Ukraine

In 2014, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in the now occupied region of Crimea, whilst supporting the self-proclaimed “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” armed groups in their attempt to break away from Ukraine. Since then, conflict-related sexual violence has been perpetrated, along with other serious violations, by all actors involved. Survivors have reported suffering sexual violence in detention centres, at checkpoints, and as armed forces move into their communities.

In 2022, Moscow launched a full-scale invasion, characterised by the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the frequent use of conflict-related sexual violence against civilians and prisoners of war.¹ No official data on the number of survivors is available. While Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General recorded 344 cases² of conflict-related sexual violence, other estimates run into the thousands.

In May 2022, the Global Survivors Fund (GSF) published a study on the perspectives of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence on reparation. It concluded that there is an urgent need to provide interim reparations for survivors, particularly medical, psychosocial and livelihood support, to address their most urgent needs.

Partners

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Ukraine Government Commissioner on Gender Equality Policy

The Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation, International Organization for Migration (IOM), REDRESS, Jurfem, Andreev Family Foundation, Blue Bird, Eleos-Ukraine, Truth Hounds, and LaStrada Ukraine.

Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine and the Global Survivors Fund. Held virtually between Geneva and Kyiv, it marked a new phase in supporting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence through innovative survivor-centred approaches. Ukraine, October 2024. GSF

I am grateful that this project exists. It is about recognising pain. Yes, this amount, like any other, can never compensate for the harm done. But it is the recognition, the visibility, the right to document the crime that allows human dignity, selfhood, and faith in oneself.

Ukrainian survivor

A successful survivor-centred pilot

Launched in May 2024, GSF’s pilot project on urgent interim reparation has provided financial compensation to 634 survivors of conflict-related sexual violence committed since 2014. They project includes Ukrainians from all regions of the country, as well as survivors residing abroad.

We collaborate with several partners to reach a diverse group of survivors through a transparent and sensitive identification process, free of overwhelming bureaucracy or interrogations on what they endured. A dedicated team of nine case managers conduct in-person and online interviews, accommodating to survivors’ needs and availability.

A first in the world

In November 2024, the Ukrainian parliament approved two laws which were ratified by the president in December. Law No. 4067, "On the legal and social protection of survivors of sexual violence related to the armed aggression of the Russian federation against Ukraine, and providing them with urgent interim reparations,” and Law No. 4071 "On accounting of information on damage caused to personal non-property rights of individuals as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine" are the result of collaboration between GSF, parliamentarians, government officials, survivor networks, and civil society and international organisations.

This is the first such example of interim reparation to be provided by a government to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence during an active war, while accountability mechanisms against perpetrators are still being defined. GSF is working with the government and partners to set up the implementation of these laws.

With the participation of:

The Crisis and Support Centre of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

Financing reparation

The discussion on Ukraine’s reconstruction is well underway, as seen through the Council of Europe’s Register of Damage for Ukraine and multiple reports from the World Bank². However, reparation for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and other victims of serious violations remains removed from the discussion, despite being fundamental for post-war recovery.

Alongside our partners REDRESS, we’re pushing for a significant percentage of both immobilised Russian sovereign assets and the frozen assets of sanctioned individuals and Moscow-linked entities to go toward reparations. Channelling part of the £2.5 billion from Oligarch Roman Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea FC³ in this way would turn frozen assets into justice and accountability for survivors of the gravest crimes.

The project is implemented with the support of the governments of France and Belgium, as well as with support of the International Renaissance Foundation (from the Open Society Foundations international network) and the Sigrid Rausing Trust.