About Human Rights Vector NGO

The Human Rights Vector NGO is a human rights organization founded in 2016. Its primary mission is to promote and protect fundamental human rights and freedoms by supporting the practical implementation of the norms and principles enshrined in international instruments ratified by Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s other international human rights and fundamental freedoms commitments.

Today, the activities of the Human Rights Vector NGO focus on human rights protection, strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring access to justice, and enhancing the capacity of professional communities. The organization combines research, practical, educational, methodological, and advocacy activities, promotes cross-sectoral cooperation, and develops sustainable mechanisms for professional support.

The organization began its work with the "Trial in simple words" project in 2015, which remains one of its key areas of activity. The Human Rights Vector NGO and the “Trial in simple words” project work to safeguard the right to a fair trial, including the right to public hearings, the principle of open justice, access to information about the work of courts, and effective communication between the judiciary and society.

One of the organization’s important achievements has been the introduction of a mechanism for livestreaming open court hearings using courts’ own technical equipment, making them accessible to an unlimited number of viewers. Through cooperation between civil society and the judiciary, courts began livestreaming open hearings themselves. Video recordings are available on court websites and on the official YouTube channel of the Judiciary of Ukraine. The  Human Rights Vector NGO has consistently developed this mechanism and used it as a basis for a range of educational and legal awareness initiatives.

On 29 November 2016, the Council of Judges of Ukraine and the Human Rights Vector NGO signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The organization became the first civil society organization with which the Council of Judges of Ukraine concluded such a memorandum.

The mechanism of livestreaming court hearings using courts’ own technical equipment provided a foundation for the development of court commentary and legal awareness vlogging. Court commentators — attorneys, lawyers, and justice experts — used video commentary to explain to viewers the procedural aspects of hearings livestreamed by courts. This contributed to making information about court proceedings more accessible and to the development of modern approaches to legal awareness and public legal education.

The Human Rights Vector NGO developed a unique methodology for using video recordings of court hearings livestreamed by courts and their commentary in the education and training of future legal professionals at higher education institutions. Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the Academy of Advocacy of Ukraine, and the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine contributed to the development and piloting of this methodology. The organization’s experts prepared methodological publications, including “Using Court Livestreams in Legal Education: Methodological Recommendations” and “Learning Through Practice: Experience of Using Court Livestreams in Legal Education”, which were disseminated with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine.

The organization has established cooperation with a range of higher education institutions across Ukraine, including through formal memoranda of cooperation. For many years, the Human Rights Vector NGO has worked with university lecturers who train future legal and journalism professionals.

Since its establishment, the organization has worked systematically with courts to improve the quality of their communication with society, develop professional competencies, and strengthen the capacity of the judiciary. In 2016–2018, representatives of 323 courts from 20 regions of Ukraine participated in 15 training sessions entitled “Communication Tools in the Work of Courts: Dialogue Between Courts and Communities,” representing approximately 48% of all courts in Ukraine at the time. In subsequent years, representatives of courts from every region of Ukraine and virtually every court participated in various educational, research, and communication activities organized by the NGO.

 

Research and Monitoring Activities in the Justice Sector

An important component of the Human Rights Vector NGO’s work is the systematic research of the functioning of the justice system and the needs of professional communities. The organization combines court proceeding monitoring, analysis of judicial communications, research into access to information, and assessment of the justice system’s capacity to respond to emerging challenges.

Together with its partners, the Human Rights Vector NGO conducted the first comprehensive study of the capacity of the justice system to administer justice in the context of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. As part of the study, from November 2016 to April 2017, the organization monitored 214 court hearings in various categories of cases in courts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions located in or near the area affected by the Anti-Terrorist Operation, as well as in other courts dealing with cases related to the armed conflict. The study also included an assessment of the material and technical conditions of 52 court buildings, the administrative functioning of courts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and an analysis of approximately 750 publications in online media.

In subsequent years, the organization implemented projects with the support of the Council of Judges of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Representative Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and other partners. These projects aimed to ensure the public’s right to know the truth about the course of the armed conflict, strengthen the capacities of professionals involved in investigating, adjudicating, and communicating relevant cases, and improve judicial communication concerning cases related to the armed conflict.

Following the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the Human Rights Vector NGO continued its systematic work to safeguard the right to a fair trial, the right to public hearings, the development of judicial communications, and the capacity of courts and other actors to communicate court proceedings related to the war, with particular attention to war crimes cases.

