Ukrainians who were raped need reproductive health care: Sajjan

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OTTAWA — Worldwide Improvement Minister Harjit Sajjan says he informed Canadian officers in Ukraine and neighbouring international locations to make sure that ladies sexually assaulted by Russian troops get the assistance they want — together with entry to abortions if they want.

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He stated pregnant sexual assault victims who’ve fled Ukraine, the place abortion is authorized, to Poland, which final 12 months outlawed abortion typically, could possibly be helped to journey to elsewhere in Europe.

“We’re very conscious of a number of the legal guidelines in different European international locations, particularly Poland, so proper now the division is working via our companions and determining how we are able to assist these ladies,” Sajjan stated in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“We’ll ensure that, if we’ve to, we are going to even get them to a different nation the place they’ll really get the assist.”

Sajjan stated Canada would respect the legal guidelines of different international locations however famous “our individuals on the bottom” are discovering methods to “respectfully give the assist for the ladies.”

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Sajjan stated Ukrainian ladies may doubtlessly even come to Canada to obtain care and be fast-tracked via the immigration system if essential.

He stated Canadian officers had been working with native organizations which have networks to assist ladies who could have been victims of sexual violence.

In the meantime, Canada has despatched rape kits to Ukraine to assist police compile proof towards Russian troops alleged to have sexually assaulted ladies and ladies, as a part of broader measures supposed to handle gender-based violence attributable to the continuing conflict.

Sajjan stated the war-torn nation requested the kits. They’re used to conduct forensic medical examinations of sexual assault victims and accumulate proof that assist construct a case towards suspected perpetrators.

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Overseas Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has additionally confirmed that 10 RCMP officers serving to to compile proof of conflict crimes by Russian troops will examine sexual violence towards Ukrainians.

Canada introduced final week it’s committing an additional $1 million to assist the worldwide neighborhood examine alleged intercourse crimes by Russian troops in Ukraine.

Joly stated Canada would give the additional funds to the Worldwide Legal Courtroom to assist it examine sexual violence towards ladies, in addition to alleged crimes towards youngsters.

Adrien Blanchard, a spokesman for Joly, stated Canada was additionally supporting investigations by the United Nations Human Rights Council into sexual violence in Ukraine.

“We should be certain that the perpetrators of those heinous crimes are held to account,” he stated.

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At a gathering in Ottawa earlier this month with Swedish Overseas Affairs Minister Ann Linde, Joly mentioned the necessity to deal with Russian troops perpetrating sexual violence as conflict criminals.

Yulia Kovaliv, Ukraine’s ambassador designate to Canada, additionally warned members of Parliament earlier this month that Russia is utilizing sexual violence towards ladies and kids as a weapon of conflict.

A panel of 35 students with experience in worldwide regulation, genocide and jap Europe, chaired by former legal professional basic Irwin Cotler, has concluded that Russia has engaged in incitement to genocide.

Its authorized evaluation, printed by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, concluded Russia has breached the 1948 Genocide Conference on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to which it’s a celebration together with 151 different international locations.

Cotler stated nations which have signed the conference have a duty to stop such crimes and maintain Russia accountable for its actions.