RWI’s work in Ukraine dates back to the early 2000s, fostering knowledge exchanges and collaboration with counterparts from the Eastern Partnership region and beyond. In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, we have expanded our efforts through several locally-driven initiatives funded by the Swedish Institute. In 2025, a more comprehensive engagement has been launched with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Human Rights Infrastructure for Ukraine 2025–2027” (HRIU) – funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), this programme aims to support Ukraine’s recovery and EU accession by strengthening the country’s human rights infrastructure at national and local levels. It focuses on enhancing institutional implementation of human rights policies, fostering academic and professional expertise, and empowering local actors to promote access to justice and human rights protections. Key partners include the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, academic institutions, the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Bar Association, and local partners in the target regions.
“Co-Owned Rights Expertise for Ukraine’s Accession to the EU” (CORE) – funded by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this one-year pilot project aims to support Ukraine’s EU accession process through the provision of human rights expertise relevant to Chapter 23 of the EU acquis. While this initiative engages the Ministry of Justice directly, its approach is rooted in multi-stakeholder participation, grounded in local perspectives, and designed to include inclusive outreach at both national and EU levels.
Strengthening the Engagement of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights to promote human rights at the local level – this pilot project aims to foster the development of partnerships, tools, and resources to enhance the capacity of the Commissioner’s regional representatives and strengthen their engagement with local communities. This is a catalytic initiative that will complement and align with a more comprehensive engagement under the HRIU programme.
Supporting Ukrainians with legal assistance: RWI, in partnership with the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine and the Polish Legal Clinics Foundation, strengthens legal aid for displaced Ukrainians in Ukraine, Poland, and Sweden through education, mobile clinics, and cross-border collaboration.
Increasing research capacity on sustainable business conduct in Ukraine: RWI, in partnership with the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, helps enhance Ukraine’s research capacity on responsible business practices amid conflict, supporting early career researchers and aligning with EU standards.
Integrating human rights in the governance of the city of Lviv: RWI, in partnership with the Lund University, the Lviv Bureau of EU Integration, and Ukrainian Catholic University aims to improve Lviv’s urban planning by training officials to apply human rights principles, focusing on the rights of veterans and persons with disabilities, in the context of EU accession.
Connecting Ukrainian and Moldovan lawyers to address corruption: RWI, in partnership with the Ukrainian Bar Association and Moldova’s counterpart “Action for Justice”, trains 30 Ukrainian and Moldovan legal professionals in anti-corruption using a human rights-based approach, strengthening legal integrity and supporting EU integration.
These projects are implemented with the support of Sida, Swedish MFA, and Swedish Institute.
Ukraine Staff
Jason Naum
Jason Naum
Regional Director, Europe and MENA, Deputy Director of Operations
Phone: +46 (0) 46 222 1237
E-mail: jason.naum@rwi.lu.se
Jason Naum is an international development and nonprofit organization management expert with over 20 years of experience successfully leading and strengthening the capacity of nonprofits, academic institutions, and independent state actors with a human rights mandate around the world. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, thought leadership, global philanthropy, human rights programming, capacity building, grant management and evaluation strategies for mission driven nonprofits.
Prior to RWI, Jason was the Managing Director of the Botstiber Institute, the Founding Chairman and Executive Director of LAB (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on increasing opportunities for Philadelphia’s economically disadvantaged youth), as well as the Head of the National Human Rights Institutions Unit at RWI. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from Lund University with a specialization in international human rights and humanitarian law.
Theresia Kirkemann Boesen
Theresia Kirkemann Boesen
Country Director, Ukraine Office
E-mail: theresia.kirkemann_boesen@rwi.lu.se
Theresia Kirkemann Boesen has worked in the field of human rights and development for over two decades – shaped by 17 years at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, where she was leading work on human rights education and supporting national human rights institutions. Up until recently she has served as a Managing Director at Nordic Consulting Group Denmark where she has also been partner and consultant for the past 10 years primarily focusing on assignments in Eurasia.
Theresia holds an M.A. degree in Political Science from Copenhagen University, with further studies at the University of Birmingham at the Department for Political Science and International Studies, and Centre for Russian and East European Studies. She covers a broad area of expertise including human rights programming, democratisation, human rights-based approach, partnerships with civil organisations and state institutions including national human rights institutions, as well as organisational development, and strategic management and leadership.
Igor Osyka
Igor Osyka is Deputy Country Director Ukraine at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI). Mr. Osyka has experience of working for the International technical assistance projects in Ukraine for last 18 years. He worked in the capacity of Head of Field Office, Deputy Chief of Party, project manager, project coordinator and independent expert. Igor has experience of implementing projects in spheres of law enforcement and legal reform, judicial reform, anti-corruption and human rights. The projects he worked for were funded by the U.S. Department of State, USAID, Global Affairs Canada and European Commission and implemented by WYG International, National Judicial Institute of Canada, MSI Tetra Tech Company and American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.
Before engaging in the International technical assistance projects, Mr. Osyka was teaching police investigators Criminalistics (procedures, tools, strategy and tactics of pre-trial investigation) for 10 years at Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs. He holds LL.M degree in International and Comparative Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law Illinois Institute of Technology and Ph.D. in Criminal Procedure, Criminalistics and Forensic Science from the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs.
Tukhan Ediev
Tukhan Ediev is a licensed Ukrainian attorney and human rights defender with over 20 years of experience in legal aid, humanitarian programming, and engagement with law enforcement and security services. He has led national and multi-regional initiatives to protect vulnerable populations, advance human rights, and strengthen civil society in Ukraine.
Since August 2025, he has served as Programme Officer at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) in Ukraine, coordinating projects that strengthen the country’s human rights infrastructure, support Ukraine’s EU accession, and promote local access to justice. Previously, working for Freedom House Ukraine, he managed nationwide programs addressing hate-motivated violence, civic oversight of security services, and civic initiative support, including legal assistance for prisoners of war and locating missing persons.
Earlier, he worked with the Danish Refugee Council and UNHCR, providing legal aid to refugees, stateless persons, and IDPs implementing protection programs, and contributing to EU-aligned border guard reforms with the International Organization for Migration. He has many years of experience designing training programs and conducting workshops for youth, judges, law enforcement officers, border guards and local activists across Ukraine and abroad.
An active member of the Committee on Civil Society Engagement at the Ukrainian National Bar Association, Tukhan is also an author and co-author of publications on human rights, migration law, and refugee protection. Guided by the belief that “justice and faith naturally go together”, he continues to champion human rights through strategic partnerships, legal expertise, and capacity-building initiatives.
Halyna Kokhan
Halyna Kokhan is a Programme Officer at the Ukraine Office of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), where she works on programmes supporting human rights and the rule of law, with a particular focus on institutional strengthening, EU accession (Chapter 23 on “Judiciary and Fundamental Rights”), implementation of the Ukraine’s Rule of Law Roadmap, and legal education. Her work contributes to strengthening Ukraine’s human rights infrastructure while supporting Ukraine’s recovery and EU accession.
She brings more than fifteen years of experience working across anti-corruption, good governance, judicial reform, and human rights sectors in Ukraine. Prior to joining RWI, Halyna held senior expert and managerial roles in donor-funded programmes implemented by international organisations and consultancies, including EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI), USAID-funded projects (SACCI, Pro-Integrity), UNDP, and Danish Embassy. She has worked closely with Ukrainian justice and anti-corruption institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, National Agency on Corruption Prevention, the High Anti-Corruption Court, Parliament, National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and others providing analytical, policy, and institutional support.
Halyna holds a PhD in Political Science from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Master of Jurisprudence in Rule of Law for Development from Loyola University Chicago. She also holds a Master’s degree in Political Science (European Studies/Political Science) from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. She is the author of numerous academic and policy publications on anti-corruption, rule of law, and governance in Ukraine and Central and Eastern Europe.
Tatsiana Rahozina
Before joining RWI’s Europe Office, Tanya gained experience in the fields of human rights and development at the Istanbul regional hub of UNDP working with a gender equality team, the Swedish section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), MSF, and the Varieties of Democracy Institute. She holds an MSc in International Development and Management (LUMID) and an MSc in Global Studies from Lund University as well as a BA in International Relations.
In the capacity of a Department Associate, Tanya will continue working on the projects “Strengthening the Rights of Ukrainian IDPs and Refugees through Public Legal Education” and “Standing with Ukraine by Providing Enhanced Rights Protection for IDPs and Refugees” implemented by the RWI and its partners, ALCU and PLCF.
Tanya is fluent in English, Swedish, Belarusian, and Russian.
Anna Pedash
Anna Pedash works as a Programme Associate, supporting RWI’s initiatives in Ukraine. She is an experienced project and administrative professional with a strong background in administrative support, international cooperation, and project coordination, mainly in aviation and development sectors. Most recently, she worked as an Administrative Assistant at USAID/Ukraine, where she coordinated project documentation, managed data analysis and reporting, and provided operational and logistical support for internal and external stakeholders. She has also worked as an International Affairs Manager at Ukraine International Airlines, where she successfully negotiated over 50 international aviation agreements and strengthened cooperation with more than 58 airlines worldwide. Her earlier experience includes roles at Dnipro International Airport, Dniproavia Airlines, and the EBRD-financed project “Modernization of Water and Wastewater Facilities in Dnipropetrovsk.” where she started her carrier as a Translator – Interpreter.
Anna holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Pridniprovsk State Academy of Building and Architecture and an education in Organization of Transportation and Management in the Transport Industry from the National Aviation University in Kyiv. She has also pursued additional professional training in cross-cultural communication, project documentation, and foreign languages. Anna speaks English, French, Ukrainian, and Russian, and enjoys working in multicultural teams and adapting quickly to new environments.
Daniel John Robinson
He also has experience as a Legal Access Caseworker at Care4Calais in the UK, where he connected refugees with public law solicitors and gathered evidence to support broader systemic challenges. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manchester and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Human Rights Studies at Lund University.
Arsen Markiv
Arsen Markiv is a Research Associate in the Research and Education Department, where he is a part of the Ukraine Team. He holds a master’s degree from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Kyiv, Ukraine), and LL.M. in International Human Rights Law from Lund University (Sweden).
His professional experience is built upon a strong foundation in human rights and legal research, having previously worked at an international law firm, the Supreme Court of Ukraine, UNICEF, and with various non-governmental organizations in Ukraine. He has also developed and conducted training in human rights for partners, including through collaborative projects, and contributed to the academic field by teaching human rights law courses at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Prior to his current role, he worked with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute to conduct a mapping study on the support of human rights education in Ukraine. His expertise encompasses International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, freedom of expression, and the intersection of human rights and technologies.



