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Presentation of the second edition of the collection of strategic litigation cases that change Ukraine

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25.03.2015

25 March 2015, Kyiv - The International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA hosted a presentation of the second issue of "Strategic litigation cases that change Ukraine" developed within the framework of UNDP "Democratization and Human Rights in Ukraine" project.

 
The publication was presented by human rights activists and representatives of non-governmental organizations united under the Strategic Litigation Platform to enhance efforts in conducting societal transformations of public importance.
 
The authors describe the victories of common people through extraordinary and sometimes unprecedented judicial cases. They argue that one person can not only win in court, but also achieve significant changes in the state system. Some of them led to a change in legislation, others prevented violations of the law. Some decisions on court cases have caused some reforms; others are still waiting to be realized.
 
Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union independently collected litigation cases for the first edition of the book, but it decided to engage the legal community for the second edition. Thus, in November 2014, a special contest to collect information on strategic litigation cases was announced.
 
The chief editor of the book Tetiana Pechonchyk, who is a head of the Center for Information on Human Rights, said that 30 applications were filed for the contest. But applying was not sufficient for a case to be included to the collection, it had to be completed, strategic, and influence the legal situation in Ukraine.
 
Thus, for the second edition of the book 15 cases were selected. They are written in an accessible format and are designed for a wide range of readers. Ms. Pechonchyk said that the collection includes the latest cases, most of which were pro bono and were won in the national courts.
 
Mykhaylo Tarakhkalo, Director of strategic litigation at Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, said that strategic litigation cases change both legal practice and law enforcement, making this tool especially important.
 
 
Tags: International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA , Strategic litigation cases that change Ukraine