Government Chancellor: I firmly believe that those responsible for heinous acts of sexual violence and crimes in Ukraine will face justice
As part of her working visit in New York, Government Chancellor Giedrė Balčytytė took part in different discussions and events. In a discussion dedicated to the reconstruction and restoration of Ukraine, Giedrė Balčytytė emphasized the integration of gender aspects and the empowerment of women as a fundamental prerequisite for Ukraine’s democratic and prosperous future.
‘The recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine is already taking place now, in a joint effort with the women of this country, every day after every Russian attack, with Ukrainians themselves believing unconditionally in freedom. It is therefore imperative for the international community, too, to take action to rebuild and restore Ukraine without waiting for Day X,’ said Giedrė Balčytytė.
Giedrė Balčytytė noted that Ukrainian women living in Lithuania are already closely involved in the recovery of Ukraine. They have been invited to participate in the Create for Lithuania programme for young professionals, where they developed projects ranging from the analysis of the application of universal jurisdiction for war crimes in Ukraine to creating innovative digital tools for planning their country’s recovery.
‘More than 12 thousand Ukrainian women who found shelter from Russian bombs in our country have fully integrated into the labour market and are creating value for our society. Once Ukraine wins the war, I am sure these women will be in the driving seat of Ukraine’s recovery,’ said Government Chancellor Balčytytė.
Speaking at a high-level roundtable discussion of the Women’s Situation Commission, Giedrė Balčytytė emphasized that we live in a world where any autocratic leader and terrorist group can ignite new conflicts and wars, significantly increasing poverty, causing suffering to women and girls, and negatively affecting global progress.
‘In recent years, in discussions like this, we can feel a prevailing sense of dissonance. At the same time, we are talking about women seeking refuge from Russian bombs in Ukraine, and about complex data-driven technological solutions or innovative gender equality and women’s empowerment policies,’ said G. Balčytytė.
The Government Chancellor urged the international community to make every effort and allocate the necessary resources to make Russia, which has violated all existing international laws, to withdraw from Ukraine and take full responsibility for the crimes committed.
Speaking at the general debate session of the Women's Situation Commission on women's rights and empowerment, the Government Chancellor noted that women in conflict zones currently suffer the most, thus requiring special attention from the international community and the United Nations.
‘The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, leaving much more painful scars than physical pain, is alarming. Evidence collected by the UN confirms that crimes of sexual violence and gender-based violence committed by Russian armed forces in occupied regions of Ukraine, including Crimea, are widespread and used as a form of torture and humiliation. The recent UN report on sexual violence experienced by hostages held by Hamas in Gaza is also alarming and requires urgent international attention and accountability for the perpetrators,’ said the Chancellor.
Lithuania has been closely engaged in efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflicts, and it has been consistently deepening cooperation with UN institutions and other states, added G. Balčytytė.
Furthermore, as emphasized by the Government Chancellor, Lithuania will continue to make efforts to utilize all international legal instruments to ensure that crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, including cases of sexual violence and rape, are investigated, and the perpetrators brought to justice.