The concept of vulnerable groups in international and national law

This scientific article is dedicated to the analysis and elucidation of the theoretical aspects of understanding the legal definition of «vulnerable population groups» and examining the evolution of its legal entrenchment in international and Ukrainian national law. The relevance of this topic is justified by the fact that the future of a modern state depends on the well-being of its most vulnerable population groups and their opportunities for safe existence and development. It is also noted that the legal status of the most vulnerable population groups significantly differs in the modern world. The article concludes that international law offers a traditional contractual approach to vulnerable population groups, whereby states are obliged to create mechanisms that ensure the protection of their rights. Based on the analysis of several international documents, it is concluded that the concept of «vulnerability» is not clearly defined in the legal acts of modern international law, with the foundation being the factor that determines vulnerability. It has been proven that neither international legal acts nor domestic acts provide an exhaustive list of vulnerable groups and the criteria for their vulnerability. There can be countless criteria for the classification of vulnerable population groups. It is shown that the international legal protection of each vulnerable group of the population has its specificities. It was concluded that the essence of the definition of «vulnerable population groups» allows to determine the list of persons who can be combined into a certain group based on the relevant characteristics. Such population groups are known to the entire world community and their various degrees of vulnerability are recognized by each state. It is emphasized that modern states must independently resolve the issue of applying the concept of vulnerability and creating a system for protecting the rights of vulnerable population groups that corresponds to national interests and international law. States are called upon to ensure the rights of vulnerable population groups through their normative legal entrenchment and the creation of an effective mechanism for their implementation and protection. In national law, the legal definition of «vulnerable population groups» is defined by the Law of Ukraine «On Social Services».