Justice and accountability are not tokens for negotiation, say survivors in Ukraine

Geneva, The Hague, Kyiv, 27 November, 2025 – While peace talks are underway to determine the future of Ukraine, the Global Survivors Fund (GSF) and the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation (MF) urge all parties to ensure that the demands of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are reflected in the process.

“Survivors are outraged that amnesty for war crimes is even considered,” says Katrien Coppens, Executive Director, Mukwege Foundation. “Justice and accountability are not up for debate – and cannot be tokens for negotiation.”

Recent reports of a general amnesty being removed from peace proposals are encouraging.

At the international conference hosted by Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) in Kyiv on 26 November, survivors presented their Call to Action. These demands include:

• No amnesty for war crimes;

• The immediate release of all those still in Russian captivity;

• The inclusion of survivors of violations committed since 2014 in the Registry of Damages. Survivors also stress that the process for applying for compensation need to be flexible, accessible and survivor-centred;

• The effective and prompt implementation of Law 4067 (Bardina Law);

The Bardina Law gives survivors of conflict-related sexual violence the right to urgent interim reparation. The law came to force in June 2025 but is yet to be implemented. The pilot project on Urgent Interim Reparations for conflict-related sexual violence survivors proves that the registration process can be inclusive, transparent, credible and survivor-centred.

“Survivors have told us time after time how much recognition matters,” said Esther Dingemans, Executive Director of the Global Survivors Fund. “Through the Urgent Interim Reparation pilot project, we have shown that simple, survivor-centred procedures are effective and meet the critical need for acknowledgement of what happened to them. Ukraine’s recovery will depend not only on physical reconstruction, but the rebuilding of its people.”

For press enquiries, please contact: shammond@globalsurvivorsfund.org, +41 762 94 94 85.