Ukraine's most senior politicians and elected officials have repeatedly declared that tackling corruption is a top priority for the country. What is needed now to make this happen practically? And how can the international community help Ukraine become as corruption-free as its citizens want it to be? By BLERTA CELA, Deputy Director of UNDP Ukraine

Are those who possess certain rights able to effectively get their voices heard? Are those who need to deliver on rights observance indeed able to get their work done? These are questions answered by the human rights based approach (HRBA) to development programming.

UNDP in Ukraine commissioned a pilot study assessing the level of corruption in Ukraine, which was carried out by the Analytical Center "Institute of Applied Humanitarian Research." The study was conducted for the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) to test a methodology for assessing the level of corruption, which is to be introduced by NACP under the Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2015-2017.

Kyiv, 19 December 2016 – The Gender Strategic Platform, a gender equality coalition supported by UNDP, has presented today to representatives of the Parliament and of the Ombudsperson's Office the 8th Alternative Periodic Report of the civil society organizations on the implementation by Ukraine of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Sociological survey commissioned by UNDP to assess civic knowledge, behavior, attitudes and beliefs, highlights that 35% of Ukrainians are not aware of their civil rights, emphasizing the need for enhanced civic education in various fields to effectively empower citizens to exercise their civic duty, while increasing accountibility at all levels.

The conflict in Ukraine is not the first one in which serious human rights violations occurred. It concerns primarily serious international crimes committed under the policy of the state or those of the organization. These violations are listed in Art. 5 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court - genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, aggression and crime against peace.