The income of Ukrainian publishers in 2024 increased by 31% compared to 2023, according to a report by the Ukrainian Book Institute (UBI).
“The annual report ‘Indicators of the Book Industry in Ukraine-2024’ was presented, during which the Ukrainian Book Institute presented the main indicators of the book industry for 2024, along with proposals for the development of the ‘Books on the Market’ catalog as a monitoring tool,” the report said.
The UIC notes that last year, Ukrainian book publishing showed signs of recovery: publishers’ revenues grew by 31% compared to 2023, and the total annual circulation increased by 21%; the Ukrainian book market saw a 31% increase in revenues and 33 million copies sold per year.
“There are over 350 publishing houses operating in Ukraine. Books can be purchased in almost 800 offline bookstores and 80 online stores. The total market volume is estimated at UAH 8 billion, which is about $200 million,” the report said.
According to the UIC, in 2024, 15,601 thousand book titles were published with a total circulation of 33.315 million copies.
Impact of electricity deficit on real GDP vs no deficit, % (forecast up to 2024)
Most parents and guardians in Ukraine are aware of their key role in protecting children’s rights, but more than a third admit that they sometimes violate these rights, and 89% of parents surveyed do not have a clear understanding of the rights of the child as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which covers the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children, according to the results of a new UNICEF survey.
“Although 35% of parents and 38% of adolescents have heard of the convention, only 11.3% of all respondents can say that they are familiar with its provisions. At the same time, almost 20% of parents and 15% of adolescents are not familiar with it at all,” the publication states at the beginning of International Parenting Month.
According to the survey, the best-known rights are the right to education (known to 80% of parents and 76% of adolescents), the right to health (76% and 67%), and the right to protection from violence (66% and 63%), while less well known are the right to privacy (known to 35% of parents and 45% of adolescents) and the right to identity (44% of teenagers).
“People are more aware of ‘visible’ or material rights, while ‘psychosocial’ rights are neglected,” UNICEF reports.
It is noted that educational institutions are the main source of knowledge for adolescents, and social networks are the main source for parents. Among adolescents, 34% learn about children’s rights at school, and 39% from their parents. Among parents, 41% obtain such information from social networks, and 33% from traditional media.
“The responses of parents in our survey show that they are determined to better protect their children’s rights and provide them with all the necessary support and care. At the same time, they are genuinely concerned about how their actions affect their children in such stressful times,” commented Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.
The teenagers who participated in the survey noted that their rights were most often violated through psychological or physical abuse, ignoring their opinions, or violating their privacy.
“We must do everything possible to protect and ensure the rights of children everywhere, including at home. Parents and guardians are going through extremely difficult times and trying to cope with the consequences of the war, so we are committed to doing everything possible to help them raise their children,” said Daria Gerasymchuk, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation.
Currently, 67% of adolescents aged 14 to 18 said they would turn to their parents for protection if their rights were violated, while 24% consider teachers to be their second most important source of support.
“Parents are the main support for a child’s development and well-being, but it is difficult for them to cope alone, especially in wartime. A solid foundation for children’s rights is laid at home, but it must be reinforced by policies and services that help parents and guardians care for the next generation,” Mammadzade noted.
The survey revealed a number of characteristics, such as gender differences in perception: 81% of women believe that shouting or using abusive language is a form of violence against children, while only 68% of men share this view.
Other findings include limited family dialogue about children’s rights and well-being: only 22% of parents and 17% of adolescents reported that children’s rights are discussed in their family on a monthly basis or more often.
Another finding is that adolescents demonstrate more autonomous views of their rights. For example, 15% believe that children have the right to refuse any medical treatment, and 12% believe that it is acceptable not to attend school. In addition, 34% of adolescents value freedom of opinion, compared to 27% of parents.
It is noted that Telegram is a universal channel for both parents and teenagers: it is chosen by more than 70% of the audience as the most convenient source of information. TikTok is popular among young people (66%), while Facebook is popular among parents (56%). YouTube is used by both parents and teenagers (47% and 64%, respectively), and Instagram is used by 37% and 47%, respectively.
