In the framework of permanent cooperation with UN bodies, our Association sent this year submission for the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and пirls, Ms. Reem Alsalem, about forms of sex-based violence against women and girls, presented at the 59th session of the Human Rights Council this June.
ARC’s submission, published at official UN web-sources this July, reminded to Rapporteur about groups, involved in the child sexual abuse and child trafficking in the Crimea, including girls, with close connection with “Crimean republican authorities”
We reminded, that those “Crimean authorities,” including the “highest judges,” are totally corrupted and connected with those organised criminal groups, and that despite of publication of those issues at UN web sources and discussion about it at OSCE conferences, aggressor’s authorities did not react on such information since 2021 till now.
ARC’s submission added that since 2022, Russia-controlled troops and mercenaries have committed gross violations of international law in Ukraine, including broad crimes against women and girls, that Russia’s broad-scale aggression created principal barriers facing these realizations by Ukrainian women and girls of the right to equality, to sustainable development, and to dignity.
ARC’s submission stressed that Russia-occupied territories women are vulnerable targets of rape, enforced disappearances, tortures and degrading threatment; Ukrainian-speaking and Crimean Tatar women are victims of racial discrimination also, relevant examples, reflected in UN and OSCE reports, were mentioned.
Regarding conditions on hostilities and interstate conflict, demands of the Rome Statute, Geneva Conventions, and Additional Protocols must be taken into account regarding war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against women and children, who are victims of trafficking, deportation, indoctrination, and sexual violence, ARC’s submission pointed out.
The mentioned Report of the UN Special Rapporteur A/HRC/59/47 recognized those issues in point 63, that as regards the protection of females in times of conflict, states must reverse the erosion of respect for the laws of armed conflict and the protections that they provide for women and girls.
States must desist from knowingly exporting arms to actors that engage in heinous crimes against women and girls, as such actions are in violation of their international law responsibilities to women and girls, Report A/HRC/59/47 added, that has strong significance for counteraction the military aid to Russia, committing by some authoritarian regimes, like tehran one and others, that also brutally and en masse violate women’s rights at own territory.
Our cooperation with UN bodies on countering aggressor’s crimes against Ukrainian women will be continued.
