Urgent action needed to reunite Ukrainian children transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories with their families

Russia’s aggression has resulted in the violation of the human rights of countless Ukrainian children. Hundreds of children were killed or injured, and millions were deprived of their ability to enjoy basic rights, including healthcare and education. The war has also led to the internal and external displacement of millions of people, putting many children at an increased risk of being separated from parents or caregivers. Thousands of Ukrainian children, including entire orphanages and care institutions, were evacuated to other locations within Ukraine, as well as to other member states of the Council of Europe and beyond. The Commissioner has previously drawn attention to the plight of Ukrainian children victims of war, and stressed the need to strengthen the identification and registration of unaccompanied and separated children in Europe and to implement family tracing and reunification procedures for them.   full article