As a EUR 140 billion loan to Ukraine is on the table, a portion must be assigned for victims of gross human rights violations.

As the war in Ukraine continues, victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, enforced disappearance, torture, and other grave violations are waiting for justice. Reparations are their right under international law, and a lifeline to rebuild stability, hope and restore dignity.

With a EUR 140 billion loan to Ukraine – backed by immobilised Russian sovereign assets – now on the table, the European Union must innovate by leveraging these assets and assign a portion of the funds for victims of gross human rights violations and serious violations of humanitarian law.

Dedication as little as 2% of this reparation loan – EUR 2.8 billion – to domestic reparations programmes would transform lives. This bold step would showcase European leadership and a commitment to the rule of law, enabling the E.U- and Ukraine to:

• Deliver reparations to all victims in urgent need, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence;
• Provide recognition and redress to families of the disappeared;
• Support rehabilitation and compensation for victims of torture and other grave violations.

This is a historic opportunity for Europe to pioneer a justice model where the perpetrator´s resources are used to repair the harmed caused to victims, and survivors are no longer left to pay the price of survival. By investing in reparations, Europe will rebuild Ukraine´s social cohesion, support its human capital, and lay the foundations for reconstruction, recovery and justice.

Signatories:

29 December, Ukraine

Accountability Unit

All Survivors Project

Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the KremlinCeasefire Centre for Civilian Rights

Civilian Detainees, Ukraine

Coalition for Genocide Response

Dnistrianskyi Center for Law and Politics

Dr Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation

Dr Ewelina U. Ochab, IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer

Dr Felix Stein, Principal Investigator of the REPAIR research project

Foundation Sunflowers

Free to Live, Ukraine

Global Rights Compliance

Global Survivors Fund

GOAL

Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights

Human Rights Center ZMINA, Ukraine

Human Rights Platform, Ukraine

Illia Chernohorenko, Ex Director-General for the Rule of Law Directorate, Ukraine

InterJust

International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute

International Center for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of MultiGenerational

Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT)

International Center for Transitional Justice

Justice and Accountability for Ukraine (JAFUA)

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW)

Mama Jane Charity Foundation

McCue Jury & Partners

Montreal Institute for Global SecurityNetwork of Ukrainian Men who Survived Captivity and Torture ‘Alumni’

New Lines Institute

Norwegian Helsinki Committee

NUMO, SISTERS!

New York University’s PaCT (Peace and Conflict Transformation) Group

Physicians for Human Rights

Platform for Peace and Humanity

REDRESS

SEMA Ukraine

State Capture Accountability Project

Tetyana Nesterchuk, Barrister, Fountain Court Chambers

The Reckoning Project

Truth Hounds

Ukraine Legal Network, Project of the Nuhanovic Foundation

Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation

Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem”

Universal Rights Group

Way of Freemen, Ukraine

Women’s Information Consultative Center (WICC)

Cover photo credits: CNN