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“Standardizing integrity in Ukraine: transparency, professionalism, and accountability in justice sector reform and reconstruction” Project

Project goal: To advance integrity-driven reform and reconstruction of Ukraine. The Project will comprise activities undertaken to unify standards for evaluation of judicial integrity and professional ethics.

Development Partner: Тhe Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) –  is a government agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden that deals with the development of international cooperation. SIDA is responsible for organizing the bulk of Sweden’s official aid to developing countries. The main areas of SIDA’s work in Ukraine are infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation, green economy and sustainable development, inclusive economic growth, entrepreneurship and trade, as well as supporting the Rule of Law, human rights, democracy and gender equality.

Project implementation period: December 13, 2023 –December 12, 2024.

Project objectives: Provide technical assistance in unifying standards for evaluation of judicial integrity and professional ethics through:

  • Deepening the understanding and applicable interpretations of integrity, professional ethics, and conduct criteria across the judiciary in Ukraine;
  • Raising awareness about gender fairness and inclusivity among HQCJ members;
  • Facilitating the development and eventual adoption and application of common sets of integrity and professional ethics indicators for all vetting procedures across the judiciary in Ukraine;
  • Providing expert advice on revising and updating relevant professional codes of conduct, primary and secondary legislation in line with the best international practices, approaches, and criteria for the judicial integrity;
  • Advancing common understanding of applicable standards of proof in vetting procedures conducted by the HQCJ;
  • Developing practice-oriented recommendations and guidelines for assessing integrity and professional ethics in vetting procedures.

The Project will provide methodological, expert, logistical and technical assistance.

It is expected that the Commission will improve its professional and technical capacity, apply consistently and coherently unified standards for assessing the judicial integrity and professional ethics of judges in procedures conducted by the HQCJ.