In 2022, the organization conducted research and prepared the report “Communication by the Judiciary of Cases Related to the War: 10 Questions and Answers”, which was fully endorsed by Decision No. 33 of the Council of Judges of Ukraine of 6 October 2022. In 2023, the organization conducted media monitoring and an analysis of court websites regarding the coverage of war crimes cases. These studies provided a foundation for further cooperation with judicial institutions and the development of systematic communication on court cases related to the war.

In 2023, the Human Rights Vector NGO continued its systematic work with the judiciary, placing particular emphasis on communication about court proceedings and decisions in war crimes cases. The organization recognized that administering justice during wartime is not only a complex professional task for the judiciary, but also an important component of upholding the rule of law, ensuring the public’s right to know about court proceedings, and building public trust in justice in Ukraine. In 2022–2023, the Human Rights Vector NGO researched how courts communicate cases related to the war and war crimes and, in cooperation with the judiciary and with the support of the USAID Justice for All Program, developed the “Guidelines for Communication of Court Proceedings and Decisions in War Crimes Cases: For Courts of First and Appellate Instance” (2023). The document is practice-oriented and aims to strengthen courts’ capacity to communicate information about such cases in a systematic, accessible, and appropriate manner, taking into account the specific circumstances of wartime, the principles of open justice, the rights of participants in proceedings, and the need to avoid disseminating information that could jeopardize the safety or rights of victims.

An important component of this approach was not only the development of recommendations but also ensuring their practical implementation within the judicial system. On 2 November 2023, the Council of Judges of Ukraine Decision No. 47 endorsed the Guidelines and recommended that courts use them when carrying out communication activities in war crimes cases, including when publishing information on the Judiciary of Ukraine web portal, court websites and social media, as well as when preparing and communicating information about court proceedings. To support the practical application of these approaches, the Human Rights Vector NGO, in cooperation with the Council of Judges of Ukraine and with the participation of Ukrainian and international experts, conducted training for court teams. Participants learned about Ukrainian and international experience in communicating war crimes cases and worked with practical communication tools. Thus, the organization’s work in this area has combined research, the development of practical recommendations, cross-sectoral cooperation, advocacy, and training, reflecting the Human Rights Vector NGO’s systemic approach to strengthening the capacity of the judiciary.

Another area of work is the development of court journalism and cooperation between courts and the media. The organization has conducted nationwide research into journalists’ needs in their interaction with courts, which served as a basis for educational and communication activities for media and judicial representatives. In 2019, the Human Rights Vector NGO launched the “Court in Human Language” Journalism Competition, which brought together journalists and bloggers from across Ukraine.

Another important area of the Human Rights Vector NGO’s monitoring work is its long-standing cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in particular with the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine. Through this cooperation, the organization has developed extensive experience in conducting thematic monitoring of court proceedings, developing and piloting methodologies, training court monitors, conducting interviews with members of professional communities, analyzing court hearings and judicial decisions, and preparing evidence-based recommendations to improve justice practices. In particular, in 2019–2020, the Human Rights Vector NGO, in cooperation with the OSCE and the Centre for Political and Legal Reforms, contributed to pilot studies on compliance with child-friendly justice standards in civil and other non-criminal cases, as well as in criminal proceedings and cases involving administrative offences. These studies included monitoring court hearings, analyzing judicial decisions, and interviewing representatives of the judiciary, legal profession, and other professional communities. This made it possible to assess not only formal compliance with relevant standards but also the practical conditions for exercising children’s rights in judicial proceedings.

The Human Rights Vector NGO’s long-standing cooperation with the OSCE continues today, in 2025–2026, and is developing through thematic monitoring of court proceedings. Within the framework of the project “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts, Phase II,” the Human Rights Vector NGO, in cooperation with the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, the Supreme Court, and the National School of Judges of Ukraine, is conducting monitoring of court proceedings related to gender-based violence and gender aspects of the administration of justice. The project covers the full monitoring cycle — from the training of monitors and development of a thematic methodology to field monitoring, analysis of findings, and advocacy. A key feature of the Human Rights Vector NGO’s approach is the combination of independent monitoring with ongoing cross-sectoral dialogue: representatives of the judiciary, public authorities, civil society, and professional communities are engaged at different stages, including the development and piloting of the methodology, monitor training, discussion of findings, and formulation of recommendations. In this way, monitoring is viewed as a mechanism for the systematic improvement of justice practices and the strengthening of human rights protection.

 

“Helping Those Who Help”: Mental Health, Psychosocial Support and Professional Resilience

The second strategic area of the Human Rights Vector NGO’s work is the “Helping Those Who Help” project, aimed at strengthening mental health and psychosocial support systems, enhancing the professional resilience of helping professionals, and developing supervision, professional peer support, and cross-sectoral cooperation.

