PANEL: About Victims of War – Reparations for War Crimes Committed

28.09.2023, 14:00 - 15:30 Main Stage Justice

Vast violations of international law, including international crimes, have been reported in the context of Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, the conflict in Eastern Ukraine since 2014, and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine which began on 24 February 2022. Many mechanisms are being mobilised on domestic and international levels to pursue the criminal accountability of perpetrators. Yet victims cannot wait until the end of the invasion: urgent action is needed to address the harms victims have suffered and help them to rebuild their lives. Victims of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law have a right to reparations under international law. Bringing together survivors of the atrocities in Ukraine, and a range of experts working to deliver reparations both in Ukraine and through international mechanisms, this panel will explore why reparations are critical for victims, what is most needed in the short and long-term, and what initiatives are underway. Panellists will delve into issues such as: urgent interim reparative measures for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence; the possibilities and challenges of creating a domestic reparations programme in Ukraine; reparations or assistance through the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims; the operationalisation of the Register of Damages; and the financing of reparations, including through Russian asset confiscation.