourth most effective method.

These results highlight the importance of creating an effective and human-centred justice system.

Vasylyna Yavorska, Head of JustGroup, stressed the importance of working with youth and future lawyers. “We believe that this Summer School is just the beginning, offering an opportunity to showcase how the criminal justice system works, highlight role models among practitioners, and inspire students to pursue this field and drive transformation from within the system,” she said.

The Summer School on Criminal Justice was organized by JustGroup with support from the "Transformative recovery for the safety of people in Ukraine" project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP in Ukraine, in partnership with the Supreme Court of Ukraine, the School of Law of the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Faculty of Legal Sciences of National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org.