Ukraine is seeking greater support from Ghana in its efforts to reunite children separated from their families as its war with Russia rages on.
- Ukraine is seeking increased support from Ghana to help reunite children separated from their families due to the ongoing war with Russia.
- The Ukrainian Embassy in Ghana organized an event to highlight the Bring Kids Back UA initiative and the plight of affected children, with support from international partners.
- Ukrainian officials emphasized that child protection should be a collective international responsibility, stressing the need for African and especially Ghanaian engagement.
- Ukraine has called on Ghana to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children and is using cultural diplomacy to broaden humanitarian support outside Europe.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Ghana recently stepped up its outreach to Ghanaian officials, diplomats and civil society groups, highlighting the plight of children who have been separated from their families and homes amid the conflict.
The push was highlighted at an event in Accra organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in collaboration with Svitanok LBG and the Association of Ukrainians in Ghana, with support from the European Union, the Netherlands and other international partners.
The event combined cultural diplomacy with efforts to draw attention to Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which seeks to locate affected children and facilitate their return to their families.
Ivan Lukachuk, Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Ghana, said protecting children affected by armed conflicts should remain a shared responsibility of the international community, as seen on YEN.
He also called for stronger engagement from African countries, particularly Ghana, in efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families.
Liubov Abravitova, director of the Africa and Regional African Organisations Department at Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also stressed the importance of putting children’s welfare above political differences.
"These children are not numbers. They are sons and daughters. They have families waiting for them. They have homes to return to. They have the right to grow up in safety and to decide their own future," Abravitova stated.
"One does not have to choose a political side to help a child return to his or her family. A child should be with their family. And the protection of children should unite us regardless of geography, nationality or political differences," she added.
She noted that the children should be able to return to their families, grow up in safety and have a say in their future.
The programme featured the Lost Childhood art and photography exhibition, showcasing works by Ukrainian and Ghanaian artists, alongside drawings by children from the Ukrainian community in Ghana.
The exhibition sought to bring a human perspective to the issue by illustrating the experiences of children affected by the war.
Ukraine is now urging more African countries to participate in international efforts to facilitate the children’s return.
Kyiv has specifically called on Ghana to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which would strengthen the country’s involvement in the initiative.
The outreach reflects Ukraine’s efforts to use diplomatic engagement and partnerships with communities abroad to expand support for the humanitarian campaign beyond Europe.