Statement by Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN Vitalina Shevchenko During the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth in New York
“Panel 1: Advancing Implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to Leave No One Behind” (25 September 2025)
Dear excellencies, distinguished delegates, and fellow youth advocates,
The World Programme of Action for Youth has 15 priority areas, and one of them is dedicated to young people in armed conflict. I want to stress, as someone who has grown up in a country fighting Russian aggression since I was 12 years old, that every other priority are area – education, health, environment, employment, full participation of youth in society – each and every area – struggles profoundly during armed aggression and cannot be ensured without respect for the international order at the first place.
Just yesterday Forbes Ukraine published a list “30 under 30” – a list of promising young Ukrainians killed by Russia. A list that should never ever have existed. These young people should have been recognised for their achievements, but instead, they are memorialised for their deaths.
I also want to highlight that nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported by Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Out of these children, 624 are confirmed dead and only 1,625 have been returned to Ukraine through the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
So I call on everyone in this room — those who care about the meaningful participation of youth — most importantly continue defending the international order, so that no more “lists that should never have existed” are written, and no more children are abducted and forcibly deported.
Thank you!
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