Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Participated in Public Talk on Human Dignity and Gender Equality
Oleksandr Tupytskyi, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, and Halyna Yurovska, Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, took part in the online public talk “Human Dignity and Gender Equality: Constitutional Metamorphoses” held on September 25 as part of the IV Kharkiv International Legal Forum. The event was also attended by the Head of the Court’s Secretariat Viktor Beschastnyi.
The forum, which brought together judges, lawyers, civil servants, leading scholars, law school professors, and human rights NGOs, discussed a wide range of issues, including gender equality and human dignity in the field of constitutionalism.
The respective research event was organised by the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in cooperation with the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
On behalf of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the Chairman of the Court Oleksandr Tupytskyi addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. He stressed that the body of constitutional jurisdiction of Ukraine is pleased to join this professional event dedicated to the fundamental values that underlie constitutional rights and freedoms.
Noting the relevance of the forum, Oleksandr Tupytskyi expressed confidence that professional dialogues and discussions will contribute to the development of domestic science and further improvement of the ideas of human dignity and gender equality in the constitutional perspective. “Holding the forum is a testament to the high authority of civil society, the main feature of which is the perception of the individual as the highest social value with his/her inalienable right to freedom,” he pointed out.
Oleksandr Tupytskyi also stressed the importance of exchanging experience in all areas of scientific research in the field of respect for human dignity and ensuring equal rights and opportunities.
Finally, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine wished the audience a constructive dialogue, fruitful discussion and new significant achievements.
Vice-Rector of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University Yurii Barabash and OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine Ambassador Henrik Villadsen also addressed the participants with welcoming speeches.
Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Halyna Yurovska presented her report, emphasising the importance of interpreting and enforcing such a constitutional value as human dignity.
The speaker focused on the historical aspects of the development of doctrines of understanding human dignity. She noted that the Constitution of Ukraine determines the equality of the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens before the law.
In her speech, Halyna Yurovska outlined a number of decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, in which the Court had analysed the principle of the rule of law in society and considered equality as a constitutional value. “The Constitutional Court of Ukraine believes that the equality of all people in their rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine means the need to provide them with equal legal opportunities,” she explained.
Halyna Yurovska emphasised that the illustrated positions of the Court give grounds to say that the value of equality lies in providing opportunities for a person to realise his/her potential, which is inherent in his/her nature and his/her social experience.
In addition, the speaker focused on such a category as gender equality, noting that Ukrainian legislation guarantees men and women equal rights in all spheres of society.
The judge also highlighted the issue of ensuring gender equality and equal opportunities for men and women in the activities of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
She noted that women-judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine have always worked in the Court, where equal conditions are created for the exercise of their powers. Thus, during the period of existence of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, eight women were appointed judges. Moreover, Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Natalia Shaptala was Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Currently, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine is composed of two women and theirteen men.
Summing up her speech, Halyna Yurovska assured that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, based on th
e scientific and legal doctrine of constitutional law, the provisions of the Basic Law and international commitments of Ukraine, introduces constitutional values in various spheres of public relations and promotes gender equality. The sensitivity of society to gender equality, which could be reflected in constitutional petitions, appeals or complaints, is perceived by judges of the Court in the context of the proper exercise of human rights and freedoms provided by the Constitution of Ukraine.
The program of the event included three rounds of discussion, during which participants analysed the transformation of ideas of human dignity and gender equality in the constitutional perspective, their value for law and social life, as well as understanding these concepts in the context of law and their impact on judicial practice.
In addition, the participants discussed how the concept of dignity and gender equality shape the modern constitutional landscape, which can be public and legal tools for the formation of gender sensitivity and the creation of a wide range of conditions associated with human prosperity. The issue of institutional capacity of domestic and international human rights protection mechanisms were also discussed.
