On August 20, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa took part in a public event on the topic “The UN Secretary-General's 2024 Report on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV): Has a Step Toward Justice Been Taken?” The event, organized by Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, was also attended by Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, as well as by representatives of civil society organizations, and international institutions.

In her statement, the Deputy Minister highlighted that, for the first time, the UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report includes a warning regarding the possible inclusion of Russia in the so-called “list of shame” as one of the most egregious violators in the field of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

Mariana Betsa emphasized: “Russian Federation systematically uses sexual violence as a tool of terror and a tactic of war against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. To stop Russia, we need to maintain all forms of pressure - political, informational, legal, sanctions-based, and diplomatic — both at the level of governments and parliaments, as well as civil society.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that such pressure must continue until Russia releases all illegally detained Ukrainians and is held accountable. She stressed that this is a key condition for the restoration of justice.

The participants also noted the importance of ensuring victims' access to justice, continuing the documentation of crimes, and strengthening international pressure on Russia to hold it accountable.

Ukrainian diplomacy, in cooperation with other government agencies, human rights defenders, and international organizations, will continue to highlight the systematic nature of these Russian crimes, which is critically important for international recognition of Russia as a rogue state, its inclusion in the UN “list of shame” and for ensuring accountability for the crimes it committed.