A Bureau for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons will be established in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

We are pleased to share the news that a Bureau for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons will be established within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. This decision was approved by the Resolution of the Ninety-Ninth Session of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, which took place from February 5-7.

The creation of the Bureau was one of the key proposals presented on February 5 at the Synod by Ivanka Rudakevych, the head of projects and programs at the Child Dignity Center in working with church institutions. The proposals developed by our Center aimed to strengthen the structures for protecting minors within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and institutionalize them.

The newly established Bureau will be responsible for coordinating the protection of children from violence. Its main objectives are:

• To form and implement the Church's strategy for the protection of minors
• To strengthen the dioceses and exarchates in their comprehensive efforts to prevent violence
• To provide consultation to the dioceses and exarchates in handling cases of violence reports
• To implement the safeguarding policies of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (the document "Norms and Principles for the Protection of Minors...") at all levels of the Church – from dioceses to parishes.

You can familiarize yourself with the project structure and responsibilities within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church regarding the protection of minors below.

The resolution can be reviewed at the following link: https://ugcc.ua/data/postanovy-devyanosto-devyatoy-sesiy-arhyereyskogo-synodu-ugkts-v-ukrayni-6366/. It will come into effect on February 17, 2025.