Representatives of Churches propose to extend right for life and family values in Constitution

The All Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations joined the constitutional reform process and formulated its amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.

At a press conference at Ukrinform, June 15,representatives of Churches elaborated onthe amendments proposed by the AUCCRO brought to the consideration of the Constitutional Commission and the Parliament, the Institute of Religious Freedomreports.

Religious leaders offered to enshrinethe state-recognised value of human life and the right to life ‘from conception to natural death’in the Constitution. Accordingly, the marriage is regarded as a ‘family union between a man and a woman’.

The article of the Constitution on the right to privacy shall guarantee the secrecy of confession, for which there can be no grounds for exceptions and limitations.

The AUCCRO also proposedan extended version of the article 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which guarantees freedom of belief and religion.

According to international standards in this area, it is assumed that this right may be restricted by law only ‘given that such restrictions are requested by democratic society’.

“The State recognizes equal rights of all churches and religious organizations that operate legally,” as stated in the amendments of the AUCCRO. This “separation of church and religious organizations from state in no wayimplies limitation or banning their participation in public life.”

It is also assumed that churches and religious organizations in Ukraine are independent from the state, are not subordinate to the state and at the same time do not interfere in state affairs,in the activities of public authorities and local government, and the state, in turn, does not interfere in the activities of churches and religious organizations.

In addition, the AUCCRO proposes to entrench in the Constitution of Ukraine that“the relationship between the state and churches and religious organizations shall be based on the principles of partnership and joint activities for the benefit of man.” Under this approach, public authorities and local governments “shall promote socially beneficial activities of churches and religious organizations.”

 In March 2015, the President of Ukraine set up the Constitutional Commission assigned it with the task of enablingbroad public and professional discussion of proposals for the constitutional reform in Ukraine.