Today, we are proud to welcome Magnolia Ukraine as a member of the INHOPE network. In the face of unprecedented challenges posed by a full-scale war and a surge in crimes against children amid conflict, Ukraine has emerged as a resilient force dedicated to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its youngest citizens. Our new Ukrainian member outlines the importance of prioritising child protection in times of war and tells us about the challenges and benefits of joining the network.

How did you hear about INHOPE?

Our organisation has been dedicated to child protection in Ukraine for over 20 years. Throughout this time, we have closely collaborated with government authorities, including the National Police of Ukraine, as well as the media and the public, to protect children. In early 2023, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine approached us with a request to launch the INHOPE hotline in Ukraine. Despite the full-scale war in Ukraine and the numerous challenges associated with it, we understand the importance of this collaboration to combat violence against children in Ukraine.

What inspired your organisation to join the network?

Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine has faced unprecedented challenges, including mass bombings, shelling, and the occupation of our territories. Children, in particular, are vulnerable and become victims of killings, torture, sexual assault, abductions, deportations, and other war crimes. We realised the need to provide society with an additional online tool for reporting crimes against children. In 2022, we launched the stopcrime.ua portal. Our analysts carefully process each report and forward it to the relevant law enforcement agency for further investigation. In 2023, upon learning that Ukraine is among the top three hosting countries for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) content, we understood the need to work according to INHOPE standards and collaborate with other network members to combat CSAM.

What do you consider the biggest advantage of the INHOPE network?

• Training staff according to the best global practices for combating CSAM according to INHOPE standards.
• The ability to combat CSAM through international cooperation via the ICCAM database.
• Sharing experiences and collaborating with other INHOPE members.

What are some of the challenging parts of joining the network?

Working in wartime conditions puts us at constant risk. Regular rocket attacks and bombings force our analysts to work directly from bomb shelters. The winter period is particularly challenging, as we face complete power and heating outages. In such conditions, it is very difficult to make plans and achieve the goals set for creating the hotline. Despite all the difficulties, Ukraine stood united. The National Police of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, service providers, and we as a community understood the importance of creating the hotline in Ukraine. Therefore, within six months, we had agreements and signed memoranda with all key stakeholders and fully prepared our office and staff according to INHOPE requirements.

Can you tell us a bit about your mission?

The stopcrime.ua hotline was created in 2022 due to numerous crimes against children during the full-scale war. In 2023, the NGO Magnolia launched the INHOPE hotline in Ukraine. The main goal of our hotline is to counter crimes against children by ensuring effective cooperation between the community, law enforcement agencies, and hosting providers to combat CSAM.

What types of reports does the hotline handle?

CSAM, child abduction, human trafficking, war crimes against children, and other crimes against children.

What are your plans for the future?

We understand that we are currently in the development stage and already have the following plans:

• Continuously raising awareness of the existence and capabilities of the INHOPE hotline in Ukraine.
• Seeking and securing funding for the INHOPE hotline in Ukraine.
• Learning from the experiences of existing INHOPE hotlines in other countries and training our staff.
• Developing a staff welfare policy and providing ongoing support to our personnel working with CSAM according to INHOPE standards.
• Strengthening the hotline to apply for full INHOPE membership within one year.
  
  

Want to learn more about Magnolia Ukraine? Visit their website here.