✨ Meeting with the Delegation of the European Commission Advisory Service

Recently, the MARTIN Club team held a meeting with a delegation of the European Commission Advisory Service, which included lawyers, police officers, and other specialists working on CRSV (conflict-related sexual violence) cases across Europe.

We discussed the achievements Ukraine has already made in the field of legislation on responding to war crimes and CRSV, as well as the challenges faced by survivors and professionals in the process of justice.

Ukraine already has a legislative framework for responding to war crimes — even while the armed conflict is ongoing. An important step has been the introduction of interim reparations: survivors are already receiving housing certificates and other forms of compensation. This demonstrates the progressiveness of our legal system and its ability to function even under extraordinary circumstances.

⚖️ However, there are still gaps that require change:

1️⃣ Access to legal aid for survivors. Unlike defendants, survivors must go through complicated procedures to obtain a lawyer. This creates barriers for the most vulnerable groups. We believe legislative changes are needed to ensure that survivors of crimes against sexual freedom and inviolability, as well as children, automatically receive free legal representation — without additional steps or procedures on their part.

2️⃣ Child protection in criminal proceedings. The Criminal Procedure Code does not include the concept of “child interviewing,” which is in line with European standards. This requires amendments to make justice more child-friendly and to implement European standards for child participation in criminal proceedings.

3️⃣ Weak communication between investigators and survivors. Survivors often learn about the closure of criminal proceedings only after the fact. The absence of accountability for such violations undermines trust in the justice system.

At MARTIN Club, our specialists not only analyze legislation but also work daily with real CRSV cases. This gives us a deep practical understanding of the challenges faced by survivors and Ukrainian professionals on the path to justice.

🤝 We thank the European Commission delegation for their open dialogue and willingness to support Ukraine in building an effective and fair system of response.