Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak participated in the presentation of the White Paper, “Reintegration of Children Affected by Deportation and Forcible Transfers: International Standards and Best Practices for Ukraine,” prepared by the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force.
“Reintegration and rehabilitation are key elements in restoring children's rights after their return. The White Paper of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force is more than just a set of recommendations for government agencies and international partners. It serves as a guide for returning a child who has been deported or forcibly displaced to a normal life,” said Andriy Yermak.
Co-chair of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force and Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute Lady Helena Kennedy LT KC emphasized: “The White Paper highlights the need for mental health and psychosocial support as a cornerstone of reintegration. Without targeted intervention, children may struggle to process severe trauma, including feelings of abandonment or confusion caused by forced assimilation into Russian culture.”
“I urge all of us – governments, international organizations, and civil society – to continue working together, pooling our resources and bringing these children back,” Lady Helena Kennedy LT KC added.
PFRU Senior Transitional Justice Advisor Sharanjeet Parmar and PFRU Senior Transitional Justice and Government Relations Expert Anthony Triolo presented the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force’s key findings from the White Paper. They also presented a high-level strategy for comprehensive reintegration and rehabilitation of children, developed on the basis of international standards and the experience of countries such as Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Argentina.
The experts' recommendations include continuing Ukraine's systemic transition from institutional care to family-based care, developing child-friendly justice approaches, and implementing long-term reintegration and rehabilitation programs for children in communities.
During the presentation, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Vereshchuk emphasized that Ukraine is building the necessary infrastructure for the full rehabilitation and reintegration of children as part of President Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
“The analysis and recommendations from international experts outlined in the White Paper will serve as a foundation for future decisions and practical actions toward comprehensive reintegration of children affected by crimes of deportation or forcible transfer,” said Iryna Vereshchuk.
Advisor – Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation Daria Herasymchuk emphasized the need to use ethical approaches in communicating with children and to expand access to social and psychological services not only for children who have experienced trauma, but also for their families.
Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin underscored the importance of evidence collection without retraumatizing children.
“Only through coordinated efforts of the state, civil society, and international partners can we build a comprehensive support system for children who have experienced trauma, aligned with the best global standards,” concluded Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA.
The presentation was attended by members of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, representatives of countries from the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, MPs, and representatives of Ukrainian and international human rights organizations.
The findings in the White Paper will contribute to discussions at the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula, set to take place in Montreal on October 30–31. This significant event will bring together foreign ministers from Ukraine’s partner countries and experts from international and civil society organizations to develop a roadmap for the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians, and deported children.
The Task Force published its first White Paper, “Safeguarding Children from Forced Transfers and Deportation,” in August 2024. This document provides a comprehensive analysis of the forced transfers and deportation of children, offering clear evidence of Russia’s war crimes and grave violations of international law. The White Paper highlights the systemic nature of Russia’s deportation practices, including forced passportization, a network of state-run "military-patriotic" and "recreation camps" aimed at ideological indoctrination and militarization of Ukrainian children.