Ensuring the safety of children in wartime: Ukraine’s experience. Expert document

Introduction;
Children’s rights protection principles during armed conflicts;
Challenges of child protection during armed conflicts;
The response to challenges;
Opportunities for effective action;
Recommendations.

Introduction

Protection of children’s rights in armed conflicts is a key priority for Ukraine and the international community. Children need special protection, as they are one of the most vulnerable sections of the population, those who cannot independently protect their rights. In the context of armed conflicts taking place in different parts of the world, in particular the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, violations of children’s rights have reached a particularly threatening scale. Only last year, according to UN data, the percentage of violence against children in the context of armed conflicts has increased by 21 points. This is the highest mark in the history of the world. The number of cases of murder and mutilation increased by 35 percent. This applies to the situation in the Gaza Strip, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, the Syrian Arab Republic, Somalia, Sudan and Ukraine.

Ukraine suffers from war crimes. The devastating consequences of the Russian war against Ukraine for children are becoming more and more obvious with each passing day of the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation. The work of the state bodies of Ukraine to ensure the rights and freedoms of the child during martial law involves responding to violations of children’s rights by the aggressor country, although the tools for such a response are significantly limited.

Despite the difficult situation and the daily challenges of the international armed conflict, Ukraine makes every effort to protect children. Undoubtedly, such efforts are supported by partner countries and international organizations, because the protection of childhood is the protection of the future of the world.

At the 4th summit of the Council of Europe, the heads of state and government of 46 member countries of the organization adopted the Declaration on the situation of children in Ukraine as part of the Reykjavík Declaration “United around our values”. The summit, hosted by Iceland, which chairs the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, was a historic opportunity for European leaders to reaffirm their shared commitment to the core values of the Council of Europe and to reorient its mission in light of new threats to human rights, including children’s rights and democracy, as well as for further support of its member state Ukraine through concrete measures to promote justice for the victims of Russian aggression. European leaders also called on the Council of Europe to promote cooperation between states, the European Union and relevant international organizations through an appropriate mechanism to exchange information on the legal and political frameworks for the situation, status and needs of children from Ukraine living on the territory of its member states; to advise on the reform of the Ukrainian system of child protection and care, to facilitate the exchange of relevant information and, as far as possible, the coordination of measures taken in view of the best interests of the children of Ukraine.

Ukraine undertook a number of obligations to improve the welfare of children by signing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified by Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 789-ХІІ dated February 27, 1991 and entered into force for Ukraine on September 27, 1991.

In addition, in 2003 and 2005, respectively, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on child trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography, and on participation in armed conflicts, which have since become part of national legislation.

The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine had a terrible impact on the lives of thousands of Ukrainian children. Ukraine, in cooperation with international partners, takes measures to minimize the impact of war on Ukrainian children.

Ukraine has been cooperating with international partners for many years, and during this time experience has been gained in protecting children’s rights. Currently, this experience is coming in handy in connection with the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

In particular, since 1997, Ukraine has cooperated with UNICEF, which allowed to develop and implement a number of programs in the field of health care, water and sanitation, education and protection of children’s rights. Over the next five years, UNICEF in Ukraine will focus on achieving the following five general outcomes for children: social inclusion and public policy for children; protection of children in all circumstances; education for all children; healthy life from the first years onwards; water and sustainable environment.

Ukraine actively cooperates with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflicts (SRSG CAAC). For the first time in the 25 years of the CAAC mandate, Ukraine – a country that has not been listed for grave violations against children in armed conflicts, together with the UN has developed, signed and implemented a Joint Prevention Plan (JPP) to End and Prevent Grave Violations against children in Ukraine. In Ukraine, a Group of Friends of Ukraine in the CAAC mandate was created (so-called Kyiv CAAC Group of Friends), which consists of the representatives of more than 30 embassies and other diplomatic missions of other countries in Ukraine. Ukraine calls on the UN to fundamentally and persistently demand from the Russian Federation cooperation with the SRSG CAAC, access to all temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as to its own territory, as the mandate of the SRSG CAAC includes the grave violation of child abduction

Ukraine and the international community must immediately take decisive measures to protect the rights of children affected by the armed conflict, in order to reduce the level of their suffering and overcome the consequences of the criminal actions of the Russian Federation.

