MES deepens cooperation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

On March 3, 2023, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine: Oleksandr Pyzhov, Director General of the Directorate for European Integration, Budgeting and Policy Coordination, and Oleksandra Husak, Head of the Expert Group on European Integration, held a working meeting at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (Warsaw, Poland). 

The Ukrainian delegation thanked the representatives of the Office for their systematic monitoring activities in Ukraine regarding violations of international humanitarian law by the aggressor country, the russian federation. The first and second interim reports of the Office are already available in English on the OSCE website.

The parties discussed the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Science to conduct a more in-depth monitoring study on the right to education in Ukraine in the context of the military aggression of the russian federation. Colleagues from the Office confirmed the importance and fundamental nature of guaranteeing and implementing the right to education in the current situation and emphasized its impact on the further development and self-realization of each individual. 

During the meeting, Oleksandr Pyzhov noted: "The realization of the human right to education is the basis for the full development of the individual and the creation of opportunities for the realization of all other human rights. Only an educated person can effectively and efficiently realize and protect their rights. At the same time, ensuring the civilizational principles of human rights, the rule of law and effective democracy is part of the comprehensive realization of the right to education." 

During the discussion, it was agreed to continue cooperation and communication for the effective exchange of information to objectively monitor violations of the right to education in Ukraine. 

The partners also presented the main projects of the Office, which the Ministry of Education and Science and participants of the educational process from Ukraine will be able to join. These are projects in the field of human rights education, integrity, gender equality and women's political participation, youth leadership development, and dialogue through project-based learning. The parties agreed to discuss possible cooperation in this context in more detail.

To recap, the Government supported the draft Decree of the President of Ukraine on awarding state scholarships to five prominent scientists.