Ukraine’s Human Rights Experience Reshapes Europe’s Thinking: EUAM Highlights Lessons at International Conference
December 12, 2025
On 10 December, leading Ukrainian and international stakeholders gathered at Kyiv’s Batkivshchyna-Maty Museum for the International Human Rights Conference “Lessons of Ukraine for the World: New Challenges in the Field of Human Rights.” The event, convened by Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, marked both Human Rights Day and the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It brought together senior representatives from government, international organisations and diplomatic representations, as well as civil society to examine how Ukraine’s wartime experience is influencing Europe’s evolving human rights architecture.
Speaking on the opening panel, “Human Rights as the Foundation of Ukraine’s European Choice,” representatives from Council of Europe, UNDP, ICRC, UNICEF along with EUAM Ukraine’s Head of Mission Rolf Holmboe underscored that the country’s path toward EU membership is fundamentally a commitment to uphold human rights, the rule of law, and democratic governance.
EUAM’s Head of Mission emphasised that Ukraine’s resilience under full-scale aggression is reshaping Europe’s understanding of how human rights frameworks operate under extreme conditions. “Ukraine is demonstrating that human rights are not a peacetime aspiration, but a practical guide for decision-making even in crisis,” Holmboe stated. “By defending itself within the European Convention on Human Rights framework, Ukraine is helping to redefine how Europe connects human rights, security, and institutional resilience.”
Mr. Holmboe highlighted the EUAM’s long-standing cooperation with the Ombudsperson’s Office, particularly in strengthening oversight within the civilian security sector, improving safeguards for people in contact with law enforcement, and advancing non-discrimination and accountability standards. He also highlighted the importance of the Ombudsperson’s regional offices for ensuring human rights standards and the possibility for the population to take up issues of concern also at those levels.
As Commissioner Lubinets noted, Ukraine’s experience offers insights of global relevance at a time when human rights safeguards and protection mechanisms have come under increased pressure.
For EUAM, the message is clear: supporting Ukraine’s democratic transformation strengthens not only Ukraine’s path to the EU, but the resilience of Europe’s broader human rights system.