This area has evolved from the organization’s many years of experience working with professional communities and represents a logical continuation of its human rights work. The Human Rights Vector NGO takes a systemic approach to the human right to access quality assistance: the quality of services provided to survivors and other affected people depends to a significant extent on the professional capacity, psychological well-being, safety, and access to professional support of the specialists who provide such assistance.

The organization’s first systematic mental health activities were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Human Rights Vector NGO conducted psychological and psychoeducational activities aimed at preventing professional burnout and developing resilience among representatives of the human rights, legal, academic, and media communities.

Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, this area of work was significantly expanded. In April 2022, the organization established a Psychological and Legal Support Hotline, initially aimed at people with disabilities and their family members and later made available to a broader range of people affected by the war in response to the significant demand for such support.

As part of this initiative, the organization provided individual psychological consultations, group support, legal assistance, psychoeducational activities, and webinars for both professionals and people receiving assistance. An important component was regular supervision support for psychologists, psychotherapists, lawyers, hotline operators, and other specialists involved in providing assistance, including professionals from related fields, such as psychiatrists.

Practical experience has confirmed that caring for professionals working with people affected by trauma and war is an essential condition for ensuring the quality of assistance. For this reason, supervision has gradually become one of the central components of the “Helping Those Who Help” project. The organization views supervision not only as a tool for professional development, but also as a mechanism for ensuring the quality and safety of assistance, preventing professional burnout, addressing complex cases, professional boundaries, and ethical dilemmas.

Cross-sectoral Cooperation and Systematic Needs Assessment

In 2022–2023, the Human Rights Vector NGO began actively bringing together representatives of various initiatives, civil society organizations, and state and municipal institutions providing psychological, psychosocial, legal, social, and other forms of assistance to people affected by the war.

This work was driven by the need to overcome fragmentation within the assistance system. Different initiatives and institutions were not always aware of each other’s capacities, which could result both in duplication of services and gaps in assistance. At the same time, professionals needed opportunities to exchange experience, receive professional training, and access systematic support.

On 17–18 February 2023, the Human Rights Vector NGO organized the online conference “Psychological and Legal Assistance to War-Affected People: One Year of Experience Following the Full-Scale Russian Invasion of Ukraine and Current Challenges”, bringing together 117 participants from Ukraine and abroad, including representatives of the legal, psychotherapy, medical, and other professional communities, state institutions, and civil society organizations.

In parallel, the organization launched systematic research into the needs and challenges faced by professional communities working with people affected by the war. Since 2022, the Human Rights Vector NGO has conducted annual research to track changes in needs, working conditions, professional workload, burnout risks, and the need for professional support.

The findings of this research are directly used to plan and develop the organization’s programmes. Thus, research is not a standalone area of activity but an integral part of the programme cycle: needs assessment → solution development → practical implementation → results evaluation → adjustment and development of subsequent programmes.

As a result of this work, a number of analytical reports and practical publications have been developed:

Thus, the organization has extensive experience in the consistent, systematic, and evidence-based assessment of the needs of professional communities and in using the findings to develop practical solutions.

Supervision as a Strategic Area

Supervision holds a particularly important place in the further development of the “Helping Those Who Help” project.

In 2025, the Human Rights Vector NGO implemented the “Helping Those Who Help: Supervision Support” project with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Office in Ukraine. As part of the project, approximately 50 professionals from different helping professions received regular professional supervision. The project’s results and lessons learned were presented at an international final conference.

This experience provided a foundation for further development of a cross-sectoral supervision model that brings together professionals from different fields working with people affected by war and creates opportunities for professional learning, analysis of complex cases, experience sharing, and mutual support.

The organization views the development of supervision as a long-term systemic area of work aimed at improving the quality of mental health, psychosocial, legal, and social assistance services. Going forward, the Human Rights Vector NGO is working to develop the training of supervisors, increase access to quality supervision for professionals from different helping fields, and integrate supervision support into professional practice.

Leadership and Professional Capacity Development

An important component of the organization’s work is the development of leadership potential, professional resilience, and the capacity of professionals.

In partnership with Liverpool Business School (United Kingdom), the Human Rights Vector NGO implements the “Leadership Experience Development Group” programme, which for the third consecutive year has brought together representatives of the civil society, public, and business sectors to develop sustainable leadership, professional reflection, cross-sectoral cooperation, and professional support in wartime.

