Almanac of law. Issue 17 (2026), pages 88–95.

DOI: 10.33663/2524-017X-2026-17-88-95

Bobrovnyk S. V.
The mechanism for the protection of human rights: concept and main functions

The article emphasizes that the change in ideas about the interaction of the state and man, which has evolved from paternalism to social partnership, not only increases the role of the subject of social relations in the process of state functioning, but also determines the importance and value of the state as a means of consolidating, protecting and guaranteeing subjective rights. It is argued that the significance of rights and freedoms cannot be the basis for ensuring their implementation and protection. For this purpose, a system of institutions and means is being created, which together constitute a mechanism for the protection of human rights. It is designed to ensure a negative reaction of the state to violations of the opportunities provided to subjects of rights and to promote their restoration.

Various approaches to defining the mechanism of rights protection at the doctrinal level are analyzed. It is proposed to distinguish between the activity, regulatory, systemic, functional, institutional, normative and communicative levels. The mechanism of human rights protection is defined as the procedurally regulated activities of state bodies, officials, civil society institutions and individual subjects, based on the norms of national and international law, aimed at protecting, restoring violated rights and preventing their violation in the future.

The following are among the key features of this category: it has a socio-political nature; is provided by special entities; is a system of legal means; includes national and international means; is manifested in legal acts and the activities of bodies; performs certain functions and has a specific goal; ensures the interaction of the state, society and the individual; is aimed at protecting human rights and freedoms; has a specific structure; depends on the level of development of society; characterizes an important sphere of activity of society and the state; can be classified according to various criteria; provides for the need for cooperation between different states; is based on international norms and principles.

The complexity of the protection mechanism in terms of its essence and elemental composition has made it possible to single out several approaches to its definition. The most common is the institutional approach, which defines the mechanism as a system of state bodies and civil society institutions, whose powers include the formation, functioning, provision and guarantee of human rights and freedoms. The need for legal consolidation of human rights and freedoms, guarantees of their protection, the status of bodies that provide such protection in practice and the process of their activity determines the possibility of isolating the normative mechanism for the protection of human rights. It can be defined as a system of legal means that provide regulatory consolidation of the ways, means, forms and methods of protecting rights.

The functions of the mechanism for the protection of rights are defined as the directions of influence of this institution on the socio-legal practice in the field of protecting rights. The communicative, regulatory, restorative functions are distinguished. The features of the mechanism for the protection of human rights in martial law are clarified.

Keywords: law, human rights, mechanism for the protection of rights, martial law, legal protection, legal regulation, state, functions of the mechanism for the protection of rights, dogma of law.

 References

1. Kholod A Fundamentalni prava liudyny: zahalnoteoretychna kharakterystyka. Pravo i suspilstvo. 2023. № 6. S. 52–57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32842/2078-3736/2023.6.8 
2. Vytiah № 994-082 vid 06.1990 Dokument Kopenhahenskoi narady Konferentsii shchodo liudskoho vymiru NBSIe vid 29.061990 r. URL: https://zakononline.ua/documents/show/156591 156591 
3. Hlynianyi I. Zakhyst prav liudyny v Ukraini: konstytutsiini harantii ta vyklyky yikh realizatsii. Yurydychnyi visnyk. 2024. № 5. S. 25–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/yuv.v5.2024.3 
4. Nazarchuk Zakhyst prav liudyny: suchasnyi stan ta problemy realizatsii. Aktualni problemy pravoznavstva. 2022. № 2(30). S. 19–23. DOI:10.35774/app2022.02.019 
5. Shurduk V. Deiaki metodolohichni osoblyvosti teoretyko-pravovoho doslidzhennia prav liudyny. Almanakh prava. 2013. Vyp. 4. S. 319–323. 
6. Velykyi tlumachnyi slovnyk suchasnoi ukrainskoi Kyiv-Irpin: VTF Perun, 2005. 1728 s. 
7. Suchasni mekhanizmy zakhystu prav liudyny: M. S. Kelman, A. S. Tokarska, L. V. Iarmol, B. Tsebenko, A. O. Dutko. Lviv: Halytska vydavnycha spilka, 2020. 220s. 
8. Holodnyk Yu. A. Mekhanizm zabezpechennia zakhystu prav i svobod hromadian v diialnosti orhaniv derzhavnoi vlady. Naukovyi visnyk Uzhhorodskoho natsionalnoho universytetu. Seriia Pravo. 2023. Vypusk 78, chastyna 2. S. 32–37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24144/2307-3322.2023.78.2.4 
9. Doroshenko A. Pravovi mekhanizmy zakhystu prav liudyny pid chas viiny. Yurydychnyi naukovyi elektronnyi zhurnal. 2023. № 2. S. 323–326. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0374/2023-2/74 
10. Dulina O. Instytutsiinyi mekhanizm publichnoho upravlinnia u sferi zakhystu prav liudyny: vyklyky sohodennia. Teoretychni i prykladni pytannia 2025. Vypusk 33. S. 14–24. DOI: https://doi. org/10.35432/tisb332025322340 
11. Tolkachova A., Omelchenko N. V. Mekhanizm zakhystu prav liudyny v Ukraini v umovakh voiennoho stanu. Elektronne naukove vydannia Analitychno-porivnialne pravoznavstvo. 2025. Vypusk 5, chastyna 1. S. 146–151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24144/2788-6018.2025.05.1.25 
12. Bobrovnyk V. Mekhanizm zakhystu prav liudyny: poniattia, struktura ta funktsii. Modern Scientific strategies of Development: Collective Monograph. Sherman Oaks. California (USA), GS Publishing Services, 2022. P. 299–307.

Дата першого надходження рукопису до видання: 20.03.2026
Дата прийнятого до друку рукопису після рецензування: 09.04.2026
Дата публікації: 30.04.2026