South Africa announced its readiness to become a mediator for the return of Ukrainian children from Russia
The problem of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories has become one of the most tragic aspects of Russian aggression against Ukraine. This is not only a violation of international law, but also a crime against humanity that affects the most vulnerable and defenseless – children. Illegal displacement destroys families, deprives children of the opportunity to live in their native environment, receive their national education and preserve their own cultural identity. In this context, any efforts of the international community aimed at returning children to their families and native land are absolutely necessary.
One such example was the decision of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa) to join global initiatives led by the Vatican and Qatar to return deported Ukrainian children. This shows the broad international support of Ukraine in its struggle for children’s rights and justice. The importance of such actions was especially emphasized at the conference in Pretoria on November 20, dedicated to this acute problem.
International context
On November 20, Pretoria (South Africa) held a conference dedicated to the problem of the return of Ukrainian children forcibly displaced from the occupied territories. The Republic of South Africa has declared its readiness to join the efforts of the Vatican and Qatar, assuming the role of mediator in the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russia. This is reported press office Office of the President of Ukraine.
In the context of modern challenges, the role of international intermediaries becomes extremely important. The experience of South Africa in the struggle for human rights, its historical lessons in the fight against apartheid and discrimination, can become a reliable basis for advocacy of children’s rights. As the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Daria Zarivna, emphasized, international solidarity and the participation of countries such as South Africa help not only in solving individual cases, but also in creating a systemic approach to the protection of human rights.
“The deportation of Ukrainian children is a crime against humanity that requires an immediate global response. We are grateful to South Africa for its role in supporting our initiative and its willingness to act as a mediator. Together, we will be able to restore justice and bring our children home.”, — said Daria Zarivna.
She emphasized the importance of the role of South Africa as a potential mediator that complements the efforts of the Vatican and Qatar. South Africa confirmed this readiness during the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula, which was held at the end of October in Montreal.
At the conference, the importance of the historical experience of South Africa in the field of human rights protection was separately emphasized. The panelists discussed how this experience can become the basis for international advocacy of children’s rights.
The scale of the tragedy
According to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets, about 1.5 million children remain in the occupied territories of Ukraine and are at risk of deportation to Russia. He noted that the return of children is a difficult process, as Russia refuses to cooperate, and each case requires an individual approach.
International support in this area plays a key role. South Africa’s willingness to become a mediator opens up new opportunities for a global solution to this issue. As noted at the conference, any efforts in this direction should be aimed at establishing justice, returning children to their families and providing them with a safe future.
Deportation of Ukrainian children is not only a humanitarian crisis, but also a global challenge that requires decisive and united action. The role of South Africa, along with the Vatican and Qatar, can be an important step on the way to restoring justice. In a world where children’s rights must come first, such initiatives are not only important, but also inspiring, as they demonstrate that even the most difficult problems can be solved through international solidarity and cooperation.
