Child Protection – Adult Responsibility
On July 25, 2025, Yaroslav Taranets, Senior Lawyer at East SOS, participated in a meeting of the Expert Council under the Representative of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, along with other specialists and organizations dedicated to protecting children in wartime.
Amidst the ongoing war, the protection of children’s rights remains one of Ukraine’s top priorities. Deportations, family separation, denial of education, propaganda in temporarily occupied territories, psychological trauma, injuries, and killings are just a few of the crimes committed by russia against Ukrainian children. During the meeting, experts focused on:
- Ethical principles of working with children (how and what to communicate);
- Access to education in frontline and temporarily occupied areas;
- Prevention of militarization in the education system (ensuring a safe learning environment);
- Key challenges and responses in the child protection field.
Yaroslav Taranets highlighted the urgent need to evacuate children from frontline areas. He stated that this work is vital for East SOS, as our evacuation teams assist everyone in need, with families and children being a top priority. He said that joint efforts and communication are essential to effectively protect children’s rights during wartime.
“To safeguard children’s rights and interests, cross-sectoral coordination among stakeholders is crucial,” he emphasized.
This advocacy is part of the project “Support for War-Affected Vulnerable Populations and Residents of Remote Areas of Ukraine,” funded by the European Union in Ukraine.
