The Ministry of Social Policy continues to reform the social protection sector, including in the area of children's rights.

On June 1, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted three resolutions initiated by the Ministry of Social Policy.

The adopted acts are aimed at creating additional social protection for children affected by the war, preventing violations of the rights of children who are temporarily displaced (evacuated) as well as significantly strengthening control over the actions of all parties involved in the evacuation.

To ensure the safety of Ukrainian children, the Government issued a resolution recommending that military administrations evacuate children living in institutions on a round-the-clock basis at least 100 km from the temporarily occupied territory and the war zone, 50 km from the border with the russian federation and the republic of belarus, and at least 2 km from critical facilities.

This act also defines the mechanisms for deciding on the return of temporarily displaced (evacuated) children from institutions abroad to Ukraine to ensure that children return to the regions in which they lived only when it is truly safe to do so. The act also introduces a mechanism for the return of groups and individual children evacuated abroad.

The mentioned act will improve the registration in the Unified Data Bank on Orphans and Children Deprived of Parental Care and Families of Potential Adopters, Guardians, Foster Parents, and Parents in Care of all children evacuated from institutions, or any changes in the accompanying persons, places of stay of such children, organisations providing care for them, etc.

In general, this act is aimed at preventing violations of the rights of Ukrainian children and persons who are temporarily displaced (evacuated), as well as at significantly strengthening control over the actions of all parties involved in the evacuation of children, as well as in the care and protection of these children, wherever they are.

Given the importance of raising children in a family environment and the growing number of orphans during the war, the Government has regulated the possibility of Ukrainians adopting children who were evacuated abroad.

Until now, there was no mechanism for Ukrainian citizens to adopt Ukrainian children evacuated abroad. The resolution regulates the procedure for the adoption and placement of orphans and children deprived of parental care who are abroad in Ukrainian families and family-type children's homes during martial law. It also provides for the placement of such children under the guardianship or care of candidates for adoption. Thanks to the amendments, Ukrainian citizens who are candidates for adoption will be able to meet children online.

In addition, the issue of adoption of siblings who were separated during the evacuation of Ukraine was regulated. It also grants foreigners married to Ukrainian citizens the right to adopt their spouse's child during martial law (until then, adoption by foreigners was prohibited, and the mechanism for adoption of Ukrainian children by spouses (foreigners and Ukrainian citizens) was not included at all).

Since Ukrainian legislation provides for additional social protection and a number of benefits for children affected by war, the status of "child affected by hostilities and armed conflicts" will be available to all children who, as a result of hostilities, have been wounded, contused, mutilated, or subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence.