Since the beginning of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation, 592 children have died, 1702 have been injured: Lubinets

November 20 is celebrated worldwide as International Children’s Day. This day is designed to remind about the rights of children, proclaimed in the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. For Ukraine, this date acquired a special, deeply emotional meaning because of the tragedies brought by the war. At the center of this struggle were the least protected — children whose childhoods were destroyed by the invasion of the Russian Federation.

Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported:

• 592 children died as a result of shelling and bombing;
• 1702 children were injured, many of them remained disabled;
• 1,934 children are considered missing, their fates are still unknown.

These numbers are not just dry statistics, but thousands of ruined lives. They are proof of how massively and mercilessly Russia violates children’s rights.

In addition, Lubinets previously reported that during the full-scale invasion, Russia deported or forcibly relocated 19,546 children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. These children were deprived of homes, relatives and any support. Deportation is a direct violation of international law, which recognizes children’s right to family, freedom and protection. Ukraine is working every day to bring these children home, and it has already succeeded in freeing 1,012 children from Russia and the occupied territories. However, thousands remain in captivity, their identity is being erased, re-educated, forced to forget who they are.

This is a crime that has all the hallmarks of genocide. International law qualifies the forced displacement of children as one of the grossest forms of human rights violations. The kidnapping of Ukrainian children is a planned strategy on the part of Russia aimed at destroying the Ukrainian identity. According to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, the state is doing everything possible to stop these crimes and return their children home.

Ukraine does not stand aside. Within the framework of the action plan of the President Bring Kids Back UA, whole mechanisms have been created for the return of deported children. The Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights, which operates on the territory of Ukraine, deals with rehabilitation, restoration of rights and assistance to children who have returned from captivity. At the same time, Ukrainian diplomatic bodies, international partners and human rights organizations are making incredible efforts to ensure that every abducted child finds a way home.

However, the difficulty lies not only in the physical return of the children, but also in overcoming the consequences of this deportation. Many of them are subject to forced Russification, propaganda, and lose touch with their native language, culture, and family. This traumatic experience requires long-term psychological support and integration back into society.

In his address, Dmytro Lubinets noted:

“Despite this, we work to protect the rights of the child. For this, a separate direction operates in our institution. We also return children from TOT and the Russian Federation within the framework of the action plan of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA and the 4th Point of the Peace Formula. Through the efforts of state bodies, international partners and public organizations have already returned 1,012 children from TOT and the Russian Federation.

In addition, we opened the Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights, where we renew children’s rights! After all, this is the future of the whole country!”.

These words are a reflection of the national strategy of the struggle for the future of Ukraine. Children’s rights are not just norms recorded in international documents, they are basic humanity and the responsibility of every state to its smallest citizens.

Today, when the whole world remembers the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, Ukraine reminds the world that their violation has real consequences. Every deported child is a tragedy that affects all of us. But Ukraine continues the struggle, believing that every child, every little Ukrainian will return home, to their relatives and to their country.

International Children’s Day is a symbol of hope for Ukraine. This is not only a day of reminder of children’s rights, it is a day of struggle for their freedom, for their right to a happy childhood and future. And every victory in this struggle is a step towards justice and towards the peace we choose for our children.