Analysis of the problem of translations of international legal conventions into Ukrainian

The European integration processes have actualized issues related to the quality of translations of international legal treaties into Ukrainian. Unfortunately, the translations of many conventions contain a significant number of semantic errors and calques from the russian language, and for some of the treaties ratified by Ukraine there is no translation at all. This situation is not just a “cosmetic” and image problem, but leads to legal incidents and inconsistencies and complicates the administration of justice. Anna Vyshniakova, Head of LingvaLexa, and Andriy Besedin, a member of the International Association of Conference Translators and the American Association of Translators, shared their experience and difficulties encountered during the translation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and analyzed the challenges and problems that exist in the field of translation, including at the legislative and organizational levels.

The materials are available by following the links:

  • How translations of international conventions into Ukrainian became an “elephant in the room”: https://justtalk.com.ua/post/yak-perekladi-mizhnarodnih-konventsij-ukrainskoyu-movoyu-peretvorilisya-na-slona-v-kimnati
  • The Rome Statute with a Russian Accent: How Ukraine Ratifies Treaties with Translation Mistakes: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2024/08/22/7192537/
We emphasize that a comprehensive and systematic solution to the problem is needed, which would allow for the creation of an effective institutional mechanism involving both public authorities and representatives of the public sector on a consultative basis. After all, correcting mistakes and translating the entire array of international legal acts that have already been ratified and will be ratified by Ukraine requires significant human and financial resources.