On January 15, the inaugural meeting on Ukraine's Chairmanship of the International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI Alliance) was held with the participation of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.
This important event, initiated by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine - Minister of Justice of Ukraine, together with Kateryna Levchenko, the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, was attended by foreign ambassadors, representatives of international organizations, civil society, and experts.
In her address at the opening of the event, Deputy Minister Mariana Betsa emphasized the particular importance of Ukraine's Chairmanship of the PSVI Alliance in drawing international attention to the issue of sexual violence in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. "Ukraine's presidency of the Alliance in 2025 is not only a confirmation of our commitment to the protection of human rights but also an opportunity to demonstrate effective international leadership in combating sexual violence in conflict (CRSV)," the Deputy Minister stated.
In the context of Ukraine's ongoing efforts to draw attention to Russian war crimes, Mariana Betsa informed participants about the United Nations Security Council Arria-formula meeting held on 13 January 2025, initiated by Ukraine, which addressed Russia's violations of international humanitarian law against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees.
The PSVI Alliance participants discussed Ukraine's key priorities during its presidency of the Alliance, including, in particular, strengthening commitments regarding the launching of comprehensive reparations programs for victims, as well as examining best practices to ensure effective responses to cases of sexual violence in conflict.
Within the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the key elements of implementing these priorities is the coordination of Ukraine's active cooperation with the international organizations in documenting cases of sexual violence and prosecuting perpetrators. This work includes cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), UNICEF and other organizations. The launch of the International Register of Damage caused by Russian aggression has become an important component of a comprehensive international compensation mechanism.