On 5 September, the High School of Public Governance in cooperation with the Council of Europe’s HELP Project presented a new training course on International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. The event was opened by Serhii Selivanov, Deputy Head of the High School, who in his speech stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s legal system, especially in the context of the current challenges posed by the armed conflict. He also thanked the representatives of the Council of Europe’s HELP project for their effective cooperation and support in developing legal education for Ukrainian professionals.

The course was presented by Olha Kostenko, International Project Manager of the Council of Europe HELP Project, who provided a detailed overview of the main aspects of the programme. She stressed that the course helps to integrate international humanitarian law and human rights into law enforcement practice, focusing on the protection of civilians during war. The course addresses key issues such as the protection of the right to life, the prohibition of torture and the protection of displaced persons. The course also covers the legal framework of International Humanitarian Law and its interaction with international human rights law, which allows to develop skills for legal protection in times of war.

The presentation was attended by representatives of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Labour Service and the State Migration Service.

The Council of Europe’s HELP project has been actively cooperating with Ukraine for several years. Its main goal is to provide legal professionals with the knowledge and tools to effectively apply European human rights standards. The programme covers key aspects of human rights protection that become particularly relevant in times of war. The training programme is aimed at legal professionals, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers and civil servants.

The presented course ‘International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights’ will allow Ukrainian civil servants to better understand how international law is applied in the context of armed conflict and prepare them to address complex legal issues related to the protection of human rights during war.