OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine holds seminars to help Justice Ministry officials work better with public

KHERSON, Ukraine, 26 August 2010 - The first in a series of six training sessions for Justice Ministry officials to improve working methods, communication and public interaction, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine started today in Kherson.

The seminar will teach around 60 specialists from local justice departments in Kherson, Mykolayiv, Odessa and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as well as from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea methods of communication with the public, legal counselling, ethical aspects of legal aid offices' activities, provision of legal aid in appeals processes, acts or omissions of state bodies, local self-government bodies and their officials.

"Strengthening the capacity of justice departments' specialists to provide quality legal aid is an important factor in improving relations between the state and the public,"said Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The training seminar is held in partnership with the Justice Ministry as part of an OSCE project that aims to raise public awareness on human rights and mechanisms to protect them as well as to improve civil servants capacity to address requests from citizens. The seminar also is in line with the National Program of Legal Education and Awareness.

By the end of 2010, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine will have trained around 200 specialists of local Justice Ministry departments.