On September 30, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa held a meeting with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender Ms. Saara-Sofia Sirén.

"The ongoing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is causing unprecedented suffering for a significant number of women, men, and children in our country. Ukraine is sincerely grateful to the Republic of Finland for the strong support that Finland provides to our country both bilaterally and during its OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025 with the aim of countering Russian aggression and restoration of the comprehensive, just and lasting peace" said Mariana Betsa.

The Deputy Minister called for active use of the mandate of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender to draw the international community's attention to the terrible war crimes committed by the Russian Federation against Ukrainian civilians and POWs, including the use of sexual violence as a form of genocidal war against Ukraine.

In this context, Mariana Betsa emphasized the importance of coordinated action by Ukraine and international partners to ensure that structures affiliated with Russian Federation are included in the list of parties reasonably suspected of committing acts of sexual violence in the Report of the UN Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

The interlocutors recognized Ukraine's significant progress in the scope of gender equality in recent years and agreed to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in this sphere, taking into account Finland's progressive experience in the field of human rights and gender equality.