LGBT service members have assessed the new National Human Rights Strategy and are calling for the passage of a civil partnership law

The “LGBT+ Military” coalition expressed its support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s efforts to protect the rights of members of the LGBT community. The organization welcomed the inclusion of LGBT individuals in the new National Human Rights Strategy as a group at heightened risk of discrimination.

Despite approving the government’s current steps, community representatives emphasize that formally recognizing this status is not enough. According to activists, the state needs to move from strategies to concrete legislative solutions. The organization’s main demand remains the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of a civil partnership law that would allow same-sex couples to legally formalize their relationships.

In their statement, “LGBT+ Military” specifically emphasized that many members of the community are currently defending the country in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is why they and their families need legal protection right now. Previously, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly spoken out in support of equal rights, calling the rejection of members of the LGBT community “prejudices of the past,” and officially approved a corresponding national strategy.

As a reminder, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk reported on the progress of work on the draft of the new Civil Code, noting the need to achieve a broad public consensus. The working group aims to take into account the positions of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (ACCRO) and representatives of the LGBT community when preparing the document for its second reading.