Human rights defenders discussed the role of civil society in the negotiation process with the EU

On 1 July 2025, the networking event “Together to the EU: Synergy of Human Rights Organisations and the Government” took place in Kyiv, bringing together representatives of various human rights NGOs. The event was organised by the Human Rights Centre ZMINA to strengthen the cooperation between civil society and government authorities in the context of European integration.

The event served as a platform to support civil society representatives and experts working on the preparation of the shadow report on Chapter 23 “Judiciary and Fundamental Rights” within Cluster I “Fundamentals” in Ukraine’s negotiations process with the European Union.

The moderator of the meeting was Alena Lunova, Advocacy Director of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA. Tetiana Pechonchyk, Head of the Board of the Human Rights Centre ZMINA, also addressed the participants with a welcome speech. They emphasised the importance of coordinating the efforts of civil society and the state to promote human rights-based reforms.

During the event, ZMINA presented its position on the involvement of civil society organisations in the European integration process and outlined areas of possible constructive cooperation with the government. The participants shared their experiences of engaging with government authorities and discussed what aspects of communication are already effective and which ones need improvement.

Particular attention was paid to the analysis of the roadmap on the rule of law under negotiating Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security). The participants stressed the need for the recommendations of human rights organisations on various sectors to be reflected in the official roadmaps that are being developed within the negotiation process.

The discussion also covered the challenges faced by human rights organisations, including the failure to take into account their positions and recommendations in the preparation of state policy in the field of European integration, limited inclusion in official consultations and events held by government authorities, and the absence of effective communication with certain state institutions.

Human rights defenders stressed the importance of involving civil society in the consultation process, in particular by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, as well as considering the shadow report in broader policy development consultations.

During the networking event, the participants discussed how to unite the efforts of civil society organisations to be heard, visible and considered at the level of state policy. They also outlined potential areas for developing a common human rights agenda in the field of European integration.

The event concluded with an informal networking session, during which participants continued to exchange views on further coordination of efforts in the field of human rights on the path to the EU.

The event was held with the support of the project “Strengthening the Ukrainian EU Adjustment Process in the Area of the Rule of Law” (3*E4U), implemented on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office by Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH within the framework of the project “Human Rights at the Center of Ukraine’s European Integration”.