This document highlights the most terrible challenges that Ukraine faced in the war, the practices of implementing complex solutions based on international principles and standards, which became the answers to the challenges, and which can be implemented in the future, while the experience could be used by other countries in the future.

This document is a call to action that includes both international cooperation and the implementation of national initiatives that will ensure the safety, protection, and restoration of the rights of children affected by aggression. Implementation of the proposed measures will help create safe conditions for the life and development of children, which is a guarantee of their future and the stability of Ukraine.

The purpose of this document is to open a dialogue about the need to develop guidelines for the protection of children’s rights in the conditions of modern hybrid wars, to find answers to new challenges, such as the crime of deportation and forced transfer of children committed by Russia in Ukraine, and to develop effective mechanisms for responding to threats to children in the conditions of armed conflicts in the future.

Children’s rights protection principles during armed conflicts

Ukraine, as a democratic state that respects human rights and the rule of law, adheres to the principles of protecting the rights of children in armed conflicts. These principles are based on international law, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and guide all actions aimed at protecting children. All steps taken by Ukraine to ensure children’s rights and children’s safety in the conditions of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine were carried out on the basis of the following principles

Children’s rights as the foundation of the approach

All children have inherent rights, regardless of their age, gender, nationality or social status. They are the bearers of rights, not just objects of protection. All measures should take into account the views and needs of children, in accordance with their age and maturity, and ensure their protection at the international level.

Right to life, survival and development

Determining the priority of protecting the life and health of children, their development and the realization of all rights provided for by international law. This includes implementing measures to save children’s lives, ensuring physical and psychological safety of children.

Non-discrimination and inclusion. Age and gender sensitivity

Protection of children is carried out without any discrimination, taking into account special needs socially vulnerable categories of children, including girls, children with disabilities, children from national minorities (communities), refugees, internally displaced persons, orphans, children deprived of parental care.

Priority of the best interest of a child

All actions and decisions regarding children must be based on the best interests of the child. This is the fundamental principle that guides all initiatives and measures on the part of Ukraine.

Protection of children associated with armed forces or groups

Children who were involved in armed formations, paramilitary organizations, should be considered as victims, even if they participated in hostilities. For Ukraine the priority is their protection, release and reintegration into families and communities.

Approach, that accounts for trauma

Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine has serious psychological consequences for children. The Ukrainian government takes this into account and directs efforts to provide support that is sensitive to the traumatic events experienced by children, including access to services that protect and improve mental health, psychosocial care and support.

Accountability, access to justice and child-friendly justice

Children must have real and effective access to justice in cases of violation of their rights. It is important that court processes take into account the needs and vulnerabilities of children, ensuring that adults are responsible for their welfare, and that they are organized in such a way that the child feels protected and understood.

Ukraine supports the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children, ensuring their access to fair justice. An important aspect is the creation of child-oriented justice systems for all children who come into contact with the law.

Participation and empowerment of children and youth

Ukraine promotes the active participation of children and youth in decision-making that affects them, ensuring their right to vote in all processes, including those related to conflicts.

Youth participation is an important component of a democratic society, which plays one of the key roles in implementing social changes. One of the key ways in which young people can influence the recovery of Ukraine is active participation in public initiatives and projects. Creation and support of youth organizations, volunteering, participation in social projects are the means by which young people can influence politics, economy and social processes in Ukraine.

Protecting children from harm and a conflict-sensitive approach

Ukraine takes measures to prevent possible harm that may be caused by the actions or presence of child protection personnel. All measures should avoid intensifying conflict dynamics.

Ensuring the safety of the educational environment

Ukraine provides safe learning conditions for children and all participants in the educational process. Educational institutions are the territory of safety and comfort for children, where they, among other things, acquire knowledge about the rules of a safe life, and therefore they should be protected as much as possible from all kinds of threats. Schools should provide knowledge, and the state should provide protection.

