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Countering human trafficking in Ukraine since 2011
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Practices implemented in Ukraine to support children who have suffered from human trafficking
"We stood in the rain, hungry and exhausted. They forced us to throw grenades and shout 'glory to Russia.' I was 14…" – testimony of a resident of the Kherson region.
Children are not trophies of war
On October 15, 2025, as part of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, expert and member of the NGO Coalition against Human Trafficking Yulia Sachenko presented to the world the best practices currently being implemented in Ukraine to support children who have suffered from human trafficking.
The foundation of these practices is:
- creating a safe environment,
- respect for dignity,
- trauma-informed approach,
- multidisciplinary collaboration.
Yulia also presented the study she co-authored – "Return Every Child", prepared in collaboration with Save Ukraine, War Child UK, and the Human Security Centre.
According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, over 1.6 million Ukrainian children are currently under the control of the russian federation – in camps, foster families, or on temporarily occupied territories. Their testimonies expose a systematic plan: to erase Ukrainian identity, intimidate, isolate, and prepare them for service in the aggressor’s army.
This is the first study of such scale, based on the testimonies of over 200 Ukrainian boys and girls who were successfully returned home from occupation and russia.
These children recount what awaited them beyond the russian borders:
- 55% – experienced pro-russian indoctrination
- 41% – underwent military training
- 30% – were held in camps
- 18% – were separated from their families
- 10% – suffered torture
- 6% – reported sexual violence
"I shouted 'Glory to Ukraine!' – the police came, the director hit me and said: 'In russia you can only say "Glory to russia"'"
10-year-old boyKharkiv region
According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, over 1.6 million Ukrainian children are currently under the control of the russian federation – in camps, foster families, or on temporarily occupied territories. Their testimonies expose a systematic plan: to erase Ukrainian identity, intimidate, isolate, and prepare them for service in the aggressor’s army.
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Countering human trafficking in Ukraine since 2011
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