Ukraine faces a direct legal mandate. A ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) states that the lack of legal recognition for same-sex couples violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The ruling requires the state to amend national legislation to allow same-sex couples to legally register their relationships, which is also one of the requirements for Ukraine’s EU membership. However, proposed updates to the Civil Code, while marketed as a step toward European standards, contain provisions that could potentially restrict rights or even roll back hard-won progress.

This is where communication is crucial. How can we discuss civil partnerships without fueling deep-seated fears and stereotypes? What role does the media play in either accelerating or stalling these decisions? How does advocacy function under such pressure? European integration is about more than just a box-ticking exercise. It is, first and foremost, about the language used to explain the changes to the society.

This discussion bridges personal, legal, media, and regional perspectives to explore how we can lead these difficult but essential conversations in a way that moves the country forward.

Speakers: Sasha Demenko — Veteran, Survivor of Mariupol, Azovstal, and the Olenivka prison camp, Head of NGO «LGBT Military for Equal Rights», Anastasiia Herasymenko — Head of the Charity Organization “Women’s March”, Anastasiia Popova — Co-chair of «Sphere» Women’s Association and KharkivPride, Oleh Maksymiak — Advocacy Manager at NGO «Fulcrum UA».

Moderator: Monroe, influencer, activist, and a unapologetically visible transgender woman, vocal about what matters.

Language: Ukrainian