Challenges of child protection during armed conflicts

Indiscriminate attacks and destruction of civilian infrastructure

The Russian Federation systematically carries out indiscriminate attacks that lead to the destruction of educational institutions, physical culture and sports, social protection, health care institutions and other important infrastructure facilities, as well as the contamination of the territory with explosive objects, endangering the lives and health of children. This makes it difficult to access basic services and poses a risk to children’s safety.

Deportation, forced displacement and identity change

Deportation of Ukrainian children to the territory of the Russian Federation/Republic of Belarus and their forced relocation to the occupied territories are accompanied by actions aimed at changing the Ukrainian national and civic identity of children, including through the forced granting of citizenship, change of names and language. These actions are a terrible violation of international humanitarian law and are aimed at destroying national and civil identity.

In combination with forced relocation and deportation, the imposition of Russian culture and education, such actions are aimed at severing the ties of children with their families and their national group, forming Ukrainophobic beliefs and making it impossible for them to return to the Motherland. The vulnerability of children as a category is also determined by the lack of consciousness, and as a result, the increased danger of external influence on it. In the conditions of an armed conflict, and even more so in an occupied territory, which creates a dangerous and at the same time alien environment, destroying the child’s established ties in the community, the additional impact on the child’s consciousness causes even more damage.

Sexual violence

Sexual violence against children is a serious violation of human rights that leads to long-term psychological trauma. In the conditions of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, these crimes occurred multiple times, especially in the temporarily occupied territories, where, among other hardships, there are no opportunities for prevention and establishing justice.

Militarization and indoctrination

In the occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as the territories of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, children are subject to violent militarization and ideological re-education. This includes training with the use of weapons and the imposition of pro-Russian ideology, which significantly violates children’s rights to education and freedom of thought.

The militarization of both education and leisure, in turn, is aimed at further using the change in the national consciousness of children to transform them not only into representatives of another national group, but also of the armed forces of the aggressor state, encouraging the physical destruction of representatives of their own national group.

Murders and mutilations of children

In the conditions of war in Ukraine, children become victims of indiscriminate attacks, mines and shelling. These crimes lead to a significant number of dead and injured children, which is a gross violation of international humanitarian law. Children are targeted and killed during war, mutilated and injured. Those who survived and/or were rescued will inevitably suffer severe psychological and physical trauma and, unfortunately, will carry them into adulthood.

Given that the war covers the entire country, the Russian aggression is not only negatively impacting the children themselves, but also the future development of Ukraine, which these children will build. If these violations are left unaddressed, they can have long-term negative consequences not only for children, but also for the prospects of a sustainable world development. Therefore, Ukraine ensures the protection of the rights and fundamental freedoms of children and ensures their safety, as well as records war crimes against children. After all, murders, injuries, torture, deportation, sexual violence require a strict and objective legal assessment by international institutions and judicial bodies. Criminals of the aggressor country for these and other crimes against humanity must be brought to justice in accordance with the provisions of international law.

The response to challenges

Coordination of action at a national level

Ukraine, as a country that faced such a massive invasion as Russia’s armed aggression, had to urgently solve a large list of issues to save and ensure the safety of every Ukrainian child. For this purpose, the Coordination Headquarters was promptly established with the participation of all involved ministries, departments, national public and international organizations that protect children’s rights.

Digital technologies were used to establish contact with citizens, in particular, the chatbot “The child is not alone” was created. Later, a portal of the same name was created, where all the necessary materials and instructions were placed. The “hotlines” of the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Police, the Office of the General Prosecutor and the National Information Bureau have been launched.

Ukraine has developed and approved a National Prevention Plan to End and Prevent Grave Violations against children in Ukraine following the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

On the basis of this plan, another unique document was developed and signed jointly with UN – this is the Joint Prevention Plan (JPP) to End and Prevent Grave Violations against children in Ukraine within the framework of UN children and armed conflicts mandate (so-called CAAC). The joint with the UN JPP is a unique voluntary document developed for the first time in the history of the UN CAAC mandate. A special Inter-Ministerial working group on CAAC was created by the Decree of the President of Ukraine for constant interaction with the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) and the Special Representative to the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG CAAC) Mrs. Virginia Gamba and her office. For the purpose of proper organizational support for the implementation of the Joint Preventive Plan, the supportive Office of the Government CAAC Focal Point was established.

