The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York is coming to a close

Over the past few days, we’ve held numerous meetings with representatives of international organizations, governments, donors, and the civil society sector. We discussed how Russia’s war is affecting the lives of Ukrainian women, support for victims of violence, and the development of a system of psychosocial assistance.

One of the most important topics this week has been the issue of Russia’s accountability for war crimes. In particular, there is active discussion about adding Russia to the so-called “shame list” — a list of states where the UN has documented the systematic use of sexual violence as a tool of war.

This is extremely important. Being placed on such a list signifies international recognition of the crimes and a significant increase in political pressure. It is another step toward justice and accountability for what the Russian army is doing in Ukraine.

This week also brought new partnerships — we were able to establish many new contacts and identify potential partners for future programs supporting women and families in Ukraine.

The world needs to hear the truth about Ukraine. And we continue to do everything we can to ensure those voices are heard.

You can watch the video at the link.