Ukraine Reports on Pace Chairmanship: Strengthening European Court of Human Rights

KYIV, Ukraine, November 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Under Ukraine's chairmanship, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers adopted a new system of supervising over the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights' rulings. Furthermore, Ukraine has reached a political agreement with the UK and Albania - the consecutive chair countries - to continue the support of the ECHR reformation process.

In the framework of its Chairmanship at the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Ukraine has focused its efforts on several priorities in order to further implement the Council of Europe's primary objectives and to secure the Organization's role among European institutions. The country has identified strengthening of human rights and rule of law in the context of democracy and stability in Europe as one of its leading priorities. Prior to this Ukraine facilitated adoption of the new system of supervising over ECHR's rulings at the Committee of Ministers' meeting in 2010. The system has been functional since January 1, 2011. It protects the applicants' rights by enabling the Committee of Ministers to closely monitor the execution of ECHR's rulings by the member-states.

In May of 2011 Ukraine fostered the Committee of Ministers' decision on further reforming of the ECHR, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko. It is worth mentioning that under Ukraine's chairmanship the consecutive chair countries- the United Kingdom and Albania - agreed to continue reforming the ECHR according to the decisions adopted at the International Conference the Role of Prevention in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights.  The conference took place on Ukraine's initiative on September 20-21, 2011, in Kyiv. The event was attended by the Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg, Ministers of Justice of the member-states, etc. The participants of the Kyiv's Conference developed practical approach towards reforming, and therefore strengthening, the ECHR on national levels, ensuring national courts' ability to carry out preventive function in human rights protection. In addition, Kyiv facilitated the implementation of European Convention on Human Rights at the national level.

Ukraine chaired the Committee of Ministers during May through November 2011. The other top issues that Ukraine has selected as priorities during its chairmanship have been the protection of children's rights and the strengthening and development of local democracy.