Oleksandra Matviichuk becomes a Human Rights Ambassador of the UN Global Compact Ukraine
Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights lawyer and head of the Center for Civil Liberties and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the UN Global Compact Ukraine and became its Human Rights Ambassador.
Ensuring respect for human rights is at the heart of the 10 Principles of the UN Global Compact. Ukrainian companies, members of the world’s largest association of responsible businesses, have pledged to respect human rights in their enterprises. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to do in a time of war when employees are in constant danger. For over a year of full-scale war, Russia has violated human rights in Ukraine thousands of times. The world has seen how vulnerable the fundamental freedoms of an individual are and how important it is to stand up for those whose rights are violated.
Oleksandra Matviichuk supports the activity of the UN Global Compact Ukraine and emphasizes the importance of working on human rights in the business environment:
“Human rights, progress, and peace are inextricably linked. But human rights lose their meaning if they are left to diplomats, lawyers, or experts. They must be the basis for decision-making, like economic or security considerations. Ukraine is paying a high price in confronting Russian aggression and, at the same time, undergoing a complex transformation on its way to the EU. That is why the readiness of Ukrainian businesses to support the human rights value framework during this transitional period is so important.”
To mitigate the devastating impact of Russia’s military aggression, the UN Global Compact Ukraine has focused on providing comprehensive humanitarian support to Ukrainians. In particular, the organization helps to overcome the psychological consequences of the war through the Mental Help online platform of free psychological assistance. The SEED project supports small businesses from the agricultural sector affected by Russia’s military aggression. As part of the anti-corruption program, the UNGC Ukraine promotes a culture of integrity among Ukrainian companies, which is crucial for rebuilding damaged and destroyed Ukrainian cities. The UNGC Ukraine’s team also speaks about the losses from the war at all international events. Oleksandra Matviichuk’s expertise in protecting human rights will strengthen the UN Global Compact Ukraine’s efforts in this area.
Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human rights lawyer. She was awarded the Vasyl Stus Prize and many Ukrainian and international human rights awards. In 2022, the Center for Civil Liberties, an organization headed by Oleksandra, got the Nobel Peace Prize. It was the first time the Ukrainian language was spoken at the official Nobel Prize ceremony. This year, Oleksandra was named one of Time100: The Most Influential People in the World.
Share news:
