What we do

Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF) is a NGO defending human rights, founded in 2001 in Kyiv, Ukraine. IRF is a non-profit organization, registered under the legislation of Ukraine, operates on a non-denominational and non-partisan basis through donations.

The IRF's effectiveness is driven by a team with over 20 years of experience in human rights advocacy and facilitation of inter-faith dialogue, as well as by a network of highly specialized experts, scholars, and volunteers with whom we collaborate in various fields.

IRF’s goals are to:

• protect and promote religious freedom and other related human rights;
• facilitate inter-faith dialogue and cooperation;
• develop a church-state interaction;
• strengthen democratic foundations and civil society in Ukraine.

To achieve these goals, IRF works in the following areas:

• independent monitoring of the religious situation in Ukraine, including temporary occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea and Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk regions);
• preparing analytics and recommendations for public authorities, international organizations, churches, and religious communities;
• participating in the legislative process for developing religious freedom framework;
• organizing international, national, and local advocacy campaigns.

IRF facilitates the activities of inter-faith institutions, including:

• Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations;
• Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine

and also assists in the work of inter-faith advisory councils set up by the governmental bodies.

IRF’s projects

The Religious Freedom Roundtable in Ukraine was established in April 2019 by joint efforts of the Institute for Religious Freedom and the Center for Civil Liberties. The goal of the Religious Freedom Roundtable in Ukraine is to create free and safe space for the exchange of views and joint decision-making to assert the religious freedom and development of peace, prevent manifestations of radical ideologies and extremism, promote sustainable peace and security.

The Roundtable is intended to be an example of civil liability and self-organization. Participants of the Roundtable are invited to the dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equality searching for opportunities for interaction for general public benefit and justice which is based on respect for human dignity. Roundtable meetings are put into practice through the elimination of mistrust and bias in the relationship between faith-based communities, human rights activists, and officials.

Read more on ReligiousFreedom.in.ua

Sources of our funding

Donations of individuals and legal entities, cooperation agreements with other non-profit organizations. To accomplish its goal and tasks, the IRF engages specialists and experts on voluntary or contractual basis, with whom it maintains ongoing relationships.

Your regular donations help the Institute for Religious Freedom to protect religious freedom in Ukraine effectively.

Donate now!

Bank account details for donations:

IBAN (account in USD): UA263007110000026002052646620
IBAN (account in EUR): UA683007110000026002052660123
IBAN (account in UAH): UA563007110000026008052664112
Recipient: Institute for Religious Freedom
Recipient's registration code: 35780978
Payment purpose: Donation