Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza detained outside his Moscow home, according to reports

Increased reports of rape and sexual violence against Ukrainian women and children must be thoroughly and independently investigated to ensure accountability, Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, said Monday morning. 

She later added that there is also an increased risk of human trafficking at border crossings, with young women and unaccompanied teenagers at particular risk. 

Bahous was addressing the UN Security Council in New York City upon her return from Moldova, where she observed the humanitarian response at temporary shelters erected for people fleeing Ukraine. There are an estimated 95,000 Ukrainians being hosted in Moldova to date, Bahous said.

UN Women, a United Nations entity dedicated to advancing gender equity and the empowerment of women, is working with refugee response teams and civil society teams on the ground in Moldova “to ensure that the gendered nature of this crisis is addressed with a gender sensitive response.”

Bahous stressed the imperative need to have a “gender-sensitive” humanitarian response, including “services to provide with a focus on protection and to address the increased trauma and psycho-social support needs.”

“Women make up 80% of all health and social care workers in Ukraine, and many of them chose not to evacuate,” Bahous said. “I heard from women in the shelters that they too, are taking on leadership roles, and supporting the refugee response in the host countries.”

Despite this, Bahous said women remain largely absent from any current negotiation efforts. She called for the UN Security Council and all UN member states to “to ensure the meaningful participation of women and girls, including from marginalized groups, in all decision-making processes, peace, diplomacy, and humanitarian. Without this, we will not have peace, development, or human security.”