The Rights of the Child in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): The History of Creation and the Role of the Ukrainian SSR in that Process

Authors

  • Aisel Omarova University of Warwick; Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9162-0525
  • Mykhaylo Shepitko Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18523/2414-9942.11.2025.128-139

Keywords:

Right to life, Equality of persons, Prohibition of discrimination, Right to education, Protection of childhood

Abstract

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 is one of the main documents, which laid a foundation for all other international documents on human rights, including child’s rights. The paper will explore the contribution of the Ukrainian SSR to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 as they relate to child’s rights.
This article is especially relevant, considering the Russia-Ukraine war and the fact that Russia propagates that Ukraine is not a subject of international relations and the state in the meaning of international law and never was. However, our analysis proves, that Ukraine, even being one of the union republics of the USSR, acted as an independent subject of international law to a certain extent. Ukraine is a charter member of the UN from inception and, as such, took part in the drafting process along with other countries’ representatives. Features of this activity by the Ukrainian SSR during the drafting process of the Declaration will be revealed. The paper concludes with a statement about the active participation of the Ukrainian SSR in the drafting of provisions concerning the right to life, the existence of rights and freedoms regardless of any distinctions, the right to education, and religious education.

Author Biographies

Aisel Omarova, University of Warwick; Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University

PhD, Research Fellow, Associate Tutor
University of Warwick
United Kingdom
Associate Professor
Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
Ukraine

Aisel Omarova is a PhD in Law, Research Fellow and Associate Tutor at the University of Warwick (UK) and an Associate Professor at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (Ukraine). Her current research focuses on the historical and legal aspects of children's rights and the development of child protection at both national and international levels.

Mykhaylo Shepitko, Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University

Doctor of Law, Professor
Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
Ukraine

Mykhaylo Shepitko is a Full Doctor of Law and Professor at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (Ukraine). He serves as the President of the Ukrainian National Group of International Association of Penal Law (France) and as Counsellor-Secretary of the International Criminalists Congress (Ukraine). His work focuses on the formation and realization of criminal policy, human rights protection at national and international level, counteraction to international crimes.

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Published

2025-12-29

How to Cite

Omarova, A., & Shepitko, M. (2025). The Rights of the Child in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): The History of Creation and the Role of the Ukrainian SSR in that Process. Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal, (11), 128–139. https://doi.org/10.18523/2414-9942.11.2025.128-139

Issue

No. 11 (2025): Kyiv-Mohyla Law & Politics Journal

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Aisel Omarova, Mykhaylo Shepitko

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