On December 10th, UN Human Rights Day, the plight of thousands of Ukrainian children kidnapped and deported by Russia demands the undivided attention of the international community. The Brussels-based NGO, Human Rights Without Frontiers, has shed light on the urgent need for assistance as parents desperately seek ways to reunite with their children.
In a recent address, President Zelensky shared that six children deported to Russia from Ukraine’s Occupied Territories were successfully released through the mediation of Qatar. While special operations have rescued fewer than 400 Ukrainian minors, the platform “Children of War,” established by various official Ukrainian institutions, continues to document the growing number of deported children, currently estimated to exceed 19,546.
The exact count of deported children remains elusive due to ongoing aggression, limited access to temporarily occupied territories, and lack of reliable information from the Russian authorities. Daria Herasymchuk, Adviser to the President of Ukraine on Children’s Rights and Children’s Rehabilitation, speculates that Russia may have illegally deported up to 300,000 children from Ukraine during the war.
The Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation for Humanitarian Response reported that since February 24, 2022, 307,423 children have been taken from Ukraine to the territory of Russia, while Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, suggested the number exceeds 700,000.
Russian authorities, in a gross violation of international humanitarian law, obstruct efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families. The OSCE’s report details how Russian authorities have facilitated the “transfer” of Ukrainian children for adoption or care by Russian families since 2014, following the occupation of Crimea.
The gravity of the situation prompted the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children.
Human Rights Without Frontiers echoes the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations, urging Russia to safeguard the personal status and citizenship of Ukrainian children. The organization calls for all involved parties to prioritize the best interests of the children, facilitate family tracing and reunification, and grant access to child protection authorities to enhance the process.
The harrowing plight of Ukrainian children demands swift and resolute international action to alleviate their suffering and ensure their safe return to their families. Together, through unified advocacy and concerted efforts, the global community can bring an end to this grave humanitarian crisis.
Market Capital Research 