In the summer of 2023, representatives of the diplomatic missions and embassies of 30 countries of the world united and formed a Group of Friends of Ukraine in the mechanism of CAAC – the Kyiv CAAC Group of Friends, which is created to help Ukraine overcome and prevent grave violations of children’s rights following the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine

The group is co-chaired by Canada and Poland.

Strengthening the international legal mechanism and the Peace Formula

Ukraine is actively working on the creation and implementation of effective international legal mechanisms, in particular within the framework of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine. It is important to increase international pressure on the Russian Federation through the UN and other international organizations in order to ensure responsibility for crimes committed against children, especially the crime of deportation and forced relocation of children. With this goal, the International Coalition for the Return of Deported Children was created, which acts as part of a global effort to ensure justice.

Identification and return of children

Ukraine has developed the Bring Kids Back UA plan – it is a comprehensive action plan that unites the efforts of all authorities of Ukraine, other states, international and non-governmental organizations for the return to their homeland of all Ukrainian children who were illegally deported from the Russian Federation or forcibly relocated within the borders of the temporarily occupied territories. The plan was developed to fulfill the mandate of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and is an important element within the framework of the Peace Formula, supported by the joint Communiqué at the Peace Summit.

The Bring Kids Back UA action plan is aimed at implementing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula: point 4 “Release all prisoners and deportees”.

It is important that Bring Kids Back UA provides not only the return of illegally deported children, but also their reintegration, socialization, the development of family forms of education, as well as the recording of crimes and holding the Russian Federation accountable for these crimes. This is a separate program, a powerful effective mechanism that consolidates the efforts of the state and the international community. A coordinating advisory body was created at the Office of the President for the implementation of the program at the national level, which includes all involved ministries and departments.

As part of the implementation of the Bring Kids Back UA plan, an international expert group (Task Force) was created to develop mechanisms, solutions and ideas for the return of every Ukrainian child home, which in August 2024 presented the first document, the so-called “White Book”. More than 15 international experts worked on the White Book “Protection of Children from Forced Displacement and Deportation” in order to reveal the topic of forced displacement and deportation of Ukrainian children as fully and clearly as possible. The White Book is indisputable evidence of Russia’s violation of international law, as well as a document that describes thorough recommendations for restoring the rights and rehabilitation of children after their return. The main goal is to emphasize the urgency of actions and decisions in the liberation of Ukrainian children.

Restoring fairness and access to justice

The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine led to new challenges, in particular, in the field of justice for children.

A pilot project was introduced to implement international standards of child-friendly justice in practical activities. Its purpose is to ensure the implementation of national and European standards of protection and ensuring the rights of children who have come into conflict with the law, taking into account their best interests, conducting measures for their rehabilitation, applying restorative justice, etc.

Also, with the aim of applying restorative justice in the form of mediation for criminal offenses committed by minors, the pilot project “Restorative Justice Program with the participation of minors who are suspects, accused of committing a criminal offense” was introduced.

To ensure the best interests of children and prevent their re-traumatization and victimization during criminal proceedings, a pilot project is being implemented to involve psychologists in criminal proceedings involving minors through regional/interregional centers for providing free legal aid.

To ensure the rights of children who have experienced violence, especially sexual, with the assistance of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative Office, child protection centers (the “Barnahus” model) have been introduced in Ukraine. Today, this model is an important component of the national model of providing complex specialized services for children who have suffered from sexual violence and ill-treatment, creates child-friendly conditions in the process of justice and allows to avoid re-traumatization of the affected children (order of the Ministry of Justice, General Prosecutor Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, from July 26, 2024 No. 2218/5/180/523/352-Н/1306).

One of the main priorities, including during the period of martial law and armed aggression of the Russian Federation, is the protection of the rights and interests of children, the restoration of justice by ensuring their access to legal services, which involves the realization of the guaranteed right of all children to free legal aid.

