The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, signed the decree "On urgent measures to prevent and counter domestic violence, gender-based violence, and protect the rights of victims of such violence." This is reported on the official website of the head of state.
According to the president, the document is aimed at the systemic development of the network for responding to violence. He embodies the basic principles of protecting the rights and interests of victims.
As Zelensky said, in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the first six months of 2020, the police received almost twice as many calls related to domestic violence than in the previous six months.
The head of state emphasized the importance of increasing the level of people's trust in the services called to help in such cases.
"A person must be sure that they will really help him, and not create new problems," Zelensky emphasized.
Domestic violence in Ukraine is already criminalized, but, according to the head of state, it is necessary to develop mechanisms for the implementation of the adopted legislation and create a system of accessible services for victims in the regions of Ukraine.
The President noted that the issue of preventing and countering violence against women is also one of the indicators of the goals defined by the decree on the Goals of Sustainable Development. And combating gender-based violence is also an element of the Biarritz Partnership, which Ukraine joined.
"Thus, this direction is part of the internal and external policy of our state, for which human rights are the highest value," he said.
Zelensky noted that the signed decree is a basic fundamental map, and emphasized the personal responsibility for its implementation of the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the government, as well as local authorities - all heads of regional state administrations, heads of OTG, regional and village councils, etc. d.
