As the Russia-Ukrainian war rages on, a growing number of experts from academia and civil society are advocating for African-led efforts to rescue children abducted by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian Association of South Africa, the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and the Democratic Institute Foundation (DIF) on July 19th 2024, brought together some academics and experts to deliberate on issues relating to the Ukraine Peace Formula and the African Mission.

The seminar at the University of Ghana, Legon featured experts and Ghanaian academics sharing views on the impact of the Ukrainian conflict on human rights issues, regional security and nuclear energy.

Kateryna Rashevska, a legal expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights, and a PhD fellow at the Shevchenko National University stated that the conflict has resulted in the forced transfer of over 19,500 Ukrainian children to Russia, with many facing militarization, identity changes, and irreversible trauma.

Contributing to the discussion, Dr. Elvis Fokala, Project Manager for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria also called on African leaders and international organizations to take immediate action to address this humanitarian crisis.

He emphasised that the African Union, in particular, is well-positioned to play a critical role in coordinating rescue efforts, given its experience in managing similar situations in Africa like the abducted children by terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Dr Fokala reiterated there is hope and the international community can come together to demand action while also suggesting that Africans can utilize lessons from past experiences in managing the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of abducted children.

Other discussions centred on how to restore peace in Ukraine and Africa, the next steps for the African Peace Mission and the role both parties can play in rescuing abducted Ukrainian children.