Promoting human rights-based approaches in higher, legal and school education

Quality legal education in universities and well-thought-out human rights courses in schools are a long-term investment into building the democratic and stable future for Ukraine. Due to the challenges posed by the war, there is also a need to help integrate international humanitarian law education into curriculums for law students to teach them how to better understand and apply its provisions. The OSCE supports efforts to improve standards and practices of teaching law courses for future legal professionals, and promotes the introduction of human rights-oriented approaches throughout the education system. 

This project helps to reform the system that ensures quality standards in higher education, including the institutional accreditation of law schools and the introduction of a unified state qualification exam for Master of Law programmes.

 The project also   helps Ukrainian legal clinics introduce operational standards , practical tools to monitor and assess their work, offers training for legal clinics’ students and co-ordinators on providing legal consultation services to vulnerable people affected by the war. 

Furthermore, the OSCE provides assistance in drafting and publishing books covering a wide range of legal theory issues, we organize conferences and seminars to promote professional exchanges and discussions in the legal sphere.  The project also runs specialized educational retreats, training courses, and exchanges for educators and top law students.

And, to promote human rights education in schools, the project offers teacher training courses on international humanitarian law, gender equality and non-discrimination. The project also supports the participation of legal educators in national and international experience exchange events. To address resource shortages caused by the war, hub schools and education hubs also receive ICT equipment and other supplies.

This effort is part of the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine implemented with extra-budgetary contributions from the Organization's participating States; see the full list of the Programme's donors.