Strategic discussion panel. The National Human Rights institution: from good to great

Strategic discussion panel THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTION: FROM GOOD TO GREAT 19 FEBRUARY 2016

Joint Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights “Strengthening Capacities of the Office of the Ombudsperson” 2015 – 2018

SPEAKERS’ BIOS

AGENDA TIMEFRAME 10:30 – 11:00

11:00 – 11:30

AGENDA ITEM REGISTRATION Welcome coffee OPENING REMARKS Ms. Valeriya Lutkovska, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman of Ukraine) Mr. Marcus Brand, Democratic Governance Adviser, UNDP Ms. Astrid Folkmann Bonde, Head of the Political Department, First Secretary, Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine

11.30 – 12.30

PANEL DISCUSSION • “NEW TASKS AND NEW CHALLENGES” Ms. Valeriya Lutkovska, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights • “OVER THE EQUATOR: WHAT LIES IN FOR THE NHRI AS ITS STRATEGY NEARS COMPLETION” Mr. Allar Jõks, Former Ombudsperson of Estonia / UNDP expert • “REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION MECHANISMS: IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET ACCESS TO PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE WHOLE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE” Ms. Olena Smirnova, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights • “PASSPORT OF A REGION: OBSERVANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS” Mr. Arkadiy Bushchenko, Executive Director, Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union

12:30 – 13:15 13:15 – 14:00

VALERIYA LUTKOVSKA Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights since April 2012; 2006 to 2012 – Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Ministry of Justice of Ukraine; 2005 to 2006 – Deputy Director at the Law Firm “Lavrynovych & Partners”; 2003 to 2005 – Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Commissioner for the Observance of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; 1995 to 2003 – held various positions with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

OLENA SMIRNOVA Deputy Head Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights since November 2012; 2005–2012 – held various positions with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine from senior specialist to the Anticorruption policy development Unit Supervisor of the Department of Anti-Corruption policy and Justice; 1993–2005 – serve as a police officer (held various positions with the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine; 1999–2002 – participation in the UN peacekeeping operations on the territory of Former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo); 1989–1993 – worked in the Chernivtsy Regional Headquarters of the Ministry of Interior; 1980–1989 – interpreter in the Scientific Information Unit of the Chernivtsy State University.

TETIANA PECHONCHYK

ALLAR JÕKS Partner, head of the Government Relations & Administrative Law Team and head of the Tax & Customs Team in Estonia. He has been practising law since 1991. Prior to joining SORAINEN, he practised as a judge for ten years both in the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal and also held the position of Chancellor of Justice (Ombudsman) of Estonia for 7 years. Allar, as a recognised constitutional law expert, has participated in the process of harmonising constitutional and administrative law with EU legislation and in preparing the act amending the constitution. He has worked as a UN representative contributing to the establishment and development of the Institution of Ombudsman (Chancellor of Justice) in Georgia, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh.

In 2015, the Minister of Justice of Estonia appointed Allar member of an advisory committee to assist the minister on issues related to the development of Estonian legislative policy.

ARKADIY BUSHCHENKO Executive Director, Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union Mr. Bushchenko graduated from the National Law Academy specializing in legal studies and has been practicing in human rights since 2003. Arkadyi Bushchenko is an attorney-at-law.

He has long worked for the Kharkiv Human Rights Group both serving as a legal expert, and running the Centre for Strategic Litigation, which won about 70 cases in the European Court of Human Rights.

Arkadyi has also authored 9 books and 15 publications on human rights subjects. Since 2008 he chairs the Institute of Legal Studies and Strategies NGO. In 2008 and 2010 Mr. Bushchenko was elected chairman of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

ANDRIY KULIKOV

• “DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW?” Ms. Tetiana Pechonchyk, Head of board at Human Rights Information Centre

Chairperson of the Board of the Human Rights Information Center.

Mass media expert and journalist

GENERAL DISCUSSION

She has 10 years of experience in the media. Her write-ups were published in the newspaper "Dzerkalo Tyzhnya", online media platform "Ukrainian Truth", UNIAN new agency.

From 2005 to 2007 – media expert of ZHORNA – Journalist Education: developing Skills: TACIS – BBC World Service Trust project;

BUFFET LUNCH The event is moderated by Mr. Andriy Kulikov, Journalist, TV and radio anchor

She worked as Head of the special project "UNIAN - Human Rights".

Member of the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine, the National Trade Union of Journalists of Ukraine, and the international organization "Youth Human Rights Movement".

She graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, studied at Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

From 2000 to 2007 – producer of Ukrainian BBC Service; 2000 – author and presenter of the Night dramaturgy Program (STB); From 1998 to 1999 – editor-in-chief of Novyi channel; From 1992 to 1998 – held various positions with the media; He is professionally engaged in translation (including literary) and interpreting (simultaneous and consecutive).