On October 29, 2024, Mr. Pablo Camprubí, First Secretary, delivered a statement at the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee on the topic of human rights in Ukraine.
Opening the session, Mr. Erik Møse, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, presented a briefing on the grave human rights impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He reported that at least 12,000 civilians have been killed and 26,000 injured, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Mr. Møse highlighted a wide range of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law observed throughout the conflict.
The recent investigations by the Commission, he noted, focused on torture, sexual violence, and attacks with explosive weapons, particularly those targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He described acts of torture against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war as constituting crimes against humanity and pointed to the recurrent use of sexual violence as a form of torture. Survivors of torture and sexual violence, he said, often face severe and lasting physical and psychological harm, with many detainees and civilians reporting denial of medical assistance, even when in visibly poor health.
Mr. Møse also highlighted the impact of extensive attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which have caused power outages affecting millions and exacerbating health, education, and security challenges for vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those with medical needs. These blackouts, he noted, have heightened distress, anxiety, and isolation for many.
Further investigations, he said, continue into explosive weapon attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities and cultural sites protected under international law. Concluding his remarks, Mr. Møse emphasised the need for accountability, both judicial and non-judicial, as a means to end the culture of impunity. Holding perpetrators accountable, he stressed, is essential for delivering a sense of justice to victims.
In his statement, Mr. Camprubí highlighted the severe humanitarian and human rights crisis faced by civilians in Ukraine as a result of the conflict. He highlighted how the destruction of essential infrastructure has deprived millions of basic necessities, such as medical care, food, water, and shelter, forcing many into displacement and insecurity, adding that vulnerable populations, including women, children, and the elderly, are bearing the brunt of these conditions.
Mr. Camprubí drew attention to the Order of Malta’s humanitarian efforts, particularly through Malteser International in collaboration with local organisations, which have provided critical support in Ukraine since 2022. This has included supplying food, facilitating medical treatments, equipping amputation patients with prosthetics, and supporting the expansion of prosthetic limb production and orthopedic care. He also drew on the psychosocial support provided by the Order and its partners, with targeted mental health services offered to trauma survivors, including children, and stress management programs for healthcare workers.
Mr. Camprubí concluded by calling for the protection of civilian lives and infrastructure, respect for International Humanitarian and Human Rights Laws, and unimpeded humanitarian operations.
