“We are interested in studying best practices of psychological rehabilitation and assistance to victims of conflicts," -- Iryna Herashchenko during a meeting with Pramila Patten, the UN Spec Rep on Sexual Violence in Conflict
On October 25, during her visit to the United Nations Security Council in New York (USA), the First Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament Iryna Herashchenko met the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten.
The interlocutors discussed the need for consolidating efforts to counteract sexual violence. The Presidential envoy on a peaceful settlement of the Donetsk-Luhansk clash, Iryna Herashchenko informed Pramila Patten about cases of sexual violence against Ukrainian hostages in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as the fact of the sexual harassment of a militant to an OSCE SMM’s representative in the Donbas. She also drew attention of the special representative to the fact that none of the international humanitarian missions have gained access to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine through the years of the Russian military aggression. According to I. Herashchenko, it is difficult to imagine the real situation with violations of the human rights, in particular, with regard to sexual violence over the occupied territories. However, the Ukrainian politician observed that the Ukrainian authorities should make more efforts to document and provide timely assistance to victims of violence.
The First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine invited P. Patten to visit Ukraine, and stressed that the State of Ukraine is very interested in studying best practices of psychological rehabilitation and assistance to victims of conflicts.