On June 12, 2025, the regional forum "Human Rights: Challenges of Wartime in Odesa Region" was held in the city of Odesa, which became an important platform for discussing current problems in the field of human rights under martial law.
The event was attended by high-ranking officials and representatives of the public, in particular:
Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights,
Maria Popova, Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights in Odesa region,
Oleksii Leonov, People's Deputy of Ukraine,
Hennady Trukhanov, Odesa City Mayor,
as well as representatives of local authorities, human rights organizations, educational institutions and civil society.
From South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Sciences and Law, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor Serhii Derevyankin took part in the forum. Maria Popova presented the annual report of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights. She told the audience about the problematic issues and ways to resolve them that took place during the reporting period.
During the discussions, the participants discussed the key challenges faced by residents of Odesa region in the field of human rights protection in wartime, in particular - the issue of protecting the rights of servicemen, veterans and their family members; ensuring the protection of the rights of children of fallen defenders; recovery, rehabilitation and adaptation of war veterans; freedom of speech; access to justice, etc.
The forum became an important event for consolidating the efforts of the authorities, human rights defenders, educators and active public in strengthening democracy and protecting human rights in Ukraine, in particular in the southern region.