Ukraine calls on NATO PA to support initiative on peacekeepers in Donbas

19.11.2018 09:58

Ukrinform

First Deputy Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko, who represents Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group, has called on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to support Ukraine's initiative on a peacekeeping mission in the Donbas and ensure women's participation in such a mission.

She stated this as part of the ninth session of the NATO PA in Halifax, Canada.

"I urged to support Ukraine's initiative on a peacekeeping mission in the Donbas, and it would be good if women could make up a significant percentage in a peacekeeping mission," Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page.

She also spoke about the participation of Ukrainian women in peace processes, the role of military women and civilians in restoring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

According to Gerashchenko, Ukrainian women pay the highest and most terrible price for Russian aggression unleashed against Ukraine.

"More than 1,500 widows, more than 2,250 mothers who lost their sons [...] I talked about young nurses and women soldiers killed by Russian mercenaries, about women who remain hostages in the occupied Donbas for their pro-Ukrainian stance. I stressed that the Donbas, and especially Crimea, remain closed to monitoring missions. We cannot fully record all human rights violations there, including sexual crimes," she wrote.

In addition, Gerashchenko added, during the discussion, the sides exchanged views on enhancing the role of women in peacekeeping processes with the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security Claire Hutchinson, who recently visited Ukraine.

The session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, involving over 270 delegates, took place in Halifax last weekend.