September 23, 2014
Mr. President,
The situation of children’s rights in Ukrainestarted to cause concerns after Crimea’s illegal annexation by the Russian Federation and beginning of violent activities of Russia-backed terrorist organizations “LNR” and “DNR” in the southeast of Ukraine who have even repeatedly resorted to using children as human shields.
Notwithstanding current challenges, the Government of Ukraine pays great attention to the rights of children.
The national authorities make every effort to ensure the evacuation of children from Donetsk and Luhansk regions being at risk of becoming victims of terrorists’ shelling. They receive proper care, including in specialized children health establishments, despite the loss, because of the occupation of Crimea, of 122 of them, as well as the operation inability of 68 children camps in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The situation in Crimea is of a particular concern. Children are not allowed to study in their native languages, far-fetched checkups are being held at Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar schools, some of them already closed.
Over recent months Russian-backed militants have repeatedly abducted Ukrainian orphans from children’s homes or hospitals and tried to illegally transfer them into Russia. It is not excluded that such attempts will be repeated.
The Russian propaganda machine cynically treats children as a fertile ground for seeding hatred and hostility. The broadcasting by the Russian TV channel “Smile of a сhild” of the anti-Ukrainian cartoon with the slogan “Save Donbas people from Ukrainian aggression” as well as a scandalous so-called fashion show in Moscow where school girl models were used for the same misinformation purposes are among recent egregious examples. And I obviously cannot omit mentioning today’s biased comments by Mr. Astakhov, who, unfortunately, misused his high status of impartial thematic panelist.
So far, we urge the Russian Federationtostop playing with children as toys in its geopolitical anti-Ukrainian game.
I thank you.