In the framework of activities of the annual Warsaw Human Dimension Сonference, the ARC expert Borys Babin took active part in the Roundtable with OSCE Field Operations, organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and ODIHR, regarding issues of protecting equality, preventing torture, and safeguarding human rights.
Across the OSCE area, field operations support host jurisdictions in implementing human dimension commitments by promoting equal access to rights, strengthening the protection of persons belonging to national minorities, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, and enhancing the effectiveness of independent national human rights institutions, including ombudsmen.
During the Roundtable Professor Babin described to its participants our Association’s activities devoted to cooperation with the Ukrainian Ombudsman and his Representative on Crimea, also as with the OSCE Ukraine Monitoring Initiative, including relevant informational exchange and aid to certain victims of Russian repressions.
Regarding the challenges to the vulnerable groups in conditions of Russian aggression and relevant occupation of Crimea, the issues of ombudsmen’s role in aid to prisoners of war, politic prisoners, displaced persons, and refugees from Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine were described. In addition, the ARC expert discussed with the Roundtable participants the aggressor’s recent attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure and Black Sea shipping, also as the current challenges to Ukrainian human rights defenders related to aggressor-related persons’ and structures’ illicit activities.
