Winners Announced in Human Rights Research Paper Contest by Ukraine's Constitutional Court

Research Competition Winners Revealed

According to Конституційний суд: The winners of a competition for the best academic paper on human rights protection were announced during a ceremonial academy marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Constitution. Launched in October 2023, the contest was organized by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, and the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation. Three prize-winning entries were selected from the participants.

Ceremonial Academy Event

Scientific works addressing pressing issues in human rights protection were presented as part of the ceremonial academy titled 'Ukrainian Constitutionalism in the 21st Century: Constitutional Development, the Test of War, and Challenges of European Integration.' The winners were announced by Constitutional Court Judge Oksana Hryshchuk, Head of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Ivan Verveiko, and Kateryna Holovko, Director of the Yurydyka Publishing House.

• First place was awarded to Valerii Zhelnin, a postgraduate student at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, for his paper titled 'Constitutional and Legal Regulation of Local Self-Government Bodies and Restrictions on Human Rights in Extraordinary Regimes.' His academic advisor is Anton Serhiyovych Chyrkin, PhD in Law and Associate Professor.

• Second place was shared by:

  • Kateryna Kot, a third-year student at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, for her paper 'Violations of Fundamental Principles of International Law and Human Rights by the Russian Federation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.' Her advisor is Andrii Bohdanovych Hryniak, Doctor of Law, Professor, and Academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine.

  • Bohdana Palanska, a master's student at the State Tax University, for her work 'Realization of the Child's Right to Family Upbringing under Martial Law: Challenges, Transformations, and Innovative Approaches.' Her advisor is Liudmyla Oleksiivna Samilyk, PhD in Law and Associate Professor.

• Third place was awarded to three participants:

  • Kateryna Vatras, a first-year student at the Leonid Yuzkov Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law, for her paper 'Practice of the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights in the Context of Judicial Lawmaking.' Her advisors are Viktoriia Mykolaivna Vovk, Doctor of Law and Professor, and Nadiia Oleksandrivna Stenhach, PhD in History and Associate Professor.
  • Nataliia Melnykova, a first-year master's student at Uzhhorod National University, for her paper 'Protection of Digital Human Rights in the Context of Artificial Intelligence Development and Personal Data Collection.' Her advisor is Diana Mykhailivna Steblak, Associate Professor and PhD.
  • Oleksandr Shevchuk, a first-year master's student at Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, for his work 'Recommendatory and Interpretive Nature of Response Acts by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights in the Constitutional Law System.' His advisor is Nina Dmytrivna Hetmantseva, Doctor of Law and Professor.

The competition served as a significant milestone for young researchers exploring human rights protection in Ukraine, contributing to the advancement of constitutional legal scholarship in the country.

This contest highlights the critical role of academic research in human rights, particularly given the contemporary challenges facing Ukraine.

Source: Ceremonial Academy

Participation by emerging scholars not only hones their research abilities but also draws attention to key legal issues requiring resolution. In the context of war and European integration, such initiatives are especially vital for shaping the nation's legal framework and safeguarding human rights.

As the discussion around human rights intensifies, the importance of consistent legal application becomes increasingly clear. Recent dialogues among judges from the Constitutional and Supreme Courts have highlighted the necessity for a unified approach to legal standards. For insights into these critical conversations, explore how they relate to the ongoing challenges of legal interpretation in Ukraine's evolving landscape of human rights protection in our article on the need for uniform legal application.