Bring Kids Back UA Task Force presents white paper advocating for the safeguarding of Ukrainian children from Russian forces to global audience
New Delhi, 29th August 2024: On August 27, 2024, in Kyiv, Ukraine, the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force presented its new White Paper titled “Safeguarding Children from Forced Transfers and Deportation”, in front of a global audience comprising of Ukrainian government officials, international human rights lawyers, academics, NGOs and more. The critical document produced by the Task Force addresses one of the most pressing issues arising from Russia’s war of aggression: the protection of affected Ukrainian children from forced transfers and deportations by Russian forces.
The presentation focused on the White Paper’s key findings regarding the systematic forced transfer and deportation of affected Ukrainian children by Russian forces. Through analysing existing documentation of these practices, the Task Force presents their critique of the justifications provided by the Russian Federation for such actions. The paper also explores the potential violations of international law, including breaches of International Humanitarian Law, International Criminal Law, and International Human Rights Law.
Members of the Ukrainian government and the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force in attendance included: Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Co-Chair of Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Rehabilitation, and Daria Zarivna, Senior Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Chief Operating Officer at Bring Kids Back UA among others.
In Andriy Yermak’s welcoming address, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine said: “The White Paper we are presenting today is at the heart of Ukrainian efforts to engage the international community in restoring sustainable justice. Point four of Ukraine’s peace formula and the Bring Kids Back UA Initiative has the clear goal to return every stolen child and bring them back home without conditions or exceptions. This is not just a state initiative – it is our duty to our children and future generation.”
Yermak continued: “Today we are not just presenting a document, we are urging action. We call to the international community to decisively condemn this crime and do everything possible to return our Ukrainian children.”
Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General of Ukraine, added: “The White Paper depicts the elements of one of the most well planned and organised international crimes by the Russian Federation. We need to mobilise our efforts in order to locate and safely return all Ukrainian children. I fully believe that we can succeed through joint actions and efforts expressly outlined in the White Paper, including in our quest for justice and accountability. Time is of the essence. Therefore, I would encourage all stakeholders to endorse this document and take feasible measures for its effective implementation.”
Sharanjeet Parmar, member of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force and former lecturer at Harvard Law School and child crimes prosecutor with the Special Court for Sierra Leone, presented the key findings of the White Paper. In her speech, Parmar said: “The government estimates reach 20,000 children who have been forcibly transferred and deported, with even broader estimates running as high as several hundred thousand. The common thread throughout all of these cases of transfers and deportations is the lack of voluntary consent, especially not only on behalf of the children, but their parents and guardians. The overwhelming majority of transfers and deportations of children have not and cannot be justified under international humanitarian law based on the evidence to date.”
High-profile individuals and organisations from around the world, including the UK, U.S., Canada,
France, Brazil, India, South Africa and others, were also in attendance to hear the findings of the White Paper. These attendees were called upon to express their opinions on the importance of the international community coming together to support the work of the Task Force.
Priscila Caneparo dos Anjos, delegate for civil diplomacy to the World Trade Organization and the Economic and Social Council (United Nations), shared her endorsement for the paper’s findings and said: “Children are the silent victims of war. Documenting these violations is essential because it brings attention to the plight of the children who cannot advocate themselves. Children are entitled to special protection and international law. When states such as Russia violate these laws, it is our duty to ensure the international community can hold them accountable.”
Dzvinka Kachur, Honorary President of the Ukrainian Association in South Africa (UAZA), said: “We understand that the suffering of children during the time of war is, unfortunately, not a unique situation for Ukraine. There are similar cases in the DRC, Sudan, and Western Sahara and we hope that the solution for abducted Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation will also help to find a solution for abducted children in the African continent.”
A.J. Hariharan, Founder Secretary, ICWO – Indian Community Welfare Organisation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, said: “We would like to offer our huge support to bring back the children from Russia to Ukraine. We need to commit to this important cause until the last child has been reintegrated with their Ukrainian family.”
Dr. Amita V. Joseph, Social Activist from India, was also in attendance and shared the following
comments after the event’s conclusion: “Crimes against children are a non-negotiable anywhere in the world. There must be zero tolerance for violence against children in conflict zones in Ukraine, as well as Palestine and any other domestic or international conflicts. The mental health and trauma of these children and their families is a critical area of concern. The international community needs to rally together to call for peace efforts, and those companies profiteering from conflicts and wars need to be boycotted.”
The speakers all echoed the urgent recommendations outlined in the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force’s White Paper, calling on the Russian Federation and its allies to strictly comply with international law and secure guarantees of non-recurrence. The White Paper urges Russia to collaborate with international authorities to release and return abducted Ukrainian children, adhere to child protection obligations, and cease further forcible transfers and deportations.
The White Paper also issues a strong call to the international community to take decisive action. Global leaders are urged to ensure Russia’s compliance with international child protection measures, support the safe return and reintegration of these affected children, and provide the necessary resources to restore them to their home communities. The Task Force emphasises that sustained international
pressure is essential to halt these violations and protect the rights and futures of affected Ukrainian children. To learn more about the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force and download the white paper, please visit https://www.bringkidsback.org.ua/
The Bring Kids Back UA
The “Bring Kids Back UA” Task Force was established by the Office of the President of Ukraine to address two critical objectives:
1) Investigate and implement human rights-based mechanisms for the voluntary return of unlawfully deported and forcibly displaced children to Ukraine.
2) Develop recommendations to strengthen the international legal framework, with a focus on
preventing similar violations of children’s rights in armed conflicts, using Ukraine as a case study.
The Task Force comprises experts from the policy, legal, and diplomatic fields, alongside recognized professionals in children’s rights protection in the context of armed conflicts, all serving in their personal capacities.
The Task Force is co-chaired by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and Lady Helena Kennedy LT KC, Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute.
The work of the Task Force is guided by the fundamental principle of the best interests of the child.
Official website: https://www.bringkidsback.org.ua/
