A/HRC/45/CRP.8 Ministers and Parliament to develop this law promptly, through inclusive consultations with representatives of national minorities and indigenous people. 77 E. Right to vote 97. OHCHR welcomes the adoption of a procedure to manage individual requests to change voting addresses.78 The procedure allows voters, including IDPs and internal labour migrants, to change their voting address and exercise their right to vote in all types of elections. However, OHCHR notes with concern that, on 16 July 2020, Parliament approved a law which brings about significant changes to the electoral process.79 The law, which entered into force on 23 July, approximately 100 days prior to local elections gives little time to authorities and voters to adjust to the new regulations, and may undermine electors’ right to vote.80 Leave no one behind – economic and social rights VII. A. Introduction 98. Persons belonging to groups that are marginalised and in situations of vulnerability are at increased risk of being left behind during the COVID-19 crisis, as the pandemic often exacerbates existing inequalities and vulnerabilities. Those who already faced limited enjoyment of the rights to health, work, education and an adequate standard of living before the pandemic, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Women have also been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including due to an increase in domestic violence.81 99. When addressing the needs of those most at risk, it is critical that effective interventions aim to address structural inequalities and combat systemic and intersecting forms of discrimination. B. Impact of COVID-19 on Roma 77 78 79 80 81 24 See OHCHR, Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 16 February to 15 May 2019, paras. 80 81; 16 May to 15 August 2019, paras. 98-100, available at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/ReportUkraine16May-15Aug2019_EN.pdf; 16 August to 15 November 2019, paras. 87-88, available at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/28thReportUkraine_EN.pdf; 16 November 2019 to 15 February 2020, para. 110. On 18 May, in line with OHCHR recommendations, the Central Election Commission adopted Resolution No. 88 “On the procedure of considering a voter's appeal on the change of the electoral address in accordance with paragraph 3 article 8 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On State Register of Voters’”. This enables local registry authorities to accept documents such as IDP registration certificates to link voters’ electoral addresses to their current place of residence. On 16 July, Parliament adopted draft law No. 3485 applicable to local elections scheduled for 25 October 2020 which significantly changed the election law. Inter alia, the amendments changed the election procedure to local councils in communities with 10,000 to 90,000 residents from a majoritarian to a proportional electoral system. See the Venice Commission’s Interpretative Declaration on the Stability of the Electoral Law (CDLAD(2005)043), para. 4 and 5, available at www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-AD(2005)043-e. See UN Women, Rapid gender assessment of the situation and needs of women in the context of COVID-19 in Ukraine, May 2020, available at www2.unwomen.org//media/field%20office%20eca/attachments/publications/2020/06/rapid%20gender%20assessment_en g-min.pdf?la=en&vs=3646.

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents