UNSC briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine

[focus on children and education]

[Thursday, 12 May 2022; 1000 hrs EDT/1930 IST]

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Let me begin by thanking the briefers from OCHA and UNICEF for their insights on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, particularly on the impact of the conflict on children and education. We have carefully noted the points made by them.

Madam President,

2. Children constitute a third of humanity – the most important third, as they are our future. They are also the most vulnerable to suffering, particularly in situations of armed conflict, and therefore need additional protection and care. The conflict in Ukraine is no doubt severely impacting the 7.5 million children across Ukraine.

3. While the protection of the rights of the child, including their access to education is the primary responsibility of national government, the international community has the obligation, to do its utmost to provide succor to children affected by this conflict. India is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and appreciative of the ongoing efforts including that of UNICEF to alleviate the sufferings of the children. We also support UNICEF efforts to scale up its operations.

4. The conflict has also forced more than five million people to take shelter in the neighboring countries and another 7.1 million are displaced within Ukraine. Out of these, women and children constitute the majority. We commend the efforts by the neighbouring countries of Ukraine's who have welcomed refugees from Ukraine, and especially for treating women and children with compassion and dignity. As a country which has welcomed refugees over centuries, India knows the importance and value of treating them equally and with dignity and catering to their needs and requirements.

5. The impact of situation on education of children has also been severe. It has further aggravated the pandemic related challenges that children were already facing. There are reports that more than 900 education facilities and schools have either been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine. The efforts of the government of Ukraine to protect schools and other learning spaces, students, and teachers to ensure uninterrupted education for children, needs unequivocal support of the international community.

6. Let us not forget that the situation has also affected foreign students, including those from India. India facilitated safe return of 22500 Indian nationals, most of them students, studying in various universities in Ukraine. We are exploring options to minimize the impact on our students' education. We appreciate the relaxations made by the Ukrainian Government for this academic year in respect of medical students.

7. India has been sending humanitarian supplies to Ukraine and its neighbours, which include medicines and other essential relief material. Just last week, a further tranche of aid including essential medicines and medical equipment were handed over to the Ukrainian side. We support calls for guarantees of safe passage to deliver essential humanitarian and medical supplies; including through establishment of humanitarian corridors. We hope the international community will continue to respond positively to the evolving humanitarian requirements.

8. The food security challenges emanating from the conflict requires us to respond by going beyond constraints that bind us presently. Energy security is equally a serious concern and needs to be addressed through cooperative efforts. We acknowledge the efforts made by the Secretary General, particularly the findings of Global Crisis Response Group Task Team.

9. While responding positively to the evolving humanitarian requirements is an obligation and responsibility of the international community, it is in our collective interest to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, towards seeking an early resolution to the conflict.

10. Since the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict, India has stood for peace, dialogue and diplomacy. We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives, especially those of women and children.

11. Allow me to reiterate the importance of UN Guiding Principles of Humanitarian Assistance once again. Humanitarian action must always be guided by the principles of humanitarian assistance, i.e., humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. These measures should not be politicized.

12. We continue to reiterate that the global order is anchored in international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

I thank you.

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