During the opening of the Human Rights Protection Center in Zhytomyr, discussions focused on collaboration to ensure citizens' right to a clean environment.

The topic of discussion was the enhancement of cooperation between territorial and interregional territorial bodies of the Eco-inspection of Ukraine and representatives of the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the regions concerning environmental monitoring, the protection of the natural environment, and the safeguarding of citizens' rights to a clean environment, which has become increasingly relevant in the context of Russian military aggression.

An example of successful collaboration in this area is the Zhytomyr region, where close cooperation is already being actively established between state institutions responsible for environmental protection and the enforcement of the right to a clean environment, with significant involvement of the public in interacting with government bodies in the environmental sphere. This is an experience that should be replicated in other regions.

Participating in the meetings discussing this issue was the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, who expressed gratitude to Estonia for its support in opening the first center of this kind in Zhytomyr, which was renovated and equipped through a special program of the Government of Estonia and the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV). He once again emphasized the importance of close cooperation among state institutions regarding the protection of people's rights, particularly for those affected by the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

Joining the discussion were Ukrainian MP Arseniy Pushkarenko, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights in Zhytomyr region Yuriy Pohoditsky, and the head of the Department for Environmental Inspection of the Polissya region, Yevhen Medvedovskyi, who particularly highlighted the need for deeper cooperation between Ukraine and international environmental institutions, the effectiveness of which is already demonstrated by the Department's cooperation with the Republic of Estonia, as well as joining relevant interstate and public initiatives.

The agreements reached during the meeting will serve as a foundation for further expanding cooperation between the territorial and interregional bodies of the Eco-inspection of Ukraine and representatives of the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the regions, aimed at protecting people's rights to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.