"While it is encouraging to see diplomatic efforts intensify around the world to lay foundations for peace in Ukraine, particularly following the recent plan presented by the US President, I reiterate a critical message: a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace can only be achieved if it is anchored in the international human rights framework.

Human rights provide the only universally agreed and the most reliable framework for just and lasting peace-making.

While the priority remains to silence the weapons and provide humanitarian relief, we must nevertheless act now to lay the groundwork for a human-centred peace. The ambition must be to safeguard a future that fully respects the human rights and dignity of the Ukrainian people.

Human rights elements for peace

I have laid out key elements to secure a just, sustainable, human rights-based, victim-centred peace and recovery in my Memorandum on human rights elements for peace in Ukraine. This document sets out core issues that must be addressed in any peace discussion, including:

•    Accountability and reparations: mechanisms for accountability for perpetrators of gross human rights violations and international crimes and fair reparations for all victims of Russia’s aggression (since 2014) are key to alleviate the suffering of victims and to secure peace and stability in the future.
•    Protection of affected persons: the sustainable protection of the rights of those most affected, should be ensured. This includes victims, IDPs and refugees, missing persons, prisoners of war, civilian detainees, unlawfully transferred Ukrainian children, and people living in territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia. It is crucial that all detainees are unconditionally released, and all unlawfully transferred Ukrainian children are returned.
•    Reconstruction and recovery: all planning for reconstruction and recovery must be human rights-based and honour human dignity, prioritising those most in need.
•    Inclusion: the meaningful inclusion of women and a multiplicity of actors (including civil society, national and international human rights actors) must be central to all stages of the peace process.

To fortify our security and counter the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we must unequivocally defend the values and human rights that are under fire in this war against Ukraine. My Memorandum offers essential insights into how to address these and other issues. 

On that basis, I convened in Warsaw 10 days ago, a closed-door meeting of 35 high-level participants, including the Ukrainian Ombudsman, Ukrainian civil society, and officials from governments and international organisations. The meeting focused on embedding human rights and dignity at the very heart of pathways to a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine. A report is forthcoming.

I emphasise that a just and lasting peace requires that human rights concerns are addressed throughout the peace process."