ULAG at the United for Justice International Conference and the Dialogue Group Ministerial Meeting
On 7 May, Kyiv hosted the international conference United for Justice. United for Survivors and the meeting of Ministers of the Dialogue Group on Accountability for Crimes Committed in Ukraine. This joint event served as a high-level platform for aligning national and international efforts to deliver justice for international crimes committed during the war.
Nadia Volkova, Head of ULAG and co-coordinator of Workstream 4 of the Dialogue Group, called on the international community not to reduce the priority of justice issues, even despite the change in focus to reconstruction, because justice is the foundation of it.
The Dialogue Group on bringing to justice for the most serious crimes in Ukraine is a platform for cooperation, exchange of information, and coordination among various stakeholders working in the field of justice and accountability.
The 4th workshop focuses on strengthening the role of Ukrainian and international NGOs in documenting crimes, protecting victims' rights, advocacy, legislative reforms and coordinating efforts for justice. This workshop also facilitates a systematic dialogue between CSOs and international partners and adds expertise to the other 3 workshops of the Dialogue Group, which includes the EU, ICC, Eurojust and OGP.
Key points from the speech of Nadia Volkova, Head of ULAG and Co-coordinator of the Workstream 4 of the Dialogue Group:
- The ratification of the Rome Statute has become a powerful catalyst for activating internal efforts aimed at developing relevant legislation for the effective investigation and prosecution of international crimes.
- The qualitative implementation of international law standards is the first step towards ensuring genuine justice for hundreds of thousands of victims awaiting it since 2014. It should be based not only on the Rome Statute but also take into account the Ukrainian context and other sources of international law.
- The implementation of legislation can serve as a safeguard against the potential consequences of Ukraine's declaration under Article 124 of the Rome Statute. This places particular responsibility on Ukrainian authorities to ensure a quality investigation and prosecution of war crimes.
- Procedural changes are necessary. This concerns conducting in absentia proceedings, preserving evidence, ensuring access for international experts to cases, and other standards without which even the best legislation will remain declarative.
No matter what will happen at the political level, Ukraine with the help of the international community must ensure that justice does not become a bargaining chip or a casualty in the peace negotiations. Justice is a foundation of a reconstruction process.
We call for continued support for documenting, building cases, providing legal assistance to victims, and analytical work in the field of justice. We stand ready to do our homework and carry out our duties to the best of our ability but we need support and we need powerful partnerships.