UWC to convene global webinar on lasting consequences of Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) will host an international webinar, “The Long-Term Impact of Russia’s Abduction of Ukrainian Children,” on Feb. 1 at 3:00 p.m. Kyiv time, bringing together Ukrainian communities and global partners to address one of the gravest human rights violations stemming from Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The webinar will examine the scale, mechanisms, and enduring consequences of Russia’s systematic abduction, deportation, and forcible relocation of Ukrainian children. Participants will explore the profound humanitarian, legal, and psychological harm inflicted on victims, as well as the broader implications for international humanitarian law and the global system of child protection.

A key focus of the discussion will be the responsibility of democratic states, international institutions, and civil society to support the return of abducted children and to ensure accountability for those responsible for these crimes.

The event will feature prominent speakers, including Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress; Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights; and Kateryna Rashevska, an expert in international humanitarian and criminal law. The webinar will be moderated by Volodymyr Kogutyak, UWC Vice President and Head of Advocacy.

In addition to analyzing the long-term impact of the abductions, participants will discuss effective advocacy strategies for engaging national governments and international organizations to increase pressure on Russia. The webinar will also outline concrete steps Ukrainian communities and international partners can take within the UWC’s global campaign, “Stand With Ukraine: Protect Future Generations,” to support the return of abducted children and advance justice.

The webinar will be conducted in Ukrainian with simultaneous English interpretation. Registration is available via the provided link.

This event forms part of the Ukrainian World Congress’s global campaign “Stand With Ukraine: Protect Future Generations,” launched in cooperation with member organizations and partners worldwide to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Events leading up to Feb. 24 can be registered on the campaign’s interactive map, where materials for global actions are also available.

Events leading up to Feb. 24 can be registered on the special interactive map at https://uaworldmap.ukrainianworldcongress.org/, where materials for global events are also available.