‘The harm inflicted on children in Russia’s war against Ukraine is shocking. The international community’s response to justice for these violations risks remaining neglectful. Children should benefit from protection under international human rights, humanitarian, and criminal law,’ said Wayne Jordash KC, Head of GRC’s Mobile Justice Teams at the United for Justice Conference: War Crimes against Ukrainian Children.
An important conversation–United for Justice Conference: War Crimes against Ukrainian Children–between governments and civil society on efforts to ensure accountability took place in Toronto on World Children’s Day, November 20. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada, Global Affairs Canada, Massey College, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights have partnered to advance justice and accountability for victims of Russia’s war of aggression.
Video from conference is here
‘We must commend Ukraine for already taking some vital steps foreshadowing the implementation of a pilot project regarding the implementation of international standards of child-friendly justice in several regions of Ukraine. Moreover, the OPG’s Juvenile Justice Department has done what most international courts have neglected to do–provide justice to child victims of international crimes. My organisation, GRC, as part of the ACA are proud to be partner in that process.
However, the task ahead is staggering. The JJD, with ACAs support, will need to create practical, child sensitive approaches, applying international principles that, unfortunately, have been allowed to atrophy, but which now must be operationalised. We, GRC and the JJD, are very conscious that the real challenge will be ensuring that the Full Scope of Victimisation is incorporated into Investigations and Prosecutions,’ emphasized Wayne Jordash.
The Procecutor General of Ukraine noted the scale of crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainian children.
‘Russia unlowfully displaced more than 19,500 Ukrainian children. This number only accounts for the cases formally registered in criminal proceedings. Although the real number is estimated to be higher. The need to unify global efforts has never been more urgent. Together, we must establish an actionable international mechanism to ensure the safe and unimpeded return of our children and hold all perpetrators accountable for their crimes against the innocent,’ said Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Children of all ages have been affected by the violence, in different ways. According to information shared with GRC by the JJD, since February 2022 alone: RF are believed to have unlawfully transferred and/or deported over 19,500 children to the occupied territories, including Crimea, the Russian Federation and/or Belarus. 510 children have been killed by the RF, and a further 1146 have been injured, in armed attacks by RF, including as a result of the shelling and bombing of civilian infrastructure, and whilst attempting to evacuate conflict-affected areas.
3,139 “child-related facilities” have been destroyed or damaged, including 709 kindergartens;1,209 schools; 353 secondary and higher vocational institutions; 184 institutions for out-of-school education and 24 social rehabilitation centres for children, as well as medical facilities, including infant and maternity hospitals. The most affected regions are Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Chernihiv and Kyiv. Over 100 cases of the military use of schools by RF have been identified.
Wayne Jordash highlighted the stark reality that, despite being victims of heinous crimes such as torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearance, and intentional starvation, children’s plight has not received comprehensive attention from international bodies and criminal courts.
“While there are significant challenges ahead, there are also opportunities. We need the operationalisation of principles to ensure that children are no longer ignored,” underscored Wayne Jordash.
As the international community grapples with these challenges, Wayne Jordash urged for collective efforts to prioritize children in conflict zones and ensure their right to justice, development, and a secure future.
GRC Mobile Justice Teams are part of the Atrocity Crimes Accountability Group (ACA). The ACA is a multilateral initiative established by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to provide strategic advice and operational assistance to Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) in the investigation and prosecution of atrocity crimes in Ukraine.