28thsession of the UN Human Rights Council
Agenda item 3
Clustered interactive dialogue with Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict
Intervention by the representative of Ukraine
(March 11, 2015)
Thank you, Mr. President.
My delegation welcomes the reports of Special Representatives of the Secretary-General. The topic is very pertinent for Ukraine.
Children are among those who suffer most from the conflict. The grassroots of the situation are well-known: annexation and occupation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and violent actions of illegally armed groups supported by Russia in the East of our country.
Many of children are multiply affected being at the same time IDPs, and belonging to ethnic minorities, like Tartar and Ukrainian refugees from Crimea.
The Minsk agreements are the key for the improvement of the humanitarian and human rights, including children’s rights, situation in the Donbas area. But these agreements continue to be violated by militants.
Even conservative data of children killed and injured in the southeast of Ukraine as a result of shelling by Russia-backed illegal armed groups is shocking, it exceeds dozens.
Over recent months militants have repeatedly abducted Ukrainian orphans and tried to illegally transfer them into Russia. It is not excluded that such attempts will be repeated.
The Government of Ukraine makes every effort to ensure children’s evacuation from Donetsk and Luhansk regions where they are at risk of militants’ shelling and other violations.
The Ukrainian Parliament will shortly consider a draft law on strengthening social protection of children and families with children displaced from affected regions.
We invite Special Representatives to take a closer look at the situation originated from the abovementioned factors.
Thank you.