With 462 votes in favour, 19 against, and 89 abstentions, MEPs adopted a resolution in Strasbourg on Thursday, 5 May, that strongly condemns the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war. They expressed their deep concern about the increasing number of reports of human trafficking, sexual violence, exploitation, rape, and abuse of women and children fleeing the war in Ukraine. According to the UN Refugee Agency, 90% of the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine are women and children.
“Member States need to increase their efforts in this regard. [...] Human traffickers increasingly profit [from] the crisis. Member States must [...] ensure refugees can travel safely. [...] Thus, women need to [...] get stability and possible independence,” pleaded Robert Biedroń (S&D, Poland), author of the oral question posed to the European Commission during the plenary debate.
Like her colleagues, María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos (Renew Europe, Spain) stressed the importance of gathering evidence. “War has turned women’s bodies into a battlefield. We cannot continue to be onlookers. These are war crimes. They must be punished. Evidence must be gathered for the International Criminal Court”, she stated.
Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA, Finland) even surmised, “President Putin actually decorated those troops [...], so perhaps here we have an evidence of a very high-level command chain”.
“The EU supports investigations by the Ukrainian authorities, by the Member States, and the International Criminal Court. Eurojust opened [a] case and support[s] a joint investigation team together with Ukraine,” assured European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.
The European Commission recently proposed that the capabilities of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation be extended so that the agency can collect, preserve, and share evidence of war crimes (see EUROPE 12938/9).
In their resolution, MEPs emphasise that the specific needs of women and girls must be addressed in reception centres and that complaints mechanisms should immediately be made available. They also urge EU countries to provide safe and coordinated transport between Member States.
In addition, the European Parliament is calling on the EU and all host and transit countries to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including emergency contraception and abortion care, especially for victims of rape, as well as obstetric care.
Mrs Johansson supported access to the emergency contraception pill.
As for Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, Ireland), she stressed the importance of mental health care and suggested funding specialist NGOs.
The resolution was, however, criticised by the ECR and Identity and Democracy groups and by non-attached MEPs. “Here, the vulnerability of women and girls who leave Ukraine for the EU is being exploited. The situation is not being presented correctly, and certain Member States are being openly attacked on ideological and political grounds”, denounced Lívia Járóka (NI, Hungary).
“An attempt is being made to implant a culture that, now, does not value life. It is marketed with the promotion of abortion and surrogacy. But life is not an object, nor a whim, nor a desire”, stated Margarita de la Pisa Carrión (ECR, Spain). The ID group’s proposed amendment banning surrogacy was rejected.
The proposed text as submitted by the parliamentary committee has not been changed in substance.
To read the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/1iy (Original version in French by Anne Damiani with Aminata Niang)