Programme participants receive training with the involvement of Ukrainian and international experts, obtain certificates from Liverpool Business School, and participate in international professional events, including the Leadership Symposium in Liverpool.

Supporting Women’s Leadership

It is important to emphasize that our programme pays particular attention to supporting women’s leadership and promoting harmonious gender relations based on the principles of gender equality. At a time when Ukraine is experiencing the profound challenges of war, it is important for every person to understand their own potential and their ability to contribute to the development of society.

The social sector, with which we actively work through the “Helping Those Who Help” project, is predominantly made up of women professionals. It is therefore important to strengthen recognition of women’s contribution and leadership in areas that are critical for the country, including their ability to shape policies, develop and implement projects, and contribute to broader social change. At the same time, it is essential that such activities are grounded in human rights principles, including respect for the dignity of every person and non-discrimination.

Participants in our projects and programmes work across a range of fields, including mental health care, social support, legal services, media, IT, and other areas. Together, we work to bridge these fields, develop partnerships, and engage new target audiences and partners, including artists who can contribute to the provision of psychological support. This includes developing comprehensive support for people affected by the war, combining legal, psychological, social, and other forms of assistance to address their needs in a holistic and coordinated way.

The Human Rights Vector NGO’s Systemic Approach

The Human Rights Vector NGO’s experience in the areas of justice, human rights, mental health, and support for professional communities is united by a common approach to programme development and implementation.

The organization does not work solely with individual manifestations of problems, but seeks to identify systemic needs, test practical solutions, and create conditions for their sustainable implementation.

In its work, the Human Rights Vector NGO combines:

  • systematic assessment of needs and challenges;
  • monitoring and analysis of practices;
  • direct assistance and support;
  • training and professional capacity development;
  • supervision support;
  • cross-sectoral cooperation and the creation of professional networks;
  • development of methodologies, analytical and practical materials;
  • communication and human rights education;
  • advocacy and support for institutional change.

Thus, research, practical work, training, supervision, professional peer support, and the development of systemic solutions are interconnected components of the organization’s work. This approach enables the Human Rights Vector NGO not only to respond to current challenges but also to develop long-term solutions for strengthening democratic institutions, the justice system, mental health systems, and professional communities in Ukraine.

Partnerships and International Experience

The Human Rights Vector NGO has extensive experience implementing projects in partnership with Ukrainian and international institutions, state authorities, higher education institutions, professional associations, and civil society organizations.

The organization’s projects have been supported, among others, by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Office in Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), The CEELI Institute, the International Renaissance Foundation, UNDP, USAID, The Matra Programme, Erasmus+, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, the Human Rights House Foundation, the European Union, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, ERIM, and other partners.

The organization’s Ukrainian and international partners include the Council of Judges of Ukraine, the Supreme Court, the National School of Judges of Ukraine, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, Liverpool Business School, higher education institutions, professional associations, state and municipal institutions, civil society organizations, and professional communities.

An important area of the organization’s international work is strengthening human rights solidarity and professional exchange. The Human Rights Vector NGO has implemented the international projects “In Search of Human Rights,” “In Search of Solidarity,” and “The Role of Human Rights Defenders in European Integration Processes” in cooperation with civil society organizations from Ukraine, Sakartvelo, and Moldova. These projects focused on historical memory, the development of the human rights movement, human rights education, and European integration.

Further Development

The experience accumulated over the years, the results of systematic research, practical expertise, an extensive partnership network, and experience in cross-sectoral cooperation provide a strong foundation for the organization’s further development.

In particular, in the field of mental health and psychosocial support, the Human Rights Vector NGO continues to develop a model in which professional support for those who help is viewed as an integral condition for the quality of assistance provided to people affected by war. Particular emphasis is placed on developing supervision, training supervisors, strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation, and building sustainable professional support infrastructure.

The projects proposed by the organization represent a logical continuation of this long-term work and combine accumulated practical experience, the findings of the organization’s own research, international partnerships, and professional expertise to create sustainable, evidence-based, and scalable models for the development of professional communities and for improving the quality of mental health, psychosocial, legal, and social assistance services.

In 2026, the Human Rights Vector NGO celebrates 10 years since its official registration. We are proud of our work and deeply grateful and happy that so many inspiring, highly professional, and wonderful people have been with us on this journey.

Links:

Official site of NGO “Human Rights Vector” - https://hrvector.org/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/hrvector_official

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/hrvector.org

Telegram – https://t.me/HumanRightsVector

YouTube -   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjeimokzHuf4-v6TmfXZ5w

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