The State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) has completed the preparation of the Sixth Periodic Report of Ukraine on the Implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
Ukraine demonstrates its commitment to international standards for protecting the rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples by continuing the active implementation of the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Despite the challenging conditions caused by the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation, several important decisions have been adopted during the reporting period, fostering cultural diversity and strengthening social cohesion.
One of the key achievements was the adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On National Minorities (Communities),” which came into force in 2023. This law ensures equal rights for national communities and enables the use of their languages in education, culture, public events, and advertising. Furthermore, conditions have been created for the free provision of textbooks in the languages of national minorities.
The Government of Ukraine also approved the concept of the state program “Unity in Diversity” for the period until 2034, aimed at supporting the cultural identity of national communities. Civil society organizations now have the opportunity to receive funding on a competitive basis for implementing their projects.
Particular attention has been paid to protecting the rights of Ukraine’s indigenous peoples — the Crimean Tatars, Karaites, and Krymchaks. The government is implementing strategic initiatives, including the development of the Crimean Tatar language. A decision has been made to create a Crimean Tatar alphabet based on the Latin script, and the National Commission on the Crimean Tatar Language has been established.
The protection of cultural diversity remains a priority in the activities of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation. Over the past years, several projects have been supported to promote the culture of national communities and preserve their heritage.
Ukraine is also actively working to improve national minorities’ access to legal aid. As a result, community representatives have gained the ability to address issues related to documentation, social protection, and registration of their rights.
These efforts contribute to preserving Ukraine’s cultural richness, ensuring equality, and harmonizing interethnic relations in society, which is especially crucial in the current difficult circumstances.
Ukraine remains an example of resilience and unity, safeguarding the rights of all its citizens and strengthening the foundations of democracy.
The full text of the report is available here: https://dess.gov.ua/mizhnarodni-dopovidi/