All children in Ukraine have equal rights and freedoms, regardless of race, skin colour, sex, language, religion, political or other beliefs, national, ethnic or social origin, financial circumstances, health, birth or any other circumstances relating to the child, their parents or those acting in their place.
The state provides additional social protection, including for children:
- Who are internally displaced.
- From large families.
- Who are orphans.
- Who are deprived of parental care.
- Who require special upbringing conditions and are fully supported by the state.
- With disabilities.
- In difficult life circumstances.
- From low-income families.
- Who are family members of deceased war veterans.
- Who are family members of combat veterans.
- With the status of a child affected by hostilities and armed conflicts.
- Whose parents are recognised as affected participants in the Revolution of Dignity or as people with war-related disabilities under Ukraine’s Law on the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection.
- Whose parent was killed or went missing in the Anti-Terrorist Operation or Joint Forces Operation area, or died from wounds, concussion or injury sustained there.
- Whose parent was killed during mass public protests or died from wounds, concussion or injury sustained during those protests.
- Living in settlements along the contact line.
- In other eligible groups.
Depending on the category, benefits may include:
- Free medicines prescribed by doctors.
- Annual medical examinations and monitoring at state and municipal healthcare facilities with the necessary specialists, and reimbursement of dental prosthesis costs.
- Priority service at healthcare facilities and pharmacies, and priority hospital admission.
- Free travel on urban public transport other than taxis, public road transport in rural areas, suburban rail and water transport, and suburban and intercity buses, including within and between districts and regions, regardless of distance or residence.
- Free or subsidised health improvement and recreation services.
- Free or subsidised children’s food.
- Scholarships and meals for students at state and municipal vocational institutions.
- Education at general and special schools under appropriate programmes, including at home.
- Additional social and financial assistance for professional pre-higher and higher education students.
- Targeted state support for vocational, professional pre-higher and higher education at state and municipal institutions.
- Education under individual programmes aligned with rehabilitation plans for children with disabilities and people with disabilities since childhood.
- Other benefits.
How can children communicate with organisations and public authorities?
Children have the right to contact the following directly:
- State and local authorities, businesses, institutions, organisations, media and their officials, with comments and suggestions about their work, applications and requests to exercise rights and legitimate interests, and complaints about violations.
- Guardianship authorities, children’s services, social service centres for families, children and young people, the call centre for preventing and responding to domestic violence, gender-based violence and violence against children, and other authorised bodies, to protect their rights, freedoms and legitimate interests.
A child aged 14–17 also has the right to apply directly to a court to protect their rights and interests.
