Legal Regulation of the Activities of the Office of the General Inspection and Human Rights Department of the National Police of Ukraine in the Sphere of Promoting the Implementation of the Common National Gender Policy
Authors:   National Academy of Internal Affairs, Shapovalova Kateryna 
Published: May 2024

In the conditions of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, the issues of equal rights of women and men, prevention and counteraction of any manifestations of discrimination, including on the basis of gender, require a comprehensive approach for their effective solution and consolidation of the efforts of all state and public institutions. Ukraine continues to take decisive steps to overcome this problem, following the Euro- Atlantic and NATO course. Ukraine supports the policy of gender equality aimed at overcoming all forms of discrimination based on gender. Ukraine has embraced gender equality as a fundamental global standard, a cornerstone of democratic societies. The nation is actively working towards attaining authentic and factual equality between women and men, underscoring its commitment to fostering a society where equal opportunities and rights are afforded to individuals of all genders. Evidence of this is the active implementation of international and European legislation and the implementation of its provisions in the practical activities of state bodies and institutions of all levels. In order to overcome gender stereotypes, education is actively developing, the institutional capacities of state bodies and institutions, local self-government bodies are being strengthened. Furthermore, statistical research indicates that women continue to face restricted access to resolutions in armed conflicts, despite their significant contributions to humanitarian efforts. Women remain underrepresented in key sectors like security and defense, particularly at decision-making levels. This includes both military and civilian roles within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Police, and international peacekeeping operations, highlighting an ongoing imbalance in gender representation within these critical areas. In view of the above, the issue of gender equality in the security and defense sector of Ukraine, in particular, in the bodies of the National Police, deserves special attention and remains relevant. The responsibility for implementing a cohesive state gender policy within the units of the National Police of Ukraine lies with the Human Rights Office of the General Inspection and Human Rights Department of the National Police of Ukraine (hereinafter referred to as the Human Rights Office). Despite the considerable volume of the legal framework outlining a diverse range of competences for the Human Rights Office as a subject of administrative and legal relations, it can be confidently stated that there has been no thorough examination of the regulatory and legal aspects governing the activities of the Human Rights Office in the field of implementing the unified state gender policy. This lack of comprehensive study contributes to the presence of numerous gaps in the legislative foundation of the Human Rights Office’s activities. All this actualizes the topic of the corresponding scientific research, testifies to its scientific and practical usefulness, taking into account the recent significant intensification of domestic law-making processes aimed at defining the legal foundations of gender equality and nondiscrimination, the integration of European and international legislation into domestic legislation.