Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the Situation of Children of Ukraine Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir, speaking at the high-level event "Justice and Accountability: Protecting Children in the War of Aggression against Ukraine", stressed the key importance of concerted international efforts in ensuring accountability for forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children.
"It is now almost three and a half years since Russia launched its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. It is a long time for grown-ups - and an eternity for children", the Special Envoy said. Thousands of children of Ukraine were taken away from their families or institutions and subjected to indoctrination of forced into the enemy's uniform; hundreds of thousands have had to say goodbye to their parents who lost their lives; millions more suffer from the absence of their fathers fighting for their future on the frontline; millions have been forced to flee their homes and relocate either within Ukraine or flee to other countries, she recounted.
"The safe return of forcibly transferred or deported children and, ultimately, their successful reintegration into Ukrainian society, as well as the protection of children from the risk of deportation, are a priority concern for both Ukraine and the international community," she said.
"It is explicitly in my mandate to co-operate closely with the Register of Damage, and today's discussion of a new claims category for the forcible transfer or deportation of children, the accountability for which is one of my top priorities, is symbolic," the Special Envoy underlined.
"As Special Envoy on the Situation of children of Ukraine, I will support, however I can and with all my might, efforts to enhance the protections of Ukrainian children, including those of the Register to record the severe damage caused to them by their unlawful deportation or transfer.
"The bottom line is quite simple: there will not be justice unless the plight of the Ukrainian people, including those most vulnerable, the children, is effectively addressed. And without the prospect of justice, any promise of rebuilding Ukraine will be empty. "
The mandate and work of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the Situation of Children of Ukraine reflect the international community's commitment to protecting the rights of children and ensuring accountability for violations committed against them.
The event was co-hosted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland, and UNICEF Iceland.