Medical assistance to children in war conditions

The health care system is the first to meet children with various injuries, not only physical, but also mental, so it must be ready to respond to the needs of war victims. After the return of the children to Ukraine, the liberation of the temporarily occupied territories, we are faced with the facts of various forms of violence against children.

Ukraine has developed a form for recording bodily injuries in accordance with international standards for documenting torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment (the so-called medical standard for documenting torture). The document is based on the principles and procedures of the Guidelines for the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment (Istanbul Protocol). In the future, the document can be used in national and international courts to prove the facts of torture, the use of various forms of violence against Ukrainian children. Doctors also received detailed instructions in the form of methodological recommendations on the mechanism of response to physical and/or psychological violence, in case of suspicion of violent actions against children, which allow them to establish psychological contact with the child, record the facts of violence and provide the necessary medical and psychological assistance.

In Ukraine, 188 health care institutions contracted with the National Health Service under the package “Readiness of a health care institution to provide medical assistance in emergency situations” ensure readiness for round-the-clock mass reception of patients during the liquidation of the consequences of an emergency situation. Such hospitals have special departments, medical equipment, a stock of critically important medicines, including painkillers, antibiotics, immunobiological drugs (vaccine), etc.

Providing children with comprehensive psychosocial assistance

Providing children with comprehensive psychosocial assistance is a priority issue, since the immature psyche of children is very vulnerable to war events that cannot be predicted or controlled. Many children lost their parents and relatives, were seriously injured, mutilated, lost their homes, were deported and separated from their relatives, were under shelling or under temporary occupation. All of the above has seriously affected the mental health of children today.

In Ukraine, the Procedure and a comprehensive three-level system of psychosocial assistance to the population have been developed. A list of 20 psychosocial services and the order of their provision was defined, a list of more than 400 valid methods of psychological diagnosis and 20 methods of psychotherapy with proven effectiveness was approved. Primary care physicians have undergone special MhGap training in providing psychosocial care at the primary level, and the psychosocial care system built has made it available in almost all health care facilities.

Centers of vitality have been created – friendly, barrier-free spaces where every person can receive professional help, find support, learn to cope with stress and life difficulties, as well as – strengthen parental competences and improve family relationships. Such centers were created to help children and adults recover from traumatic events, return to an active life, and get involved in community initiatives. Each Center has a team of adult and child psychologists, social work specialists. In addition, at the initiative of local authorities, additional services are provided: day care for children with disabilities, nurses, mother and child rooms, etc. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and is a component of the All-Ukrainian mental health program “How are you?” of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.

Support for internally displaced persons, including children

Ukraine has developed a system of support for internally displaced persons, in particular children, which includes evacuation, accommodation in compact housing facilities and provision of basic needs. This involves the organization of evacuation from dangerous regions and the provision of necessary assistance.

Cooperation with international partners for the provision of humanitarian aid plays an important role. Together with UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Policy, additional measures were taken to provide social support to families with children, in particular, one-time cash assistance was implemented for families with children subject to mandatory evacuation and belonging to one or more of the following categories: the family includes a person or a child with a disability under the age of 18, the family has many children under the age of 18, the children are raised by a single mother/single father, the family with children under the age of 18 is low-income.

Evacuation of children outside of Ukraine

In order to protect children who were in residential educational, medical and social institutions, Ukraine organized their evacuation outside the country, ensuring access to education, social and medical services. These actions became necessary to preserve their lives and ensure their safety in wartime conditions.

The evacuation of children in connection with the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation required coorditation and teamwork, as a result it has testified to the real state of the effectiveness of the bodies and institutions of the child rights protection system in Ukraine, in particular the guardianship bodies, services for children, the speed of their decision-making in the interests of the child, taking measures and documenting all processes regarding children, placement of children left without parents, provision of necessary services, appointment and payment of social assistance, etc.

The issue of relations between countries to avoid conflicts between their legal systems regarding jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of measures for the protection of children is governed by the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children, signed in 1996, and ratified for Ukraine in 2008.

