Erosion of human rights in Ukraine cited by human rights watchdog groups has prompted members of Church of Scientology Mission of Kiev to step up their human rights education activities and awareness-raising initiative.

A team of Ukrainian Scientologists have taken on promoting and seeing that human rights is widely taught in their country.

Ukraine, once held in high regard by human rights watchdog groups, has come under fire from Freedom House, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in the past several years with evidence of erosion of such basic rights as freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, coupled with allegations of torture and mistreatment of prisoners in police custody.

In light of incursions against basic rights and freedoms, members of the Church of Scientology Mission of Kiev have taken on the task of raising human rights awareness and educating youth, educators and officials on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Using educational materials created by United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights International, Ukraine Scientologists carry out street events and conduct human rights education for students, educators, law enforcement and government officials. The team has conducted more than 100 human rights lectures to thousands of students in some 50 schools and colleges over the last two years and is working with forward-thinking government officials to make this human rights education available through the country’s educational institutions.

United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights materials include booklets, public service announcements and a documentary film presenting the history of human rights from ancient times to today. They provide a basic grounding in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for elementary, secondary and post-secondary students.

Scientologists on five continents engage in collaborative efforts with government agencies and nongovernmental organizations to bring about broad-scale awareness and implementation of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world’s premier human rights document.

The Church of Scientology published Scientology: How We Help—United for Human Rights, Making Human Rights a Global Reality, to meet requests for more information about the human rights education and awareness initiative the Church supports. To learn more, visit Scientology.org/HumanRights.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,” and the Scientology religion is based on the principles of human rights. The Code of a Scientologist calls on all members of the religion to dedicate themselves “to support true humanitarian endeavors in the fields of human rights.”