From July 1, 2025, international practices for the comprehensive protection of children's rights in the criminal justice system will be implemented in all regions of Ukraine. The relevant Order was signed by the Office of the Prosecutor General in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Social Policy.

The standards take into account the age, level of development, and individual needs of the child, ensuring the protection of their rights at every stage of the criminal process. Among the key principles:

• the child's access to free legal, medical, social, and psychological assistance;
• the specialization of prosecutors, investigators, lawyers, and psychologists;
• the conduct of procedural actions in a comfortable, safe environment;
• the prevention of re-traumatization — minimizing the number of interrogations, remote participation in court proceedings, and preventing contact with suspects or defendants.

The pilot project started in 2023 in six regions of the country. Last year, it was expanded to 12 regions. During this time, 13 centers based on the "Barnahus" model and over 100 rooms equipped according to the "Green Room" methodology have been opened.

The issue of implementing such standards is particularly relevant in the context of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. According to official data, over 7,000 children in Ukraine have been affected by armed aggression. And this is only the official data from criminal proceedings; the total number of affected individuals is obviously much higher.

The challenges of war require a qualitative update of the criminal justice system. The implementation of child-friendly justice standards is one of the key areas of work for juvenile prosecutors in the Office of the Prosecutor General.

For more information about the child-friendly justice standards and other results of the juvenile prosecutors' work, see the infographic.