According to this document, the judicial or administrative authorities of the Contracting State of the child’s habitual residence have jurisdiction to take measures aimed at protecting the child’s person or property. That is, the legal representatives of the child determined in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine must be recognized as the legal representatives of the child in the country of the child’s stay.

Ukrainian children seek salvation from Russian aggressors outside the borders of the Motherland, not salvation from their own country. Ukraine has not created dangerous living conditions for its children and does not pose a threat to them, therefore they are provided with simple temporary protection in the territories of other states and there is no reason to grant them the status of “international protection” as “refugees”. This, in particular, is confirmed by the PACE resolution (No. 2529 dated 25.01.2024), which contains the provision that “The Assembly emphasizes that Ukrainian children are leaving Ukraine due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Ukraine has not created dangerous living conditions for its children. They are granted only temporary protection in the territories of foreign countries. Therefore, the provisions of Article 6 of the Hague Convention of October 19, 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation Regarding Parental Responsibility and Child Protection Measures do not apply to Ukrainian children. At the same time, the application of Article 5 of the same convention is appropriate. Guided by Article 5 of the Convention, judicial or administrative bodies of Ukraine have the jurisdiction to take measures aimed at protecting the personality or property of the child.”

Ensuring the right of every child in Ukraine to grow up in a family environment

Despite the challenges of the war, Ukraine continues the reform of the development of family forms of childraising, the purpose of which is to ensure the right of every child in Ukraine to grow up in a family environment. This includes supporting family upbringing, which is an important step in creating a stable and safe environment for children. Global data indicate a negative impact of institutional care on development and socialization.

Families in which there is a risk of separation of the child from relatives need special attention. Social protection mechanisms are designed to prevent family separation, including financial support, social services, psychosocial assistance, provision of inclusive education, provision of medical care, including rehabilitation services, etc.

Children should grow up in the families of their natural parents, but when this is not possible, another family can serve as an alternative to the biological family. That is why our state supports the creation of family forms of childrasing for orphans and children deprived of parental care. There are various forms of guarding of orphans and children deprived of parental care, namely: adoption, guardianship and care, placement for upbringing and cohabitation with a foster family, or a family-type orphanage (large foster families).

In Ukraine, a set of measures has been implemented to ensure the development of family forms of childrasing for orphans and children deprived of parental care, children housing institutions are being reorganized into centers for rehabilitation and medical and social assistance to children in order to ensure the interests of the child and create conditions for development and education in an environment that is as close as possible to family.

Development of the education system

Ensuring the continuity of education, its quality and availability, despite the conditions of martial law, is one of the key priorities of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The educational process in the conditions of martial law is primarily focused on creating safe conditions, which requires the use of various forms of education – online, offline and mixed, with the active implementation of digital technologies to ensure the effectiveness of education.

Programs of psychological support, adaptation and inclusion play an important role in supporting the educational process in the conditions of martial law. War has a deep psychological impact on children, their families and teachers, therefore the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine develops and implements comprehensive programs aimed at overcoming the traumatic consequences of war. These programs include providing psychological support, creating a comfortable and safe learning environment, and ensuring equal access to education for all students, regardless of their special educational needs.

To ensure the effectiveness of these programs, it is important to take into account the individual needs of each participant in the educational process. The creation of individual educational trajectories allows not only to compensate for the educational losses caused by the war and the pandemic, but also to ensure that each student has the opportunity to study at a pace convenient for him/her. This includes developing individualized learning plans, providing extra classes for students who need help learning material, and providing support for children with special educational needs.

In general, a comprehensive approach to the development of the education system, which includes ensuring security, introducing the latest technologies, supporting psychological health and considering the individual needs of students, is the key to ensuring the quality and accessibility of education in Ukraine in the face of modern challenges.

Opportunities for effective action

Formation of a safe educational environment

Offline classes, where the security situation allows, promote socialization and the development of soft skills. In the conditions of constant threat, a safe educational environment is an important direction. This includes the arrangement of civil defense facilities, equipping educational institutions with modern security and fire safety systems, and the availability of mechanisms for prompt response to threats. In regions where the threat is extremely high, underground schools are being built.

