“Ahead of International Women’s Day, my sympathy and profound solidarity go to Ukrainian women and girls who are caught up in a war waged with total disregard for human life and dignity. I pay my deepest respects to those of them who have been killed, and my thoughts are with those who have been injured,” said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović.
“Over the last two days I had the privilege to meet with many courageous Ukrainian women and girls who were able to escape the hostilities and seek safety after being forced to spend many terrifying nights in air-raid shelters with their children and relatives. I was extremely heartened by their resilience in the face of those harrowing experiences and by their unfailing hope,” added Commissioner Mijatović who is currently on a mission to the Republic of Moldova.
“Women feel first-hand the devastating impact that war has on their families and their communities. Amidst the fighting and violence surrounding them, Ukrainian women have been taking care of their families and neighbours, with many of them having travelled over long distances to bring their children and their friends’ children to safety. They also continue to work under bombardment and indiscriminate shelling as doctors, nurses and other professionals providing essential services to their communities. Women human rights defenders, journalists, civil society activists and volunteers work tirelessly towards re-establishing peace and protecting the values for which the Council of Europe stands. I salute their determination, strength, and courage.
I call on all Council of Europe member states to do their utmost to bring about peace and to ensure that humanitarian support effectively reaches all areas where it is most urgently needed, both inside Ukraine and in countries of arrival. Europe must today hear and heed Ukrainian women and girls’ resolute calls for action to protect peace and human dignity.”