The Crimean Human Rights Group joined the Council on Human Rights, Gender Equality and Diversity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Ms.Emine Dzhaparova, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said that the Council on Human Rights, Gender Equality and Diversity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was being established to consolidate pressure on global human rights violators, support civil society and position Ukraine as a human-centered European power.
According to the official, the main priorities of the newly established body are:
- to protect fundamental human rights in all territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia;
- to protect the rights of Ukrainian children, primarily those illegally deported and forcibly displaced to the territory of Russia;
- to return all civilian hostages and prisoners of war.
During the founding meeting, Ms.Olha Skrypnyk, Head of Crimean Human Rights Group Board, emphasized the importance of international solidarity and cooperation in order to find mechanisms of searching for and returning of civilian hostages from the occupied territories and the Russian Federation.
Ms.Dzhaparova stressed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered “the Council as another platform to exchange views frankly, and to respond promptly to acute violations of human rights.”