In the conditions of martial law, the formation of a safe educational environment is carried out by the introduction of uniform standards by the juvenile prevention units of the National Police of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Education and Culture, which include such components as: evacuation of children; preventive and educational functions regarding the safety of children in conditions of war; prevention of recruitment and the use of children in hostilities; implementation of the project “Security of the educational environment”, the components of which are the introduction of security passports of educational institutions, the functioning of security classes, including mobile (mobile) security classes; demining and disposal of mines and explosive objects in children’s institutions (schools, kindergartens, hospitals) and in the territory adjacent to them; search for missing children in cases of loss of contact with them; implementation of a number of other security measures.

In the conditions of a state of war, a state of emergency or a state of emergency in Ukraine, the educational and training process at the location of the physical education and sports institutions on the territory of Ukraine, where combat operations are not conducted, is carried out in equipped sports facilities, in halls where safe conditions have been created (the presence of a bomb shelter , shelter, holding classes in open space).

Improvement of warning and evacuation mechanisms

In order to improve mechanisms for the prevention and evacuation of children, the Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Culture of August 18, 2023 No. 685/1013 approved the Procedure for early warning and evacuation of participants in the educational process in the event of an attack or risk of an attack on an educational institution.

Ukraine plans to improve mechanisms for early warning and evacuation of children in the event of a threat. It is important to prevent the forced evacuation of children without one of their parents and to ensure as much as possible the proper conditions for moving to safe areas. This includes developing clear evacuation plans and communication strategies to work with the public on the need to move to safe areas.

Rehabilitation assistance for children, including prosthetics

Creation of a modern system of rehabilitation assistance for children that were affected by the armed conflict, especially amputations, as part of the rehabilitation system that is being developed in the country during the war, is a priority. This includes both rehabilitation assistance in the field of health care, provision of psychological support, which fruitfully interact with the fields of social protection, special education, etc. This should involve the creation of a network capable of providing prolonged rehabilitation care for children across acute, post-acute and long-term rehabilitation, including community-based rehabilitation.

It is also necessary to develop a network of clinical rehabilitation training centers of excellence in pediatric rehabilitation at the national level. Through formal education and a system of continuous professional development, it is necessary to ensure that rehabilitation specialists have the necessary competencies and practical skills to provide rehabilitation care to children.

Recommendations

International cooperation and legal mechanisms

The international community should continue to put pressure on countries that violate children’s rights in the context of armed conflicts, in order to ensure responsibility for violations of children’s rights, in particular by developing and implementing clear legal mechanisms based on the UN and other international organizations.

The coordinating role of the UN and partnership with the International Coalition is currently extremely relevant in matters of implementing new ways and mechanisms for returning deported children to Ukraine, taking measures aimed at preventing and ending violations of children’s rights.

Ensuring a full and objective investigation of violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes against children, bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Enact special legislation on justice for children in line with international justice standards, particularly for child survivors of violence, witnesses and children in contact with or in conflict with the law.

The development of a strategic document aimed at creating a safe environment for children in cyberspace, the priority areas of implementation of which are to determine the guarantee of the safety and security of children during the use of the Internet in the educational process and everyday life.

Development of evacuation plans and assessment of security infrastructure

It is recommended to develop plans for the evacuation of children preventively, as well as to conduct an assessment of the security infrastructure of educational and other institutions, which will ensure readiness for possible threats.

Support of families with children and development of family forms of upbringing

International partners will continue to support the reform of the development of family forms of upbringing in Ukraine and provide assistance to families with children affected by the conflict.

The Peace Formula and the International Coalition

The Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine together with the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children should be supported at the global level, which will allow to effectively solve the problems of protecting children in wartime and ensure their return home.

The document was developed by:
Oleksandra Dvoretska, Head of Policy Bring Kids Back UA.

Attached to the document are the following representatives of organizations who agree with its content:
Daria Kasianova, the Head of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network;
Kateryna Rashevska, Regional Center for Human Rights;
Lena Rozvadovska, Co-founder and chairman of the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation.