In May 2025, RWI signed a new agreement with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on support to the project “Human Rights Infrastructure for Ukraine 2025–2027“ (HRIU). Through Sida’s support, RWI is working closely with Ukrainian institutions, civil society, and public authorities, including the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (UPCHR), to strengthen human rights protections as Ukraine advances in its reconstruction and European Union accession process. In September 2025, the relationship between the RWI and UPCHR was strengthened through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to foster long-term cooperation between the two organisations.
Kyiv Workshop
The first major activity in the new cooperation consisted of a three-day workshop held in Kyiv from 29-31 October 2025, with support also from the Swedish Institute. It gathered 35 representatives from the UPCHR Secretariat and its regional offices to identify institutional strengths and capacity gaps, enhance coordination and communication mechanisms, and support UPCHR in fulfilling its mandate in line with international human rights standards and Ukraine’s EU accession goals. The event was an opportunity to strengthen alignment between UPCHR Secretariat and regional offices, offering participants a chance to reflect on their work. Following the event, UPCHR is finalizing a Strategic Map to guide the institution forwards from 2026 onwards, while the outcomes of the workshop will be compiled into a report that will be shared with relevant Ukrainian stakeholders and potential donors, providing a clear overview of priority areas for support. Based on these insights, RWI will explore further capacity-building initiatives and funding opportunities to enhance the institution’s ability to promote and protect human rights effectively at all levels.
Study Visit to Austria
The HRIU programme additionally facilitated a study visit by UPCHR to visit the Austrian Ombudsman and other relevant authorities and organisations in December 2025. UPCHR took part in exchanges and in-depth discussions on topics such as human rights protection and implementation at the local level, the rule of law, and public sector reform.
The visit began in Graz, where the delegation met the city’s Human Rights Advisory Board, the Austrian National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and the Chair in Human Rights and Human Security. It continued with a study visit to the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to discuss the ICMPD’s work in Ukraine and with Ukrainian diaspora and the use of a Human Rights-Based Approach. The delegation also visited Vienna’s Human Rights Office and met its Human Rights Commissioner to discuss human rights cities. Then, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights hosted the delegation to discuss human rights at a local level, equality and non-discrimination, rule of law and public sector reform. Finally, the delegation was hosted by the Austrian Ombudsman Board, Austria’s NHRI, where they discussed state party and NHRI reporting to UN human rights bodies and trust and awareness raising.
The study visit was highly successful and facilitated extensive exchange and dialogue on common issues as well as issues specific to Ukraine during the ongoing war. At the end, a session on key takeaways revealed that several preliminary understandings had already been reached by UPCHR as well as beginnings of potential cooperations and ongoing communication. A follow-up meeting will be held to promote the integration of the visit’s findings into the participants’ work.
Leadership and Innovations Workshop
In early March 2026, the RWI conducted a two-day training in Truskavets, Ukraine for staff of UPCHR and its regional representatives that aimed to strengthen leadership capacities, improve internal management and coordination processes and to promote the use of innovative and digital solutions to enhance UPCHR’s effectiveness.
The first day of the training focused on leadership, institutional management and coordination within NHRIs, with participants engaging on discussions on the role of managers as strategic leaders in NHRIs alongside other topics. The second day focused on AI and human rights by introducing the fundamentals of AI, its use in public administration and how NHRIs can work with both the opportunities and challenges it presents. Discussions centred on topics such as the potential risks of AI use in public institutions and to human rights in general, as well as legislative and ethical frameworks governing AI.
The training contributed to enhancing institutional management approaches and supporting more unified leadership practices within UPCHR and equipped participants with a better understanding of emerging technological developments.
