As the war in Ukraine continues, victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, enforced disappearance, torture, and other grave violations are waiting for justice. Reparations are their right under international law, and a lifeline to rebuild stability, hope and restore dignity.
With a EUR 140 billion loan to Ukraine – backed by immobilised Russian sovereign assets – now on the table, the European Union must innovate by leveraging these assets and assign a portion of the funds for victims of gross human rights violations and serious violations of humanitarian law.
Dedication as little as 2% of this reparation loan – EUR 2.8 billion – to domestic reparations programmes would transform lives. This bold step would showcase European leadership and a commitment to the rule of law, enabling the E.U- and Ukraine to:
- Deliver reparations to all victims in urgent need, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence;
- Provide recognition and redress to families of the disappeared;
- Support rehabilitation and compensation for victims of torture and other grave violations.
This is a historic opportunity for Europe to pioneer a justice model where the perpetrator´s resources are used to repair the harmed caused to victims, and survivors are no longer left to pay the price of survival. By investing in reparations, Europe will rebuild Ukraine´s social cohesion, support its human capital, and lay the foundations for reconstruction, recovery and justice.
Signatories:
- 29 December, Ukraine
- Accountability Unit
- All Survivors Project
- Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the KremlinCeasefire Centre for Civilian Rights
- Civilian Detainees, Ukraine
- Coalition for Genocide Response
- Dnistrianskyi Center for Law and Politics
- Dr Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation
- Dr Ewelina U. Ochab, IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer
- Dr Felix Stein, Principal Investigator of the REPAIR research project
- Foundation Sunflowers
- Free to Live, Ukraine
- Global Rights Compliance
- Global Survivors Fund
- GOAL
- Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
- Human Rights Center ZMINA, Ukraine
- Human Rights Platform, Ukraine
- Illia Chernohorenko, Ex Director-General for the Rule of Law Directorate, Ukraine
- InterJust
- International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
- International Center for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of MultiGenerational
- Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT)
- International Center for Transitional Justice
- Justice and Accountability for Ukraine (JAFUA)
- Legal Action Worldwide (LAW)
- Mama Jane Charity Foundation
- McCue Jury & Partners
- Montreal Institute for Global SecurityNetwork of Ukrainian Men who Survived Captivity and Torture ‘Alumni’
- New Lines Institute
- Norwegian Helsinki Committee
- NUMO, SISTERS!
- New York University’s PaCT (Peace and Conflict Transformation) Group
- Physicians for Human Rights
- Platform for Peace and Humanity
- REDRESS
- SEMA Ukraine
- State Capture Accountability Project
- Tetyana Nesterchuk, Barrister, Fountain Court Chambers
- The Reckoning Project
- Truth Hounds
- Ukraine Legal Network, Project of the Nuhanovic Foundation
- Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation
- Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem”
- Universal Rights Group
- Way of Freemen, Ukraine
- Women’s Information Consultative Center (WICC)
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