Annual Human Rights Conference in Estonia

At the end of last week, representatives of the Association took part in the annual Human Rights Conference in Estonia, traditionally held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Estonia, Alar Karis.

This year the conference was held under the slogan "HUMAN RIGHTS IN A MULTIPOLAR WORLD – REALITY OR ILLUSION?".

It was symbolic and extremely important that the conference opened with a Ukrainian panel: "LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Ukrainian children and the hope of return".

Ukrainian children in the focus of the international community

The main speaker of the panel was Oksana Cherviakova, representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Children's Rights. Together with international partners, including Eerik-Niiles Kross, member of the Riigikogu and chair of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, they discussed the tragedy of the mass deportation of Ukrainian children and the world's silence in the face of this crime.

According to Oksana Cherviakova, Russia has been abducting Ukrainian children since 2014.

More than 19,500 children have been deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or to the temporarily occupied territories.

"Russia has a clear goal – to destroy the identity of Ukrainian children. The forcible transfer of children from one national group to another is a crime of genocide. These actions are part of a deliberate plan to destroy Ukrainian identity."

To date, only 1,982 children have been returned to Ukraine. This is the result of the efforts of the Ukrainian state and international partners within the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Russia, meanwhile, continues to block information about the children's whereabouts and deliberately drags out the return process.

The voice of civil society

Natali Lurie, Director of Strategic Development at the "Children of Heroes" Charitable Foundation, also joined the discussion. She called on the international community to recognise these children as a distinct vulnerable group, strengthen the mechanisms for their return, invest in long-term recovery programmes and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

"Protecting the rights of these children is not only a matter of solidarity with Ukraine. It is a test for the entire international human rights system. Because where children's rights remain unprotected, there can be no just and lasting peace."

Art that speaks the language of hope

The conference featured the exhibition "Colours That Restore Life", initiated by the Association together with the "Children of Heroes" Foundation. This is not the first time the exhibition has been shown in Estonia. More than a hundred participants from different countries saw works by Ukrainian children who lost one or both parents to the war but have not lost their faith, hope and love for Ukraine.

We are sincerely grateful to the conference organisers, especially Aet Kukk and Terje Varem, for the opportunity to tell the truth about Ukraine and make the voice of Ukrainian children heard on the international stage.

Together we continue to fight for every child.

Because none of them should be forgotten.