Ukraine, children’s councilor: “War pain will never leave them”

“Ukrainian children do not suffer only physical injuries: their psychological state and their inner world, even if they have not suffered physical trauma, will never be the same as before the conflict”. This was declared to Adnkronos by Darya Herasymchuk, advisor to the President of Ukraine for the rights of the child and the rehabilitation of children. The latest bulletin released by the Kyiv Attorney General’s Office speaks of 263 children killed and 467 injured since the start of the war in Ukraine, but “obviously these are not exact figures, because we do not yet know the exact number of children killed and injured in the temporarily occupied territories “, Herasymchuk underlines, reporting that” according to the Ministry of Health, as of May 30, 515 children needed treatment for injuries, trauma, road accidents or other types, resulting from hostilities or occurred during the evacuation. Of these, 191 are still in hospital. Over half of the children who needed treatment (51%) are between the ages of 7 and 14. 92% of the injuries they sustained were caused by the detonation of explosive or firearm devices. A total of 19 children suffered limb amputations “. In addition to the children killed or injured, also all those” left without parents, without family, without home, without friends and without a normal childhood there are children who need help right now. ” A situation in which “all Ukrainian children find themselves, because all of them have suffered in this conflict”. The minors who fled the war in Ukraine and fled abroad are “a significant number, about 2 million”, says Zelensky’s councilor. In particular – he adds – “Italy has welcomed more than 150,000 Ukrainian citizens, of whom over 36.6 thousand are children. A share equal to approximately 1.8% of minors who went abroad, both accompanied by parents, and in organized groups. Herasymchuk, who at the end of April participated in the monitoring visit to Poland, Italy and Germany, where “we were able to visit many institutions where our children are welcomed”, thanks “the governments and the people of the Italian Republic and all those countries that have welcomed Ukrainian women and children for all the closeness, warmth and humanity that they have shown to our citizens “.” Today, for the first time, we are facing together with the whole world many challenges, including that of a large-scale migration, with huge numbers of people seeking temporary shelter. And this is a challenge not only for Ukraine, but also for the countries that welcome these people “, underlines the councilor for the rights of the child, explaining that there is a big difference between those who emigrate permanently and those who do so in temporarily, like the Ukrainian refugees, who in addition to being “traumatized by the war, want to go home and every day wait for information to finally be able to do so.” For this reason the assurance is that “we, as a Ukrainian state, will do everything possible so that every little Ukrainian will return home after the victory. “Kiev is also involved in the recovery and repatriation of minors in Russia or in the territories controlled by Moscow.” According to information received from accessible sources, between February 18 and May 21, 2022 at least 234 thousand children crossed from Ukraine the border of Russia or the territories of the so-called people’s republics. Most of them were deported or forcibly transferred “, explains Darya Herasymchuk. The fear is that the deportation will follow adoption.” We know that the Russian Federation is simplifying the procedure, but without the authorization of the competent body of the Ukraine, Russian citizens cannot adopt Ukrainian children “, emphasizes Zelensky’s adviser, who, referring to Article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, also ratified by Moscow, and to the Family Code of Kiev, says that “the adoption of Ukrainian children they are preparing for in Russia is illegal.” Zelensky’s counselor appeals to everyone, so that “when it is discovered that a child has been forcibly transferred to a temporarily occupied or deported territory (in Russia, ed.) contact the National Information Office on POWs, deportees and missing persons. “You can do this from Ukraine through the toll-free number 1648 or from the ES tero by calling +38 (044) 287-81-65. “War is a great pain that every Ukrainian child will have to live with forever”, concludes the councilor for the rights of the child, asking the countries hosting refugee children “to be tolerant towards them, because they have seen with their own eyes what a child should never see and feel what a child should never feel “. (by Alice Bellincioni)