Vladimir Putin is waging a "harrowing" and "barbaric" war on women and girls which he must be held to account for, the UK has told the United Nations. Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Monday Lord Tariq Ahmad said the Geneva Convention contained numerous provisions giving special protection to women and girls as civilians in conflict zones.
But he told the gathering: "Yet what we see today with our own eyes, and as today’s detailed briefings testify, is harrowing evidence of how women and girls are suffering. Mr Putin’s invading forces are absolutely oblivious to even the most basic tenet of the Geneva Conventions - the distinction, the absolutely essential distinction, between civilians and combatants.
"Today, sadly, we’ve once again heard Russia trying to deflect from the facts, the reality on the ground — muddy the waters — by what can only be described as quite extraordinary statements, and even lies. Yet, what is true, what is fact, is that Russian attacks on civilians and residential areas have been truly barbaric."
Since the start of the conflict when Russian forces launched their invasion nearly two thirds of Ukrainian children have fled their homes. The United Nations has verified the deaths of 142 youngsters although it believed the number is almost certainly much higher, the body said on Monday.
Lord Ahmad went on to praise the Ukrainian people. He said: "What we’ve seen shine through this, as a real beacon, is the Ukrainian people themselves. Ukrainian women have demonstrated incredible fortitude, and demonstrated the real resilience of the Ukrainian people."
Lord Ahmad said he had visited Poland where he had witnessed the welcome being given to fleeing refugees. But had added he had also seen the resilience of Ukrainian women who are crossing the border to protect their children.
He went on to say: "We’ve also met and seen female Members of Parliament who have resorted, because they can’t sit as Parliamentary Members, to take up firearms to defend themselves, to defend their people. We’ve seen incredible courage from civic leaders refusing to leave their communities."
But he condemned reports of brutality against women. He said: "Emerging reports paint a deeply disturbing picture, including alleged rapes and sexual violence within Ukraine’s borders.
"The violence and exploitation does not end there. Beyond the borders, displaced Ukrainian women and girls, as we’ve heard again today, face heightened risks of trafficking, a point made by UNICEF, and also sexual exploitation by criminal gangs."
He said the mounting evidence of war crimes in Ukraine should compel the international community to come together to stand with Ukraine and with those who have faced such "unspeakable violence".
He said the recent vote to suspend the Russian Federation from the Human Rights Council was proof that they were doing that. He went on to say the international community should work "ceaselessly" to investigate the crimes and to hold "Putin, Russia and the forces of Russia to account".
He added: "Any peace settlement must also reflect the disproportionate impact of this conflict, this war, on the girls and women of Ukraine."
Lord Ahmad was speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on the impact of the war on women and children. It was convened by the United States and Albania during Britain’s presidency of the body.
All three countries along with Ukraine and other council members attacked Russia for creating the dire situation for women and children. Russian deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyansky vehemently denied the allegations.
He was given evidence of the deaths, including a missile attack on a train station in which at least 52 mainly women and children died. However he blamed "Ukrainian Nazis" for the civilian killings and insisted the West was using "fakes and propeganda".
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea
