Today, the Mission/Office of the Crimea Platform welcomed Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine. The meeting was attended by Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva and Deputy Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko, who provided an overview of the activities of the Mission/Office of the Crimea Platform.

The Permanent Representative emphasized that today we witness how Russian aggression normalizes violence, with the Russian army committing grave war crimes and exerting pressure on Ukrainian women living in occupied Crimea.

“Our people continue to resist Russian occupation tirelessly, demonstrating resilience, courage, and unwavering support for Ukraine. To suppress this resistance, in 2022, the Russian Federation introduced amendments to its criminal and administrative codes, imposing penalties for so-called ‘discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation.’ Nearly every second individual persecuted in temporarily occupied Crimea for their pro-Ukrainian stance, and subjected to pressure and threats by the occupiers, is a woman,” stated Tamila Tasheva.

The discussion highlighted the stories of Iryna Danilovych and Halyna Dovhopola, who were detained by the occupiers and are currently held in Russian prisons. The Mission’s team also spoke about cultural initiatives aimed at promoting awareness of Crimea and addressing the issues of occupation, emphasizing the exhibition LOMYKAMIN. WOMEN’S RESISTANCE IN CRIMEA, which was opened at the Mission to mark the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea.

The parties also discussed potential areas of collaboration between UN Women in Ukraine and the Mission, emphasizing the importance of highlighting the challenges faced by Ukrainian citizens, particularly women, under occupation.