“It is an important step towards restoring justice. And this justice is needed not only in Ukraine. Justice for Ukrainian victims of violence is now a mirror for the world itself,” Zelenska said.The conference, which brought together representatives from various countries and international organizations, sought to enhance effective assistance to those who suffered from sexual violence during Russia's war against Ukraine and find ways to achieve justice. It underscored that reparations should be a key element in restoring the rights of CRSV victims. To date, Ukrainian prosecutors have recorded 274 cases of conflict-related sexual violence. However, the true scale of these crimes is difficult to estimate due to ongoing hostilities, Russia's temporary occupation of parts of Ukrainian territory, limited access to assistance, and the stigma that discourages victims from reporting sexual-related crimes.
“We cannot undo the pain that the aggressor has already caused. But we can be an anesthetic for this pain. We can show that not everyone in the world is a murderer and a rapist. That there is help and support. There is justice. There is something to live for," Zelenska emphasized.This project is a unique case in the history of reparations measures, where a victim state, together with civil society and non-governmental organizations, develops steps for the payment of compensation during an ongoing war without waiting for the aggressor country to compensate for the damages, according to the Global Survivors Fund.
