Exchange meeting focuses on conflict-related crimes against children in Ukraine

The Hague – On Monday and Tuesday 7 and 8 June, an international exchange meeting took place with Ms Yuliia Usenko, the Head of the Department for the Protection of Children’s Rights from the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor-General, in The Hague. The meeting, which focused on conflict-related crimes against children in Ukraine, kicked off with a conference in Oslo, followed by additional meetings in The Hague.

The exchange meeting with Ms Yuliia Usenko, Head of the Department for the Protection of Childrens’ Rights from the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor-General, provided a crucial platform for stakeholders to discuss conflict-related crimes against children in Ukraine. Participants shared insights, experiences, and strategies to enhance the protection and well-being of children affected by armed conflict.

The visit took place within the context of the MATRA-Ukraine project ''Strengthening Ukraine’s Capacity to Investigate and Prosecute International Crimes", a joint initiative of the T.M.C. Asser Instituut and Global Rights Compliance (GRC), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Alongside supporting the Office of the Prosecutor-General in Ukraine, the project delivers vital technical and strategic expertise to other criminal justice entities, such as judges and lawyers, civil society organisations and journalists.

Protection challenges
The exchange meeting began in Oslo, where Ms Yuliia Usenko participated in an international conference titled 'Protecting children in armed conflict: Our common future', which was held to increase awareness and understanding of decision-makers on the protection challenges that children face in armed conflict.

In The Hague, Ms. Yuliia Usenko had meetings with representatives from the Asser Institute and GRC, experts in children's rights, including from Defence for Children, Dutch prosecutors, and representatives from international and regional organisations, such as the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Eurojust.