This was repeatedly highlighted during the round table "Building an effective national monitoring system of gender discrimination in Ukraine" held at the initiative of the Commissioner on Human Rights and UNDP Ukraine on the 12 November 2013.

 

Discrimination monitoring is a key function of national human rights institutions (NHRIs). However, it is often overshadowed by other functions and tasks of NHRIs. The study, "National systems for monitoring discrimination: building on international experience", conducted within the framework of the UNDP project "Democratization, human rights and civil society development in Ukraine", has made an attempt to identify and describe an algorithm of developing an efficient system of discrimination monitoring, and formulates a number of recommendations to the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner on Human Rights.

 

Availability of high quality data and comprehensive guiding framework are the prerequisites of an effective monitoring system. Guiding framework has to be designed to provide a rationale on what is to be monitored, what monitoring is to be used for, how monitoring is to be done, and, most importantly, how the results are to be utilized. Collecting information and setting goals and objectives requires the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders from the side of the government, civil society and international community. Strong partnership of NHRIs with non-governmental agencies and civil society organizations is particularly critical in conditions of limited human and financial resources.

 

Discrimination monitoring is of course not an end in itself. While it is important to track and document systemic dis¬crimination for purposes of reporting, the results of monitoring should ultimately be used to effect positive change in society. Thus, monitoring results not only provide the facts needed to develop and lobby for relevant policies, but can be used to influence public opinion.

 

The report is based on success stories and best practices that were developed by different countries while establishing an effective system of monitoring discrimination. Examples of Australia, Canada, South Africa, Poland, Sweden, and other countries were analyzed and suggested the need for further study and replication. Please, refer to the English and Ukrainian versions of the study for more information about research and data that led to the above conclusions.