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MEPs known as on Thursday (5 Could) on all EU member states to ensure Ukrainian ladies entry to emergency contraception and abortion — after rising studies of rape and sexual violence getting used as “a weapon of conflict” by Russian troopers.
In addition they stated EU funds must be used to ship “dignity kits” with contraceptives and sexual reproductive well being kits to Ukraine and different to host international locations.
Ladies are “the most important victims of Putin’s conflict” and “the simplest goal for a Russian soldier’s cruelty,” liberal MEP Dita Charanzová stated throughout a plenary debate in Strasbourg.
Of the greater than 5 million refugees who’ve already fled Ukraine, 90 % of them are ladies and kids.
However the threat for girls of changing into victims of violence stays after they enter the EU.
Trafficking was already a problem in Ukraine earlier than the Russian invasion. However the conflict has raised fears over ladies looking for refuge within the EU ending up within the fingers of legal gangs.
MEPs known as on EU international locations to coordinate to make sure secure transport for girls travelling between member states.
Socialist MEP Robert Biedroń, who chairs the European Parliament’s committee on ladies’s rights, stated member states ought to enhance the registration of all refugees to guard ladies from sexual exploitation.
Likewise, he stated that it’s “unacceptable” that ladies looking for refuge in his nation, Poland, have been compelled to proceed pregnancies which can be the results of “brutal rapes”.
“As Europeans, it’s our accountability to ensure entry to well being and different rights to Ukrainian ladies,” stated centre-right Polish MEP Ewa Kopacz.
Ukrainian victims of gender-based violence and rape have been struggling to get abortion care in Poland — the place entry to abortion beneath the nation’s healthcare system is virtually unattainable.
However Poland has change into the single-biggest vacation spot for refugees fleeing the conflict, internet hosting practically 2.6 million Ukrainians.
Abortion With out Borders, an NGO that helps ladies from Poland entry abortion, stated they’ve acquired greater than 158 requests from Ukrainian ladies asking for data on methods to terminate their being pregnant in Poland.
Russian disgrace
“Russia shouldn’t be solely waging conflict in opposition to Ukraine, Russia can be waging conflict in opposition to ladies,” EU commissioner for dwelling affairs Ylva Johansson stated.
“They invade your nation, they invade your private home, they invade your physique,” she added, arguing that ladies that suffered from rape and sexual assault must have entry to secure abortion, sexual reproductive rights and psychological help.
Rising studies of Russian troopers raping Ukrainian ladies, Johansson, must be investigated and the perpetrators of those “conflict crimes” have to be delivered to justice.
“Russia ought to by no means ever be capable to wash away the disgrace,” she warned.
The Ukrainian ombudsman workplace acquired 400 complaints of rape dedicated by Russian troopers within the first two weeks of April, in keeping with the Kyiv Unbiased.
However the nation’s authorities proceed investigating and gathering investigations over the instances by which Russian troopers have used rape as a weapon of conflict — with the help of the European Union.
The EU has arrange a joint investigation workforce with Ukraine to gather proof and examine conflict crimes — in cooperation with the Worldwide Legal Courtroom in The Hague which in early March determined to open an investigation into potential conflict crimes in Ukraine.
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