The story of a returned child. One of millions.

Eurochild member Ukrainian Child Rights Network releases new video highlighting the plight of 1.6 million Ukrainian children under Russian occupation and the complex journey of those returning home.

According to estimates of Ukrainian human rights activists, about 1.6 million Ukrainian children are currently under the control of the Russian Federation in the occupied territories of Ukraine. It is impossible to determine the exact number: Russia systematically conceals information, blocks access to international monitoring missions, and changes the legal status of children. This problem is not only a matter of physical displacement. It is also about the loss of identity, political indoctrination, militarisation, forced citizenship, severance of family ties, and psychological trauma.

As of today, 2,000 children have been returned to Ukraine; 339 of them with the assistance of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network. Each return is a complex process that includes: locating the child, verifying information, preparing and restoring documents, logistical support, immediate psychological assistance, and long-term reintegration into the educational and social environment. Return is not the end, but the beginning of a long journey of recovery and reintegration for the child and their family. 

The video tells the story of a child who survived the occupation and has returned home. Her journey is difficult, like that of millions of other Ukrainian children. This is one story. But it illustrates the scale of the challenge facing Ukraine, the fight for every child.

Watch the video: