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War in Ukraine: €8 million for UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission

Government of the Netherlands - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

News item | 11-12-2024

Three years of Russian aggression have taken a heavy toll on the people of Ukraine. Ukrainian civilians have been killed, wounded, tortured, raped and abducted. Entire neighbourhoods, hospitals and key infrastructure have been destroyed. The Netherlands believes that justice must be done and the perpetrators of these crimes must be held responsible. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) makes a crucial contribution to this.

On 10 December, during International Human Rights Day, we celebrate the fundamental freedoms that everyone is entitled to, such as the right to safety, the right to work and the right to go to school. Unfortunately, these rights are not available to everyone everywhere. In an increasing number of countries, human rights are under pressure, including in Ukraine, where people are subjected to human rights violations every day.

'The stories that we have been told are truly sickening', says Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. 'We spoke to people that had been subjected to torture, ill-treatment, and sexual violence. Sometimes on a daily basis. We are seeing an increase in civilian casualties from glide bombs and first-person view drones. In occupied territory, we see the indoctrination of schools, where children are not allowed to speak Ukrainian, and forced to learn the Russian curriculum and work for military groups.'

UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine

HRMMU reports on the human rights situation in Ukraine. The aim of the mission is to strengthen and protect human rights in Ukraine and ensure that those who commit human rights violations are held responsible.

The Netherlands stands for a world in which human rights are respected and perpetrators are held responsible for their actions. Only then, people can live in peace and security. That's why the Netherlands is committed to supporting the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). Yesterday, Erica Schouten, Special Envoy for Ukraine, announced that over the next two years the Netherlands will be making €8 million available for this mission.

'HRMMU's investigative work is of great importance to Ukraine', Schouten explains. 'Their work is impartial, accurate, credible and reliable, and their findings are used in national and international investigations into violations of human rights and international law. HRMMU makes a crucial contribution to establishing the truth and preventing impunity.'