Law on combating gender-based violence comes into force

The Verkhovna Rada. Photo: the VR website

In Ukraine, Law 3733-IX "On amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses in connection with the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence" has come into force.

The law includes new provisions, particularly Article 173-6: "Gender-based violence."

The text states that administrative liability shall be imposed on a person who has committed an intentional act (or omission) of a “physical, psychological or economic nature, directed against a particular person because of his or her belonging to a particular gender or stereotypical ideas about the social roles (position, duties, behavior, etc.) of a woman or a man in society’.

However, the law does not clarify what constitutes "an act committed due to stereotypical views on the social roles of a woman or a man in society."

Article 173-7, "Sexual harassment", outlines measures against "deliberately committing offensive, degrading actions of a sexual nature, against the will of the person, expressed verbally or non-verbally (words, gestures, body movements), including through electronic communications." Such actions can entail a fine ranging from eighty to one hundred and sixty non-taxable minimum income units or community service for twenty to forty hours, or corrective labor for up to one month with a deduction of twenty percent of earnings.

The law was signed by Volodymyr Zelensky on May 25, 2024.

As the UOJ wrote, Ukraine completed the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

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