The primary purpose of the mission was to collect parliamentary evidence on sexual violence in military conflicts. During EPF’s three-day parliamentary mission to Poland and Ukraine from 25th to 27th June 2022, an EPF delegation visited seven refugee shelters in Rzeszów (Poland) and Lviv (Ukraine).

The delegation met with survivors of violence, politicians from both Ukraine and Poland, law enforcement institutions, psychologists, NGOs and IGOs, activists.

The visit was a follow-up action after the Belgian Parliament adopted a resolution concerning the use of rape as a war crime. In the case of Ukraine, the Belgian resolution insists on the need for international institutions and tribunals to conduct separate, independent investigations so that Russian soldiers are held to account for their alleged crimes. Thus, this visit offered an opportunity for the delegates to shine a light on the reality of the war in Ukraine for both the public and other European governments. To capitalise on this momentum created by this visit, the EPF will seek possibilities to encourage resolutions to a similar effect at both the EU and UN.