The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has published a report addressing the impact of hostilities and Russian occupation in Ukraine on children’s rights. Between February 24, 2022, and December 31, 2024, the report documents grave infractions, including 669 child fatalities and 1,883 injuries. A staggering 89% of these casualties have been attributed to the utilization of explosive weaponry in populated sectors. The complete findings can be examined here.
Violations further extend beyond physical harm, with the destruction of civilian infrastructure such as schools and medical establishments. This results in limited access to vital services like education and healthcare for children. Landmines and explosive remnants of war present chronic dangers, contaminating approximately 139,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory.
The OHCHR report also highlights deliberate actions by Russian authorities in occupied areas aimed at eroding Ukrainian cultural and national identity. These actions include the imposition of Russian citizenship, education restructuring, and enforcement of the Russian state curriculum, with an evident goal of integrating these regions into the Russian cultural framework. The implications on Ukrainian identity and language result from these policies, which have further been outlined here and here.
Under international law, these actions are seen as violations, contravening the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which underscores the right to life and protection for children affected by armed conflict. Further, the report identifies breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention due to forced transfers of Ukrainian children to Russia, actions deemed war crimes.
The OHCHR calls upon Russian Federation to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure immediately and to honor Ukrainian children’s rights to cultural life. The international community is urged to extend financial and technical support to establish assistance programs for children relocating to Ukrainian-regulated zones. More on these developments is available here.