UNICEF has announced that it is launching a campaign to strengthen knowledge of children’s rights and calls for children to be respected and given the opportunity to defend their rights.
The survey, “Perceptions of Children’s Rights: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences in Ukrainian Families,” was conducted by Gradus Research and includes responses from 600 parents aged 19 to 55 and 400 teenagers aged 14 to 18 across Ukraine.
The turnover of retail trade in Ukraine in January-March 2025 increased by 5.1% compared to the same period in 2024, according to the State Statistics Service (Derzhstat).
According to its data, in nominal terms, retail trade turnover in January-March of this year amounted to UAH 577.932 billion.
Retail trade turnover in March compared to February of this year increased by 11.5%, and in annual terms compared to March 2024, by 5.3%.
Derzhstat specifies that the turnover of retail trade enterprises (legal entities) in the first quarter of 2025 compared to January-March 2024 increased by 4.8% and amounted to UAH 400.757 billion.
At the same time, in March compared to February this year, the retail turnover of enterprises increased by 11.6%, and by March 2024 – by 4.9%.
According to the statistics office, Ukraine’s retail trade turnover in 2024 grew by 11.5%, amounting to UAH 2.172 trillion in nominal terms.
The State Statistics Service reminds that the data does not include the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation and parts of the territories where hostilities are (were) ongoing.
The State Legal Service has issued the first permit for the import of medical cannabis into Ukraine.
According to the State Legal Service’s website, the permit was issued for a substance that is registered in Ukraine and included in the State Register of Medicinal Products of Ukraine.
The State Legal Service did not specify who was granted the permit.
The Vitagro group of companies plans to begin the first phase of construction work on the new ABC Hub industrial park in the Khmelnytskyi region in the second half of 2025, with production lines expected to be launched by the end of 2028, according to a press release from Vitagro.
According to the group’s press release, the 11-hectare IP will house enterprises for the processing of agricultural raw materials, food production, packaging, as well as warehousing complexes, research centers, laboratories, logistics infrastructure, and commercial facilities.
As reported, the Ukrainian government registered the ABC Hub industrial park at a meeting on Wednesday, and the initiative to create the park came from the private manufacturing and commercial enterprise Budzalizobeton, which is part of the Vitagro group of companies.
The group reports that the total investment in the project is estimated at UAH 1.65 billion.
“At the first stage, the Vitagro group will invest UAH 127 million of its own funds in preparatory and land works, design, connection to networks, and infrastructure preparation of the territory. In the future, Vitagro plans to invest about $35 million in ABC Hub,” the press release says.
As reported, the initiator or managing company of the IP may receive up to UAH 150 million in co-financing from the state for the construction of engineering and transport infrastructure.
According to project estimates, at least 350 new jobs will be created at the park, about 300 of which will be production personnel and the rest administrative.
“Salaries are planned to be 30-45% higher than the regional average,” the press release states.
The group expects a significant economic effect – ABC Hub’s gross domestic product will range from UAH 6.9 billion in 2027 to UAH 13.7 billion in 2033.
“Thanks to this, more than UAH 13 million will be transferred to local budgets each year in the form of personal income tax, a single social contribution, and a military levy,” the group’s press service said.
Founded in 1998, the Vitagro group of companies is one of the largest industrial groups in Ukraine with assets in the agricultural, energy, processing, construction, and chemical industries. It owns enterprises in the Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv regions. It cultivates about 90,000 hectares of land and is also engaged in livestock breeding, horticulture, renewable energy, fertilizer and feed production, construction, and the production of building materials.
During the full-scale invasion, the group built and launched five processing plants. Vitagro’s head office is located in Khmelnytskyi.
According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, the ultimate beneficiary of the investment company Vitagro is People’s Deputy Serhiy Labazuk (parliamentary faction “For the Future”).
