Ukraine’s top lawmaker faces backlash over draft bill allowing marriage at 14

A draft overhaul of Ukraine’s Civil Code has triggered public outrage and sharp criticism from human rights groups that said it would roll back fundamental rights and contradict Ukraine’s EU accession commitments. 

Ukrainian flag waving over Parliament (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine) in Kyiv, Ukraine. Blue sky background. Colorful autumn sunset.

The Verkhovna Rada registered a new version of the Civil Code on Jan. 22, formally titled the Code of Private Law. The bill was submitted by Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada, who described it as the result of nearly six years of work by a recodification group involving hundreds of experts.

In a Facebook post marking Ukraine’s Unity Day, Stefanchuk said the 832-page draft was the first full civil code codification submitted by lawmakers of the ninth legislative convocation and aimed to modernize private law in line with European practices.

Shortly after the bill’s registration, a coalition of Ukrainian human rights organizations criticized the draft, warning that several provisions contradicted European human rights standards and Ukraine’s obligations under its EU accession process.

In a joint statement shared on Instagram, organizations including Fulcrum UA, Zmina Human Rights Center, Insight, Military LGBT+ and Wonderzine journal said the draft conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as requirements set out in Chapter 23 of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, which covers the judiciary, fundamental rights and the rule of law.

The groups also pointed to the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership, which require candidate countries to guarantee the protection of human rights and minorities. They warned that provisions blocking courts from recognizing same-sex family relationships, the absence of any mechanism for registering same-sex partnerships, and clauses that would automatically invalidate marriages involving transgender people could place Ukraine at odds with positions previously outlined by the European Commission and the European Parliament on equality and non-discrimination.

Rights groups urged the Verkhovna Rada to halt the bill’s progress in its current form and revise it to fully comply with Ukraine’s EU integration commitments.

Stefanchuk said in a Facebook post on Friday, Feb. 6, that the provision would be removed from the draft following public criticism. He rejected claims that the bill sought to lower the marriage age, arguing the norm was intended as a protective mechanism for children rather than an encouragement of early marriage.

He said the working group had decided to exclude the provision entirely and retain the current legal framework, acknowledging that society perceived the proposal as unacceptable.

“The provision will not be included in the draft,” Stefanchuk said, adding that lawmakers should not allow a single article to jeopardize the broader reform of civil legislation.

EU accession usually takes years and demands unanimity among all 27 member states – a hurdle Ukraine has yet to clear, with countries including Hungary repeatedly blocking its bid.

Ukraine has yet to complete any of the EU’s more than 30 negotiating chapters, meaning a 2027 accession target would depart from the bloc’s standard merit-based approach.

On Nov. 4, the European Commission praised Ukraine for maintaining strong momentum on its path toward EU membership despite Russia’s ongoing full-scale war, while warning that Kyiv must accelerate reforms to meet its goal of joining the bloc by 2028.

Source: Kyiv Post; Author: Yuliia Zavadska