Published on: 2026-06-03
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
In the frameworkresolution adopted by the UN General AssemblyThe organization uses the good offices of the UN Secretary-General to assist in the return of Ukrainian children and coordinate international efforts on this issue. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Fraser, has received a mandate to interact with the Russian authorities, coordinate the work of UN system institutions, gain access to Ukrainian children, and involve member states in the search for solutions in the interest of each individual child.
Recently, Freyzer visited Ukraine and Russia, where she held negotiations on the protection of children and the implementation of this mandate. In an interview with Yevgeniya Kleshcheva from the UN News Service on the eve ofInternational Day of Innocent Children Victims of AggressionShe spoke about the discussion, seen from both sides of the front line, and about why the child’s interests must remain the primary guiding principle when making any decisions.
Evgenia Kleshcheva: You recently returned from Ukraine. What surprised you the most about how the war affects children and families?
Vanessa Fraizer: The war on the territory of Ukraine is very severe. Children suffer disproportionately badly, especially when it comes to education. It is necessary to understand that the war began immediately after the pandemic.COVID-19The children have already spent two years in remote learning, and then some of them had to continue studying online. Probably, this made the strongest impression on me, because when my children were studying remotely, I was eagerly waiting for schools to partially return to in-person format.
At the same time, the efforts of the Ukrainian government and local authorities, supported by UNICEF and non-governmental organizations, are simply incredible. Amazing projects are being implemented. We are talking about numerous underground schools, schools located in the metro. I was impressed by the determination of the authorities in ensuring continuous education.
EK: You also visited Russia. What were your main messages to the Russian authorities?
VF: When I was sent to Russia, I had two roles. As a Special Representative, I spoke directly aboutSix serious violations of children’s rights in conditions of armed conflictsThe Russian Armed Forces are included in the corresponding list for two types of serious violations – murders and infliction of injuries to children, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals.
The Security Council resolutions, which define our mandate, clearly indicate that if a party to the conflict is included in such a list, the only way to be excluded from it is to conclude with the UN a plan of commitments with clear deadlines aimed at the cessation and prevention of gross violations. At the same time, compliance must be confirmed by the UN. Our discussions were devoted to developing such commitments.
My second role was related toResolution of the General Assembly on the return of Ukrainian children, the location remains unknown. She has instructed to use the good offices of the Secretary-General to achieve four results. These are coordination of UN agencies’ activities, interaction with the Russian Federation, access for Ukrainian children wherever they are located, and involvement of member states in this process.
The Secretary General has decided that his good offices in this matter will be exercised through my office. Therefore, during the stay in Russia, I also conducted the appropriate discussions. I was granted access to some Ukrainian children, organized by the Russian side.
EK: Can you tell us about the progress regarding the obligations and the implementation of the resolution?
UN: The Russian Federation was open to discussions. Naturally, further negotiations are ahead. However, the Russian side unilaterally proposed a number of commitments it is ready to undertake. This is a positive signal.
Regarding discussions about Ukrainian children, the place of residence remains unknown; I have had constructive negotiations with the authorized representative for children’s rights. And they continue. Every case is individual. When decisions are made, they must be based exclusively on the best interests of the specific child.
UN: The UN is unable to verify the scale of the consequences of the conflict in the territory of the Russian Federation. You managed to visit Belgorod. What did you see there?
VFI: Of course, this was not a fact-checking mission. Such missions must be conducted in accordance with very strict procedures. Nevertheless, it was extremely important for us to visit there. Russia provided us with wide access to children, guardians, doctors, and displaced persons. In Belgorod, I visited several schools, a kindergarten, and a sports center. I also visited a children’s hospital. The doctors told me about the nature of the injuries they had to deal with in their work, and about cases of death of which they became witnesses.
This war must end as soon as possible. It should not have started at all.
When there is a war, there are victims on every side. Therefore, it is obvious that there are also Russian victims, but we cannot confirm them because we do not have reliable access. Accordingly, we cannot name exact numbers. But it is obvious that children have also died on Russian territory as a result of this war. I met a child who lost a kidney as a result of a drone attack. There were other cases as well, which the children themselves told us about.
Within the framework of our mandate, we do not consider the question of who is the aggressor, and who is defending themselves. What is important to us is that children die as a result of the war – regardless of where it happens and who bears responsibility. Obviously, there are victims in Russia as well. It was important for us to better understand the situation.
EK: Children of Ukraine, as you have already said, have been living for years under conditions of war – with constant sirens, displacement, uncertainty. What long-term psycho-social consequences do you fear?
BF: I visited both sides of the front line, and the situation on the Ukrainian side is undoubtedly much more difficult. I was directly at the front line. I visited not only Kharkiv but also Zolochiv — actually so close to the front line as possible. It was important for me to see what Ukrainian children go through, because for the preparation of our reports it is extremely important to have personal experience and direct observations.
In Kharkiv, children have more opportunities to use underground shelters because the city was originally built that way. There are still Soviet anti-atomic shelters there. In addition, the city has huge metro stations. In recent years, a huge amount of work has been done to move many types of activities underground. For example, all my meetings with Ukrainian officials took place in underground premises.
