[See pages 20 to 33]
"There is wide variation in the treatment of Ukraine’s different minority groups. Roma in particular are
reported to suffer significant discrimination and disadvantage […]
Roma are reported to face barriers in accessing housing, education, health care, social services and
employment due in part to discriminatory attitudes against them. There are reports that that police
forcibly evict, harass, extort and arbitrarily detain Romani individuals, at times beating or mistreating
them (see Current situation and Treatment by the state).
The authorities are however reported to have become more responsive to Romani community concerns
(see Roma). In 2013 the government adopted a seven-year action plan to implement a strategy for
protecting and integrating the Roma into society. However this has not as yet led to significant
improvements for Roma (see Treatment by the state).
There are reports of a rise in racist hate speech and discriminatory statements in recent years, including
by public and political figures and in the media, in particular on the internet and during rallies, directed
mainly against minorities, including Roma (see Situation for minority groups).
However, in general, the level of state discrimination faced by members of Roma in Ukraine is not such
that it will reach the level of being persecutory or otherwise inhuman or degrading treatment, although
each case should be examined on its own merits.
Roma are believed to be the group which experiences most societal discrimination in Ukraine, both as
individuals and as a community. There are reports of widespread social prejudice, hate speech and
ethnically-motivated hate crime. This includes threats and violence resulting in physical assaults, acts of
vandalism and arson, most of which are committed by groups driven by extreme nationalist and racist
ideology (see Societal treatment of Roma).
Furthermore, there are reports that those Roma who have fled the conflict in the Donbas region face
prejudice and xenophobia in the government controlled areas. Although civil society organisations and
churches have provided assistance with accommodation and food, conditions remain difficult for Roma
IDPs (see Roma as IDPs)."
The Equal Rights Trust, Alternative report submitted to the 90th session of the Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination in relation to the combined 22nd and 23rd periodic reports submitted
by: Ukraine, 11 July 2016
[Excerpts to follow]
The Equal Rights Trust in partnership with Nash Mir, In the Crosscurrents Addressing Discrimination and
Inequality in Ukraine, 2015
[Excerpts to follow]
OHCHR, Committee against Torture discusses report of Ukraine, 6 November 2014
"There was not much progress in addressing the discrimination of Roma and the absence of Roma
representation."
Law, justice, and order
OHCHR – UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report on the human rights situation in
Ukraine (1 August 2021 - 31 January 2022), 28 March 2022
"18. OHCHR is concerned about the complete lack of accountability for past attacks on Roma settlements,
including those in the village of Loshchynivka, Odesa region in 2016 and Vilshany, Kharkiv region in 2017.
While OHCHR welcomes the increased public reactions of the Ombudsperson’s Office condemning hate
31
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