Olga Poiedynok

Guest Author

Olga Poiedynok is an independent attorney-at-law and an Associate Professor of International Law at the Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She holds a PhD in international law and has expertise in nationality and citizenship, the rights of foreign nationals, migration law, children’s rights, and gender issues in international and domestic law. Olga provides counsel to Ukrainian authorities on these matters and is engaged in the drafting of pertinent legislation.

Since 2021, Olga has served as President of the Public Council of the State Migration Service of Ukraine. Furthermore, she plays an active role in the International Law Committee and the Gender Policy Committee of the Ukrainian National Bar Association as the vice-chair of both committees. Additionally, she serves as Chair of the Board of Contemporary Law Studio and a member of the Board of the Center for Family Law Studies.

Olga has extensive experience in the field, having worked as a Senior Counsellor at Ukriniurkoleguia (Ukrainian Bar Association for Foreign Affairs) from 2011 to 2014. In this role, she provided expert guidance to clients on a range of complex matters, including nationality and personal status issues, refugee law, international child abduction, and conflict of laws. Additionally, she has provided instruction at the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry and at the Higher School of Advocacy of Ukraine’s National Bar Association.

As an independent consultant for the Council of Europe, Olga provided training to judges, prosecutors, and attorneys-in-law on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and its application in Ukraine. She also prepared a manual for prosecutors on working with victims of sexual violence and developed an online course for European legal professionals on the legal aspects of the deportation of children during armed conflict. Furthermore, she provided consultancy to the UNDP and USAID, conducting a series of training sessions on women’s access to justice for judges of all levels in Uzbekistan.

Olga is also on LinkedIn.