One of the schools in the metro area that I visited opened only in January. Before that, children six years old studied remotely. They were happy to have the opportunity to communicate with each other. However, even now they do not spend a full day at school due to a lack of space. Social interaction, the ability to play – all of this is an important part of development and helps to overcome the traumas of war.
Sirens sound almost continuously in Kharkiv. It is impossible to conduct classes in an on-site school and go to shelter, because this had to be done continuously all day long. Therefore, people constantly have to stay underground. This creates a depressing impression.
In the frontline Zolochiv, which we visited, there are no large underground structures like in Kharkiv. Children still study remotely, but they have the opportunity to visit public shelters, which thanks to UNICEF and a number of donors have been converted into special spaces. There they can talk with psychologists, engage in art therapy, participate in sports events. Classes on mine safety are also held, which is extremely important, since Ukraine, having entered its fifth year of war, is considered one of the most mined and contaminated with explosive objects countries in the world.
We met with several children who wanted to share their stories with me. Some of them were very difficult. I met a 12-year-old girl who, for two days before our meeting, had been sitting at home at her desk doing her lessons. Then she got up and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. At that moment, the place where her desk stood was hit.
She was so shocked that she could not talk about it. Her mother was telling this story until the girl gradually felt confident enough to start communicating as well. She understood that if she did not go for water, she would not have been able to talk with us that day. It leaves an indelible impression. And when we tell one story, it is necessary to remember that hundreds of others stand behind it.
EQ: Are there groups of children who, in your opinion, are especially vulnerable—for example, children with disabilities—and require special attention?
VF: Unfortunately, children with disabilities are always in a more vulnerable position. At the same time, I was very impressed by the Ukrainian projects because they were fully accessible to people with limited abilities.
Children should not have to choose between safety and education.
In addition, it is necessary to consider that many children have received serious injuries as a result of shelling, and the number of children with disabilities is increasing. Therefore, one of the key directions of our informational work is the necessity to take into account accessibility issues in the restoration of infrastructure. This must be laid down at the planning stage, since the number of children who have been disabled is growing. And on the Ukrainian side, we have seen serious attention given to this issue.
EK: Do you see possibilities for humanitarian interaction between the parties on issues related to children?
VF: When I visited Belgorod, I was struck by the fact that Belgorod is closer to Kharkiv than to Moscow. In more peaceful times, there was close interaction between the two cities. For a resident of Belgorod, it was easier to go to Kharkiv for some service or goods.
I also had the opportunity to visit an Orthodox church and talk with a priest. He told us how closely intertwined the families are on both sides of the border. Many natives of Belgorod are married to natives of Kharkiv. Therefore, on a human and personal level, there is a very special emotional component here. This is not just a war — it is a war between communities and people who, for many reasons, were very close to each other. You can feel it. You can feel this sadness.
EK: Do you think enough attention is paid to the protection of children?
VF: Da. And especially I must say about Ukraine. There a joint plan for the protection of children is in effect, and it is very successful. We see that it really works. Despite the fact that attacks from Russia continue constantly and the intensity remains high, the number of affected children does not increase at the rate it could have grown considering the scale of the attacks. And we definitely must use this plan as an example for others.
In Belgorod, we also saw serious protective measures. For example, schools are equipped with anti-vandal nets. All windows are covered with special anti-shatter film because the glass can shatter and injure children, even if the school was not the target of an attack. In all the schools we visited, basements have been converted into shelters stocked with water and food supplies. Regular drills on actions in emergency situations are conducted.
Thus, both parties pay attention to protecting their children. However, they necessarily pay more attention to protecting the children of the other side. For example, in discussions with Russia, we emphasized the importance of careful selection of weapons during operations. Cluster munitions, for instance, are widely used by both sides. We see a large number of casualties as a result of their use, especially among children. The same applies to mines. Children are particularly vulnerable to the danger of mines for various reasons – sometimes they simply start playing with such objects without understanding what they are.
Therefore, we call on the parties to plan their actions in such a way as to protect children from each other. The Russian side, when conducting operations, must take into account exactly which types of weapons are being used. If the target is a military object and it is known that there is a school or hospital nearby, it is necessary to use such means that allow hitting only the military target and do not cause damage to civilian objects.
EK: What steps, in your opinion, should the international community take now for a more effective protection of children?
VF: I believe that much more needs to be done, especially in the field of education. It is wonderful to see that so many donors provide support in this area. Children should not have to choose between safety and education.
Education will become an important part of restoration. It is necessary for building a sustainable world. Children must receive education because they will become the leaders who will support and develop this world. Therefore, the fact that great attention is paid to the issues of continuous education is extremely important. This work must inevitably continue.
EK: Are there any other messages you would like to convey?
UN: I repeat what the Secretary-General constantly says: an absolute cessation of fire is necessary, an absolute finding of a solution through negotiations. This is about communities that rely heavily on each other, know each other well, and throughout their entire history and culture have been closely connected with one another.
Children do not bear the destructive consequences of decisions made by adults. We see this in every conflict. This war must end as soon as possible. It should never have started at all.
Please note; This information is raw content received directly from the source. It represents an exact report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.