Ukrainians in Denmark host Oleksandra Matviichuk to highlight child deportations

Two organizations – Hjælp Ukrainske Børn – Help Ukrainian Children, a member of the Association of Ukrainians in Denmark, and Women4Ukraine – organized an advocacy visit to Denmark by Oleksandra Matviichuk, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and renowned Ukrainian human rights activist.

The visit was announced by Lesia Ignatyk-Eriksen, head of the Ukrainian Association in Denmark and leader of Hjælp Ukrainske Børn – Help Ukrainian Children, in a statement to the Ukrainian World Congress.

Matviichuk arrived in Denmark to participate in the conference “Deported Children of Ukraine: A Stolen Generation,” held on Jan. 31, 2025, in Denmark’s legislative chamber. 

The event was organized by the Ukrainian diaspora and the organizations Hjælp Ukrainske Børn – Help Ukrainian Children and Women4Ukraine.

The conference aimed to highlight the issue of the deportation of Ukrainian children. Leading Danish experts, human rights activists, politicians, and international human rights professionals attended the event.

“These three days were incredibly busy and significant in raising awareness among Danish society about the deportation of Ukrainian children and the impact the war has had on an entire generation of children in Ukraine,” said the event organizers.

With Denmark set to chair the UN Security Council in 2025, the Ukrainian diaspora in Denmark is working to ensure that Danish policymakers give greater attention to the issue of deported Ukrainian children and push for its discussion at the international level.

Alongside Matviichuk, the visit included human rights activists Oksana Lebedeva, founder of Gen.Ukrainian, and Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties.

Meetings and key events

In addition to attending the conference, the Ukrainian human rights team held a series of significant meetings, including with:

• Danish NGOs supporting Ukraine,
• The European Commission’s representation in Denmark,
• Scholars from the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Law,
• Staff from the Danish Institute Against Torture,
• Representatives of the Danish Refugee Council.

Matviichuk also gave a lecture at City Town Hall on the impact of human rights and emerging technologies on geopolitical processes.

A key moment in raising awareness was the screening of the documentary “Stolen Childhoods” at Nordic Film cinema, which further highlighted the issue of Ukrainian children’s deportation.

Results of the advocacy visit

The goal of the advocacy visit was not only to raise awareness about the issue of child deportation but also to call for action at all levels – from activists helping children escape occupied territories and rehabilitate in Ukraine, to European institutions that must grasp the full scale of this deportation and its impact on Europe’s future.

Key outcomes of the visit:

• Agreements were made to foster collaboration between Ukrainian and Danish human rights organizations.  
• A platform for sharing best practices in documenting crimes and advocating for child deportation at the international level was established.  
• The issue of Ukrainian child deportation was officially placed on the agendas of the EU and Danish political discussions.  
• The causes and consequences of forced deportation were clearly articulated, with a strong emphasis on it being part of Russia’s strategy to commit genocide against the Ukrainian people and erase Ukrainian national identity.

Media presence

In addition to her participation in the events, Matviichuk gave a series of interviews with leading Danish media outlets, including “Politiken”, to further raise awareness of the deportation of Ukrainian children and bring the issue to a wider international audience.

Official statistics show that Russia has deported over 20,000 Ukrainian children since the start of the full-scale invasion. However, unofficial estimates from Ukrainian and international experts suggest that the true figure may be much higher – ranging from 700,000 to 1.5 million children.

“Some children were forcibly deported from occupied Ukrainian territories, while others were taken through Crimea to Russia. Russian officials themselves acknowledge the figure of 700,000 Ukrainian children now in Russia,” the event organizers remind.

Wrapping up the visit, Matviichuk emphasized that the Ukrainian diaspora abroad is a lifeline for Ukraine.

“Russia is trying to drown us, but they [Ukrainians abroad] are doing everything possible and impossible to help us stay afloat,” she said.