South Africa to mediate return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia – Ukraine President’s Office

That’s according to the Ukrainian President’s Office, Ukrinform reports.

A conference on the return of Ukrainian children was held in Pretoria on World Children's Day.

The event was part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, launched by President of Ukraine Vodymyr Zelensky.

According to Daria Zarivna, advisor to the head of the Presidential Office, Chief erating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, "the deportation of Ukrainian children is a crime against humanity that demands an immediate global response".

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She expressed gratitude to South Africa for its re in supporting Ukraine's initiative and willingness to act as a mediator.

South Africa expressed its readiness to join the efforts of the Vatican and Qatar and assumed the re of mediator in the return of Ukrainian children.

Anthony Trio, Senior Transitional Justice and Government Relations Expert at the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, presented the findings of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, including evidence of viations of international law and international humanitarian law regarding the forced displacement and deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia

He also highlighted the expert recommendations provided to the international community and stressed the importance of ensuring access to Ukrainian children in Russia for international organizations.

In addition, a separate panel discussion was held to explore South Africa's re as a leader in international advocacy for children's rights, as well as the country's historical experience with human rights issues.

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The conference featured video testimonies from Ukrainian children who had been returned home after being displaced by Russia, thanks to the efforts of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, referring to the Verkhovna Rada's Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has deported or forcibly relocated 19,546 children. Of those, 1,012 children have been brought back.